Alexandria becomes first trans/LGBTQIA+ sanctuary in VA; join SOS anti-eviction canvassing; Israel continues deadly attacks and more ...
This is the weekly newsletter of the Metro DC Democratic Socialists of America (MDC DSA), which is produced by local members of the chapter's Publications Working Group. The Weekly Update publishes every Friday at 9am.
Paid for by Metro DC DSA (mdcdsa.org). Not authorized by any candidate or committee.
UP FRONT
City of Alexandria becomes first trans/LGBTQIA+ sanctuary in Virginia
Organizers from Metro DC DSA’s Trans Rights & Bodily Autonomy campaign were present and attended the Alexandria City Council legislative session this week as the council unanimously voted to adopt the LGBTQ+ Safe Haven resolution. Comrades initiated the campaign for the resolution, drafted the initial proposed text and worked with the council and the city attorney’s office for five months to get the strongest possible protections for a resolution-based national sanctuary (as opposed to an ordinance). Members believe it can serve a model for those pursuing similar efforts in other Dillon’s Rule states. With this campaign victory, Alexandria officially became the first jurisdiction in Virginia to declare itself a safe haven for LGBTQ+ people. The members who worked with Councilmember R. Kirk McPike were verbally recognized during the vote and included in the public record. The region’s NPR station, WAMU 88.5, interviewed MDC DSA’s Lyra M and aired a positive segment crediting both Metro DC DSA and TRBA by name for spearheading the initiative.
The success in Alexandria is part of Metro DC DSA’s participation in National DSA’s Trans Rights & Bodily Autonomy (TRBA) Campaign Commission — a hub for chapters engaging in grassroots organizing for reproductive justice and trans liberation through advocacy campaigns, ballot measures, elections, labor unions and mutual aid from state to state. Specifically, the Alexandria Safe Haven resolution fits into the campaign’s Project Sanctuary priority: an effort to pass (predominantly municipal and county-level) sanctuary provisions declaring and providing community support for the bodily autonomy and rights of the trans community, women and all working-class people marginalized on the basis of gender and sexuality. In the form of ordinances or policy directives within resolutions, such provisions provide additional legal protections by preventing the use of government resources to aid state intervention or by using those same resources to wage the fight for our rights and support our material well-being.
This fall, recognizing the intersectional nature of bodily autonomy and the importance of coordination and shared resources, Metro DC DSA’s local TRBA campaign will merge with the MDC DSA Reproductive Justice Working Group, becoming the Bodily Autonomy Working Group. Interested members can learn more here.
Stomp Out Slumlords continues canvassing operations — Saturday, September 28 at 1:30pm and Sunday, September 29 at 12pm
This weekend, SOS will be canvassing buildings around the city. On Saturday, September 28, the group will conduct their monthly anti-eviction canvass to talk to people facing eviction to inform them of their rights, connect them with legal resources and see if they are interested in organizing their building.The canvass will meet at 1:30pm at the L’Enfant Plaza Metro Station at the D Street exit (between 6th and 7th above the escalators — if the weather is bad, meet downstairs just before the turnstiles). Following the canvass, the crew will meet at Sonny’s Pizza in Park View to debrief and socialize. RSVP here.
And on Sunday, September 29, SOS will be canvassing with Woodner Tenants Union from 12-2pm. Tenants at the Woodner face a possible $300 rent increase, despite the fact that the owners of the building have neglected necessary repairs for years. On Sunday, organizers will be canvassing the building to talk to tenants, update them, and ask them to sign on to the tenant union ahead of an upcoming hearing. To RSVP for Sunday, email [email protected]. Both canvasses will have trainings at the beginning and will pair newer canvassers with more experienced ones.
Israel attacks Lebanon amid ongoing genocide in Gaza
In the midst of its unabated genocide of Palestinians in Gaza, Israel further expanded its attacks on Lebanon with strikes on Beirut and fears of a ground invasion in south Lebanon. Al-Jazeera reports: “A week of intense Israeli air attacks on Lebanon has killed more than 550 Lebanese and displaced 90,000, pushing the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah closer to an all-out war — one that some believe has already begun in all but name.”
This comes in the wake of ProPublica reporting on two United States government bodies’ determination that Israel deliberately blocked humanitarian aid from entering Gaza; a determination that was then rejected by United States Secretary of State Anthony Blinken and President Biden: “...US law requires the government to cut off weapons shipments to countries that prevent the delivery of US-backed humanitarian aid,” the report reads. “Israel has been largely dependent on American bombs and other weapons in Gaza since Hamas’ Oct. 7 attacks. … But Blinken and the administration of President Joe Biden did not accept either finding.” [see full ProPublica report in ESSENTIAL PERSPECTIVES, below]
Metro DC DSA comrades continue to organize for Palestinian liberation, an arms embargo and an end to Israel’s attacks in Gaza, Lebanon and beyond, including the newly announced #BoycottChevron campaign. Get involved by visiting the #internationalism channel on the chapter Slack.
