Special meeting notice, canvassing for the Maryland Reproductive Freedom Amendment continues this weekend; tenants plan rally in DC, 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
Special meeting notice: Metro DC DSA to consider endorsement in upcoming PG County Council special election
Metro DC DSA has received a chapter endorsement request for endorsement in the special election in the PG County Council to fill an anticipated open seat on the Council. The seat — District 5 — will be vacated this year if Jolene Ivey, who currently holds the seat, wins the general election for an open at-large seat on the Council come election day (likely). The chapter has received an endorsement questionnaire from school board member Shayla Adams-Stafford in the race. Additionally, the resolution to endorse Shayla for the special election has been cosponsored by at least five chapter members.
The special election has a short timeline, likely happening in February or March. Because of this, the Steering Committee voted to hold a special meeting on Thursday, October 31 at 7pm (RSVP here) open to all members for the first read of the endorsement resolution. On Tuesday, November 19 (RSVP here), there will be another meeting to hold a Q&A session with the candidate, hold the second read of the endorsement resolution, and debate on endorsement. Please submit Q&A questions here. Afterward, there will be a period (dates to be announced) for members to submit statements for or against endorsement that will appear on the ballot, and then ballots will be emailed to membership.
The Prince George’s County Council is currently deadlocked 5-5 between a pro-labor and tenant faction that wants stronger unions and to enhance rent control and a conservative pro-developer faction. The outcome of this election is likely to determine the balance of power in Prince George’s County politics for the next two years.
Canvassing for Maryland Question 1 continues this weekend
Maryland’s Reproductive Freedom Amendment — Question 1 — is on the ballot on November 5. If passed, it would enshrine abortion access and other rights into the state constitution. Metro DC DSA has endorsed this initiative, and is canvassing for Question 1 in Montgomery and Prince George’s Counties. and chapter members and allies are invited to participate in the efforts. Reproductive rights and bodily autonomy are under attack nationwide; support is needed to protect these essential rights for the people of Maryland.
Volunteers organized through Metro DC DSA have knocked hundreds of doors the last few weeks and will continue this momentum through the weekend. Here is this weekend’s rollout:
Saturday, October 26 at 10am at Landover Metro Station (3000 Pennsy Dr, Landover, MD 20785)
Sunday, October 27 at 10am at Bladensburg Branch Library (4820 Annapolis Rd, Bladensburg, MD 20710)
Chapter members can join the Slack channel #md-repro-amendment (members can forward dues receipt to [email protected] for access), and all those looking to get involved can sign up to volunteer here. Prince George’s Chapter comrades, after knocking on doors Sunday, will be going to a nearby restaurant for a social get-together for some food and drink and to get to know each other better. Whether members are able to canvass or not, this will be a great way to spend an October Sunday. Sign up for the social here.
DC Tenants to rally at Wilson Building on Monday, October 28 to confront rollbacks of tenant rights
The DC Council has passed emergency bill B25-0994 — rolling back essential eviction protections for low-income tenants at the behest of developers. Tenants are fighting back by holding a rally on Monday to demand that the eviction protections be restored, that the Council holds the Department of Buildings accountable to doing its job enforcing the housing code against slumlords, and that rent control loopholes are closed to prevent outrageous rent increases.
Tenants organized across a number of buildings across the city are set to turn out, including those living at the Woodner, Tivoli Gardens, Pershing House, Oaklawn, and more. Stomp Out Slumlords will also be in attendance. The tenants have made a call for allies and tenants to rally at 12pm on Monday, October 28 outside the Wilson Building at 1350 Pennsylvania Ave to tell the DC Council that when tenants’ rights are under attack, the city fights back.
BRIEFS
Internationalism working group fundraising for Palestinian families and mutual aid
In July 2024, MDC DSA members were part of a fundraising campaign that raised over $106,000 for 21 Palestinian families and a mutual aid project serving a refugee camp of 3,500 people, with over $90,000 raised in just two days. The Internationalism working group is planning another fundraiser for over 100 Palestinian families and two mutual aid projects. Those interested in helping to fundraise can post on their Instagram stories/grid (and receive graphics like last time), please SIGN UP TO FUNDRAISE or reach out to [email protected] for any questions or to add a Palestinian family to the fundraiser.
Outreach continues this weekend for History of Police Violence walking tour
The next in the chapter’s series of walking tours will focus on the history of police violence on November 17, brought to you by the local Abolition working group. The tour will visit downtown DC sites of historical and recent police violence and will explore how police, prisons, and carceral logic are used to put forward an idea of “safety” that in practice only makes life harder for DC residents with the least access to resources. The tour will also explore alternative visions for the abolition of police and prisons in order to build the city we deserve where all are truly safe. Sign up for the walking tour here.
