Over the past week, Democrats converged in Chicago to certify the party’s presidential ticket for the presidential elections this year, and to convene on a general party platform. The stage show attracted major attention across the country, although an alliance of workers, socialists and progressives convened outside the soiree demanding a change to Democrats’ steadfast support for the Israeli apartheid regime. Anti-war protests outside have called for an arms embargo and aimed to pressure the Biden-Harris Administration to broker a permanent ceasefire in Gaza. (If the party’s official platform is anything to go by, no drastic changes can yet be expected.)

On Wednesday evening, a fight between Palestine solidarity organizers and officials in the Democratic Party went public, revealing the DNC’s refusal to afford a speaking-slot on the convention stage. Despite calls from sympathetic Democrats and influential allies (including the United Auto Workers) to provide an opportunity for protest surrogates to speak, the request went unfulfilled. On Thursday afternoon, Mother Jones published a draft speech that was prepared by Georgia State Rep. Ruwa Romman.

Read more DNCC roundup in Essential Perspectives.

Councilmember Trayon White Sr. was arrested late on Sunday afternoon by the FBI. In a release, the Department of Justice alleged that White agreed to accept $156k in cash payments to extend several contracts (valued at $5.2mil) related to violence interruption services in DC. The FBI has video and photo evidence of White accepting cash payments.

DC political leaders have been responding to the news over the past week. The DC Council is planning to remove White from his chairs of local committees, and Ward 2 Councilmember Brooke Pinto also announced in a press release her intent to hold “rigorous public hearings this fall to evaluate the potential reach” of any further corruption. Several Ward 8 locals have also announced write-in campaigns for the Ward 8 elections — White won his Ward 8 primary this year with just over 50% of the vote.

Violence interrupters are a vital pillar upholding public safety in DC. The programs received widened expansions of funding in the wake of the 2020 George Floyd Uprisings, when violence interruption efforts were identified as a vital program necessary for delivering real public safety to the people of DC. (Impact studies on violence Interruption programs have shown long-term effects in reducing gun violence.) In DC, there are two violence interruption programs: one coordinated under the jurisdiction of Mayor Bowser (this is the contracting associated with White’s bribery case), and another coordinated by the DC Attorney General’s Office.

On September 8th, Metro DC DSA will be holding an overtime pay and wage theft teach-in at Mt. Pleasant Library from 3 to 5pm. The event will include legal and organizing experts who will explain how wage theft manifests in the workplace and what workers can do if they find themselves victims of these practices. RSVP for reminder and notices here.

This teach-in is part of a wider series of labor law and organizing programming planned by Metro DC DSA to occur over the next few months. Stay tuned for future events and actions.

As DC local election ballots are being finalized by the local Board of Elections, ballot access for Initiative 83 is still up in the air, having attracted significant challenge from local opposition. If included on the ballot, Initiative 83 would propose two big changes to DC elections: ranked choice voting and semi-open primaries which would allow registered independents to vote in party primaries.

I83, which has already submitted the required number of validated signatures, has continued to attract opposition to ballot access from factions within DC’s Democratic Party. The depth of this opposition was revealed in an investigation published in Washington City Paper this week, which outed at-large Councilmember Anita Bonds as political lead in opposition to I83’s inclusion on the general election ballot. CM Bonds’ efforts have been significant but so far unsuccessful, marked by attempts to challenge the BOE’s independence and autonomy. Local legislation has previously been introduced by CM Bonds that would significantly restrict the scope of future ballot initiatives.

Metro DC DSA declined to endorse Initiative 83 when it was brought to membership vote earlier this year. Although a majority of members voted to endorse the initiative, the result (52% in favor) was not enough of a majority required to provide formal chapter endorsement. (Read more: research on ranked-choice voting and semi-open primaries as published in Washington Socialist.)

Anyone new to Metro DC DSA is invited to the Fall 2024 New Member Community Cohort. The cohort will take part in a mostly in-person weekly training from mid-September through mid-October covering “Why We Organize,” “What is Socialism?,” chapter operations and resources and a dedicated social outing. Apply here — applications are due by September 10.

Metro DC DSA’s famous reading groups are preparing for their Fall rollout, and all are invited to sign up. Groups begin after Labor Day and most will wrap before Christmas (unless you are reading the new translation of Capital Vol. 1). These reading groups are a great way to meet new people, learn core works connected to socialism and political economy, build our capacity to learn and debate ideas and get connected to political education in the chapter.

Fall offerings include two groups reading the brand new translation of Capital Vol. 1; an ecosocialism and political economy group reading The Price is Wrong: Why Capitalism Won’t Save the Planet; an Internationalism group reading Frantz Fanon’s classic Wretched of the Earth; the Rent Strike reading group going through classic local and international works on housing; a Family Abolition reading group reading M.E. O’Brien’s latest book by that title; a Capitalism & Culture group reading the best radical perspectives on “cultural” issues; a Prisons and Resistance Since Attica: Abolition reading group reading the Tip of the Spear; and a group for those interested in radical thinking around legal issues titled Marxism and The Law. Register to join one or more — most groups will meet online but with regular in-person social meetups to build group camaraderie.

Picnic for Palestine on August 24 | DC for Ceasefire

DC for Ceasefire is calling all Ward 6 and 7 community members to Lincoln Park tomorrow, Saturday, August 24, from 4 to 6pm for a picnic. Build community power and brainstorm ideas for Ward-specific actions. View more on Instagram here.

Palestinian Solidarity Picnic on August 25 | Montgomery County Public Schools for Palestine

Montgomery County Public Schools for Palestine will be holding its first community picnic on Sunday, August 25 from 12 to 4pm at Wheaton Forest Local Park. It is an opportunity to meet with our members and learn about our past accomplishments and next steps. The coalition has achieved several accomplishments over the last few months: Garnered over 1,000 local signatures calling on MCPS to address anti-Arab trainings and incidents; convincing MCPS to pause trainings by pro-Israel groups that have incorporated a weaponized version of anti-Semitism in their curricula; and compiled personal stories of bias and discrimination experience by those in the MCPS community. Please note this is at the local park on University Boulevard, NOT the regional park on Georgia Avenue. RSVP here.

Puerto Rico and Cuba Teach-in on August 25 | Diaspora Pa’lante Collective

The Diaspora Pa’lante Collective is celebrating solidarity between Puerto Rico and Cuba. Join them this Sunday, August 25, from 1:30 to 5pm at ONE DC for a teach-in on the history of both countries and their current conditions, as well as a cultural event. There is now a virtual option too. RSVP here.