BRIEFS
Metro DC DSA to table at Mt. Pleasant Art All Night — Book Exchange and Street Team — TONIGHT at 5pm
Your friendly creative comrades from anticapitalist magazine After the Storm, Metro DC DSA Book Exchange and the DSA Street Team are tabling at Art All Night tonight in Mt. Pleasant from 5 to 10pm. Stop by the red tent for writing prompts, books, hand-made pins and good conversations near McCormick Paints on the corner of Mt. Pleasant & Kenyon Streets. All are welcome to swap lefty books, pick up chapter lit and buttons and contribute to a collaborative art project.
Socialist Night School: What is Public Safety? — Thursday, October 3 at 6pm
What keeps us safe? What is public safety, what are the conditions that produce safety and how can we, both collectively and individually, intervene to address harm? Many people who believe police and prisons are essential also believe that non-carceral solutions are essential too — but may not know what those look like. For those who are new to abolition, it is easier to answer what doesn’t work than what does. The Night School exploration is October 3 from 6 to 8pm at the MLK Memorial Library, room 401D. RSVP here for both remote and in-person attendance.
In this session, attendees will discuss the drivers of interpersonal harm, what the research shows about policy responses to reduce and redress that harm, and what we can do about these ourselves. We’ll also discuss how ‘thinking like an abolitionist’ is helpful for critically engaging questions of public safety (even if you are not an abolitionist) and the role of movement lawyering as one strategy among others at shifting to more non-carceral approaches.
Prince George’s Branch DSA General Body Meeting — Sunday, September 29 at 2pm
Following up on our terrific picnic at Watkins Park two weekends ago, join us for our September General Body Meeting on Sunday, September 29th from 2 to 3:30pm at the Hyattsville Library. We will discuss the successful fight for rent stabilization in Prince George’s County and our next steps for decommodifying land and housing in the county. After the meeting, we will convene at the Old Dominion Brewhouse to socialize. Interested non-members are welcome; all attendees should RSVP here.
Tenants to rally at Pershing House Apartments on Oct. 5, protesting management neglect and mistreatment
The people living at the Pershing House Apartments are fed up with Van Metre's neglect and mistreatment. After a recent electrical fire put residents in danger and Van Metre's response was to spuriously blame a tenant, the tenants have collectively decided to withhold their rent until Van Metre gets their act together.
Next weekend, on Saturday October 5th at 6PM, the tenants will be holding a rally at the building (3701 16th NW) to let Van Metre know: NO MAINTENANCE? NO RENT! Tenants have asked for neighbors and community members to turn out in support as they prepare to take a radical step in exercising tenant power. El pueblo unido jamás será vencido! More information to follow next week.
Pleasure Activism: finding joy in building a better world — Saturday, September 28 at 4pm
Inspired by adrienne maree brown’s Pleasure Activism, the socialist feminist reading group will host a workshop at the Mt. Pleasant Public Library (3162 Mount Pleasant St NW) on Saturday, September 28 from 4 to 5:30pm where we ask ourselves, “How can we fight for a better world and not forget our pleasure along the way?” Attendees will be given a series of prompt questions, then discuss their reflections in breakout groups. All members are welcome. Please email [email protected] for information and to RSVP.
Canvass for reproductive freedom in Maryland through Election Day
Vote yes on Question 1! Maryland’s Reproductive Freedom Amendment is on the ballot on November 5th, enshrining abortion access and other rights in the state constitution. Following endorsement from the chapter, Metro DC DSA will be leading and organizing canvassing efforts to knock doors in Montgomery and Prince George's Counties. Chapter members can join the slack channel at #md-repro-amendment (forward your dues receipt to [email protected] for access), and all those looking to get involved can sign up to volunteer here.
MoCo DSA comrades planning branch-wide meeting to strategize on current and upcoming campaigns — Sunday, October 26 at 2pm
The Montgomery County DSA October branch meeting will be held from 2 to 4pm Eastern time in the second floor meeting room of the Rockville Public Library, located at 21 Maryland Ave, Rockville, MD 20850. We will share updates on ongoing and upcoming campaign work, as well as discuss the ballot for the November election.
This meeting will be hybrid, both on Zoom and in person — please RSVP to receive the Zoom link. New members, please feel free to join at 1:45pm for an orientation to the branch.
INFO ACCESS
Learn more about our local MDC DSA chapter — structure, campaigns and working groups, Night School and reading groups — HERE. And live from our studio, Wednesday, October 9, 7 – 8pm, Why You Should Join DSA / New Member Orientation (with Q&A). MDC DSA members: Join our Slack for real-time info, convo and inspiration. Email [email protected] with your most recent DSA dues receipt to get Slack access. And, all chapter members are invited to read MDC DSA’sinternal wiki — and write it too. It’s a newish but ever-evolving handbook of processes, procedures, records and generally helpful information. If you don’t have your SSO login yet, email [email protected] to get set up, or ask in #helpdesk on Slack.
MDC DSA Publications is information central for not just MDC DSA but the entire DMV left. Weekly Updates are scheduled and emailed on Fridays; current and past Updates are on the web here. Not subscribed? DSA member or not, sign up to get the Update here. Submit your Update suggestions to thetip line, including nominating articles for ESSENTIAL PERSPECTIVES. Donate to our Comradery page if you would like to financially support socialist publishing in the DMV. #publications (our working group’s Slack channel) is always ready to onboard new socialist communicators.