Socialists wheatpasted across DC’s Chinatown for outreach last weekend. This weekend, the abolition working group is organizing outreach in Ward 1 on Sunday, October 27 at 1pm — the expedition will meet at the Columbia Heights Metro. The working group is also organizing outreach in Anacostia on November 2 at 2pm. Sign up for both the walking tour and wheatpasting outreach here.
Bodily Autonomy working group kickoff party — Monday, November 4 at 6pm
Join us to celebrate the official launch of the MDC DSA Bodily Autonomy Working Group — a merger between the Reproductive Justice working group, Trans Rights and Bodily Autonomy Campaign, and Socialist Feminist section — on Monday, November 4, from 6 to 8:30pm at Dew Drop Inn.
Come hang out and learn about our upcoming campaigns — including making Arlington the second sanctuary city in Virginia, fundraising for DC’s Abortion Fund, planning our annual reproductive care kit packing event, political education programs, monthly socials, and more. RSVP here.
Local socialists to meet with Vienna delegation of elected officials and housing policy experts on Nov 1
Next Friday, November 1, Green New Deal DC and Metro DC DSA will lead presentations and exchange with a delegation of current and former elected officials and policy experts from Vienna, Austria. Vienna is the global capital of social housing, a system which provides mixed-income, affordable, high-quality housing for over half of the city’s residents. The delegation of more than 40 Austrians will come together with DC advocates for conversation and exchange. The delegation includes members of the Austrian National Council, the Vienna State Parliament, as well as officials from the City of Vienna, university professors, union representatives, and more.
Local residents are invited to attend. The meeting will take place on Friday, November 1 from 6 to 8pm at the Festival Center in Adams Morgan (1640 Columbia Rd NW, DC 20009).
SAVE THE DATE: MDC DSA Election Debrief on Nov 16
As all eyes turn to the election on November 5, how do we plan for November 6 and beyond? From local races to the presidential election, the results will have impacts on people’s material lives and on our organizing in the years ahead. On November 16 from 1 to 3pm, join Metro DC DSA to unpack and reflect on these results, discuss the impact the incoming presidential administration will have on the DMV area and DSA in general, and learn about specific campaigns you can get involved with. After the discussion, we’ll move to a campaigns fair where attendees will have the opportunity to talk to organizers from different campaigns about what they’re working on and how to get involved. Whether you’re a member of DSA or not, if you’re looking for a space to discuss the election and learn more, all are welcome! Register here.
TONIGHT: Final Fridays with MDC DSA chapter-wide happy hour at 6pm
Join us for our October chapter-wide happy hour at Aslin Beer Company in NW DC tonight, October 25 at 6pm. All are welcome, not just MDC DSA members. Feel free to come in your creepiest, meme-iest, and most DSA-referential Halloween costumes. Sign up for event details here.
Metro DC DSA Halloween picnic at Malcolm X Park — Sunday, October 27 at 12pm
Join Metro DC DSA for a Fall Picnic & Pumpkin Carving organized by the Community Builders team in Malcolm X Park on Sunday, October 27 at 12pm. Everyone is encouraged to bring food/snacks to share, games to play, your best Halloween costume, and a comfy chair or blanket to sit on. All are welcome to attend this family-friendly event. RSVP here.
Current articles in WASHINGTON SOCIALIST
The Washington Socialist is Metro DC DSA’s longstanding publication, now publishing quarterly. The fall issue released last month, with a final release number of 11 articles covering political theory, analyses of chapter campaigns, local history, and more. Links to the articles are below:
Learn more about our local MDC DSA chapter — structure, campaigns and working groups, Night School, and reading groups — HERE. The weather remains great; join Final Fridays with MDC DSA chapter-wide happy hour tonight (Friday, Oct. 24) click to join in the convo. And live from our studio, Wednesday, November 6, 7 – 8pm, Why You Should Join DSA / New Member Orientation (with Q&A). MDC DSA members: Join our all-member Slack for real-time info on working group and campaign events, convo, and inspiration. Email [email protected] with your most recent DSA dues receipt to get Slack access. Chapter members are also invited to read — and edit — MDC DSA’sinternal wiki. Email [email protected] to get set up, or ask in #helpdesk on Slack. Members are also invited to Steering’s recurring Ask Me Anything hours on Thursdays, including October 31 and November 7.
MDC DSA Publications is information central for not only MDC DSA but the entire DMV left. #publications (our working group’s Slack channel) is always ready to onboard new socialist communicators.
Weekly Updates like this one 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 or chapter political blog REDBUG tips to the tip line. 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. 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. Donate to our Comradery page if you would like to financially support socialist publishing in the DMV.
COMMUNITY BULLETIN
Coat Swap and Candy Potluck in Long Branch, Silver Spring | Nov 2 Silver Spring Takoma Park Mutual Aid is hosting a coat swap and candy potluck at the Long Branch Library in Silver Spring on Saturday, November 2 at 2pm. Please bring any washed and clean jackets, coats, and warm outerwear pieces that you’re no longer using to pass on to someone else, and take a jacket if you need one. You do not need to bring a jacket to pick one up. Bring your leftover Halloween candy or a favorite snack to share.
From Ireland to Palestine: Lessons in Anti-Imperialist Organizing | Oct 30 Hosted by the Bloody Sunday Trust, a historic Palestinian delegation (with delegates from Palestinian Youth Movement, 18 Million Rising, Community Movement Builders, and more) to the north of Ireland are now reporting back on lessons in Anti-Imperialist Organizing. Organizers got to share experiences of resisting colonization and state violence, strategies and tactics for the homeland and diaspora, the strength and leadership of political prisoners, and how to hold pain and grief while remaining steadfast in the struggle. Join them virtually on Wednesday, October 30, from 5 to 6:30pm. RSVP here.
DMV Democracy Festival | Oct 26 This Saturday, explore the first ever DMV Democracy Festival at Friendship Collegiate Academy in NE DC. Between 1 and 6pm, catch comedy shows for democracy, attend workshops, play games and activities, and discuss topics like your First Amendment rights, partisanship, disinformation, and DC statehood. Learn more and RSVP 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.
The deep history and hyperlocal roots of progressive “municipalism”
It doesn’t often make national headlines, but the city of Richmond, California, has been home to a successful progressive political reform project in recent years. Steve Early, writing in Jacobin, provides 10 lessons for other municipal reformers from the Richmond Progressive Alliance, exemplary of a growing “municipalist” movement filled with grassroots activists pursuing similar dreams and practical policy goals. They are waging reform campaigns for public office at the local level around the country, as part of electoral coalitions that are multiracial, multigenerational, and working-class oriented.
We Don’t Yet Understand What Warehouse Work Is Doing to Communities
“Factories were so good at political mobilization, in fact, that some credit them for democracy itself. Women and working-class men won the right to vote in the United States, Western Europe and much of East Asia after about a quarter of those populations were employed in factories, according to recent research by Sam van Noort, a lecturer at Princeton. Warehouses, by contrast, have no such mystique. Nobody campaigns outside the Walmart distribution centers here [in Pennsylvania’s Lehigh Valley]. Workers tend to be hired by staffing agencies and many stay for only a few months. They work on their own and rarely socialize. They are notoriously difficult to organize.” NYT Opinion
Uh Oh: Top NYC socialists divided on Mamdani for mayor
NY State DSA electeds are torn on one elected comrade’s try for mayor, despite a solid chapter endorsement vote. When you are big enough for your squabbles to make NY POLITICO Playbook (and The Guardian) you’re … well, bigger than you used to be.
Announcing Christ in the Rubble
Palestinian Christian pastor and theologian Munther Isaac has written a plea and call to action to the West regarding Israel’s ongoing destruction of the Palestinian people. Isaac, whose 2023 Christmas sermon on the same topic went viral, is attempting to challenge the unconditional political and military support for Israel by the West and calls on Christians around the world to consider — and repent for — their complicity. Writing from Bethlehem, Isaac makes an impassioned case for non-violence, peace, and an end to the brutality on Gaza. Preorder at the link in the headline.
Review: The Far Right’s 70-year crusade to extinguish public education
Education policy scholar Josh Cowen’s The Privateers: How Billionaires Created a Culture War and Sold School Vouchers provides a meticulously detailed account of a 70-year-old plot to undermine public education. Cowen zeroes in on the rightwing billionaires and ideologues who want to end public education and transfer government funds, through school vouchers, to private — often evangelical Christian — educational institutions. Behind the facade of “parental choice,” big money is deforming public schools and their leadership cohort. [Such destabilization efforts are often fueled, as well, by virulent right-wing hatred of public-school teachers’ unions, though this is not mentioned in the review.] Indymedia via Portside
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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