TheWashington Socialist, published since the 1970s, offers articles on a quarterly schedule; the Fall 2024 edition is now live and will be updated on a rolling basis. Check our archive to see what we write, and what you can write. You can also follow our chapter’s political blog, REDBUG. Anyone, MDC DSA member or not, interested in contributing to the Washington Socialist can email submissions or questions to [email protected]. Get your socialist self on the record.
COMMUNITY BULLETIN
Making Decisions Together | Direct Democracy Institute
Sign up for this ten-session course about radically democratic decision-making in groups and organizations. Get peer support from like-minded folks working on similar challenges and up to five hours of personalized professional mentoring. This course is ideal for organizations and collectives committed to making their work more sustainable with distributed democratic participation, as well as individuals who work or volunteer as part of any progressive organization or grassroots group. Learn more and register here.
11th DC Palestinian Film and Arts Festival
From October 24-27, join others in honoring Palestinian voices and artistry at the DC Palestinian Film and Arts Festival. Their program lineup includes sessions like “Data Storytelling as Resistance” and “Political Art Making: Palestinian symbolism & resistance.” Get your early bird tickets here.
ESSENTIAL PERSPECTIVES
ESSENTIAL PERSPECTIVES are articles and opinion pieces of interest to DMV leftists but not, generally, appearing in local media. They should have links without paywalls. Readers are invited to submit candidates at our tip line.
Blinken rejects his agencies’ own finding that Israel blocked humanitarian aid in Gaza The US government’s two foremost authorities on humanitarian assistance concluded this spring that Israel had deliberately blocked deliveries of food and medicine into Gaza. US law requires the government to cut off weapons shipments to countries that prevent the delivery of US-backed humanitarian aid. Israel has been largely dependent on American bombs and other weapons in Gaza since Hamas’ Oct. 7 attacks. But Secretary of State Antony Blinken and the administration did not accept either finding. Days later, on May 10, Blinken delivered a carefully worded statement to Congress that said, “We do not currently assess that the Israeli government is prohibiting or otherwise restricting the transport or delivery of U.S. humanitarian assistance.” ProPublica
Yes, I said “National Liberation”
Robin D.G. Kelley writes: ‘In the movement circles that nurtured and trained me, “Free Palestine” rolled off the tongue as easily as “Free South Africa,” “Free the Land,” “A Luta Continua,” “Power to the People,” and the ubiquitous “El Pueblo Unido Jamás Será Vencido!”’ Kelley reflects on the links between struggles for Palestinian self-determination and those for Black liberation in the U.S., and traces the ways in which Black radical conceptions of Palestine and Israel have changed over the last six decades. From a Verso Books essay collection; TX to our comrade Dan S, “5 Lefty Links.”
LABOR: The New Labor Organizing Model of EWOC Interest in unions and workplace organizing is high, but proactive workers have few opportunities to launch their own organizing drives. The Emergency Workplace Organizing Committee is trying to change that. “Tens of millions of workers in the United States want a union at their workplace, but do not have one. This unfortunate state of affairs is normally blamed on external obstacles such as our country’s broken labor law regime. But there are also significant internal obstacles within the labor movement that prevent it from scaling up to meet the widespread demand for workplace representation.” Jacobin via Portside
Fredric Jameson, Critic Who Linked Literature to Capitalism, Dies at 90 Among the world’s leading academic critics, he brought his analytical rigor to topics as diverse as German opera and sci-fi movies. Starting in the early 1970s, [Jameson] led the effort to import into American circles the critical perspectives of Western Marxism — a diverse set of ideas, popular in France and Germany, arranged around the notion that culture was closely related to a society’s economic base, though not completely constrained by it. NYT obit. In an appreciation, another Times cultural critic observed “Marxism was, for Jameson, both a mode of analysis and an ethical program. The novels, films and philosophical texts he wrote about — and by implication his own work too — could only be understood within the social and economic structures that produced them.”
A Means to Live: The past and future of debt resistance In her review of a new book on debt activism, Astra Taylor (a founder of the Debt Collective), argues: “By opening a window onto the bygone movements of the indebted, [book authors] Zackin and Thurston remind present-day debt activists that despite the seeming novelty of our approach, our efforts are not as original as we might like to think. The relatively recent emergence of debtor organizing is, in fact, a reemergence—a revival of a long-standing American tradition.” from The Nation
This is the weekly newsletter of the Metro DC Democratic Socialists of America (MDC DSA), which is produced by local members of the chapter's Publications working group. The Weekly Update publishes every Friday at 9am.
Paid for by Metro DC DSA (mdcdsa.org). Not authorized by any candidate or committee.
The flame of thought, the magnificence of art, the wonder of discovery, and the audacity of invention all belong to revolutionary periods when humanity, tired of its chains, shatters them and stops inebriated to breathe the breeze of a vast and free horizon. - Virgilia D'Andrea
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