Metro DC DSA holding chapter-wide General Body Meeting this Sunday, February 23 at 2pm;DSA campaigns fair happening this Wednesday, February 26;Children’s National Hospital resumes care for existing transgender patients following protests
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. Want to fight fascism from the heart of empire? Join DSA and fight to build socialism!
Paid for by Metro DC DSA (mdcdsa.org). Not authorized by any candidate or committee.
UP FRONT
Metro DC DSA holding chapter-wide General Body Meeting this Sunday, February 23 at 2pm
Metro DC DSA’s next General Body Meeting takes place this Sunday, February 23 at 2pm, and will be both hybrid and at the Thurgood Marshall Center (1816 12th St NW). General Body Meetings are the chapter’s opportunity to come together as a body and discuss news, strategize, deliberate and make decisions for our chapter, and socialize. All DSA members are invited to attend — as are DC-area socialists, progressives, and leftists interested in getting involved in socialist organizing. Sign up for the Sunday GBM here; additional questions can be directed to the #steering channel on the chapter Slack or emailed to [email protected].
At this GBM, chapter members will be debating resolution “Aquí Estamos, Y No Nos Vamos!” This resolution went through its first read at the February 4 Steering Committee meeting, and will have its chapter-wide debate at this GBM. The resolution proposes a chapter-wide approach to organizing around immigrant rights and opposition to ICE activities in the region. An amendment to the resolution has also been proposed and will be discussed at the GBM, which would develop a formal subcommittee in organizing migrant justice operations in the chapter, among other changes to strategy and approach.
DSA campaigns fair happening this Wednesday, February 26
From US-backed genocides abroad to an assault on the civil services right here in the DMV, it is easy to feel hopeless and overwhelmed. The best response is solidarity. Come together this Wednesday, February 26 with other DSA members and fight for the better world we all deserve. Our campaign fair will provide an overview of how MDC DSA operates and feature opportunities to speak directly to people who run our campaigns. All are welcome: RSVP here.
Children’s National Hospital resumes care for existing transgender patients following protests
As confirmed by journalist Erin Reed, Children’s National Hospital in DC reversed its initial decision to close transgender youth care for active patients at the hospital. A note from the leadership team clarified that while it will accept new patients into its mental health services, it will not be accepting new patients onto its medication services until there is “more clarity on the long-term legal, regulatory and legislative landscape.”
Children’s National chose to comply early with Trump’s Executive Order attempting to ban gender affirming care for minors (and redefining minors to those under 19), and suspended care on short notice to families the next day. The MDC DSA Bodily Autonomy Working Group’s Trans & Queer Liberation Campaign built a coordinated rapid response coalition of labor and community organizers, including Pride at Work and Harriet’s Wildest Dreams, to fight the suspension of care and to demand DC Attorney General Brian Schwalb uphold the DC Human Rights Law, which prohibits denial of gender-affirming care.
The resumption of care would not have occurred without the strong backlash and public pressure generated through sustained letter writing, protests, and impassioned testimonials. While the resumption of care for existing patients is cause for celebration, our work is incomplete; Children’s is not taking on new patients and Attorney General Schwalb has yet to make any public statement or publicly join with the 14 states attorneys general suing the Trump Administration. The Bodily Autonomy Working Group will continue their fight for full bodily autonomy, self-determination, and further action from the attorney general until full affirmation of rights are achieved by DC law. Read a full accounting of this victory on the web version of the Weekly Update.
BRIEFS
We Power DC leading outreach event to motivate fight against Pepco’s corruption — TOMORROW, February 22 at 1pm
We Power DC, the District’s socialist-led campaign for a publicly owned power utility, is hosting its first wheatpasting event of 2025. These newly designed flyers and posters will inform the public about Pepco’s corruption and dirty reliance on fossil fuels — register here for the event. Locals can also stay up to date on We Power DC's action-packed 2025 with the new website and newsletter. Interested in joining this ecosocialist team? Fill out this interest form.
Early voting set to open February 26 in PG County special election — DSA continues campaign to elect Shayla Adams-Stafford
The special election called in PG County’s District 5 seat is nearing its end, with early voting set to open Wednesday, February 26. Metro DC DSA has endorsed chapter member Shayla Adams-Stafford, a current rep on the PG County Board of Education. After the 2020 uprisings, Shayla was a key voice opposing armed police in schools and for investing in care and support for students in PG County. On the council, Shayla has promised to fight alongside Metro DC DSA for human dignity and putting people over profits by championing tenant protections and leading a push for social housing in PG County.
Night School on the history of US electrification — February 25
Understand democracy and climate change at Metro DC DSA’s next Socialist Night School on US electrification on Tuesday, February 25 at 6pm at Shaw Library or online. The event will feature Sandeep Vaheesan of the Open Markets Institute, who will be discussing his new book Democracy in Power: A History of Electrification in the United States. The conversation will include topics such as private money, public good, and the original fight for control of America’s energy industry. Democracy in Power traces the rise of publicly governed utilities in the twentieth-century electrification of America —a history closely connected to the current struggle to run DC utilities by We Power DC and relevant to all efforts to combat climate change in a democratic socialist way. Make sure to sign up in advance to join.
Trump mafia state takes hold in DC as locals continue mass protests — DC unemployment numbers surge
Events are moving fast as the Trump administration continues its bureaucratic coup over the federal government. Workers are continuing to fight back, but the economic impact of Trump’s mafia state is beginning to take hold. Jobless filings surged to 1,780 for the week ending Feb. 8, an increase of 36% from the prior week. Since Donald Trump has taken office, more than 4,000 workers in DC have filed for unemployment insurance — a staggering increase. The impact on Maryland — where over 160,000 workers live — is still unclear, although MD Labor Secretary Portia Wu has urged Maryland federal workers impacted by the coup to file notices on the Maryland DOL’s state website. An MDOL media contact said “Many probationary employees were laid off at the end of the [last] week and have not had time to file an initial claim yet.” Cuts are throwing crucial DC government programming into turmoil; most alarmingly at the Social Security Administration, which is being sacked with spurious allegations in a press war launched by DOGE.
Trump’s administration appears to also have its sights on DC. Trump announced Wednesday that he supports Republican efforts to take control of DC — rescinding home-rule. Despite the threats, DC losing autonomy is unlikely; Republicans would need a unified front in the House and to surmount a Democratic filibuster in the Senate. Additionally, as Martin Austermuhle explains in The 51st, congressional takeover of DC would introduce incredible headaches to a distracted Congress operating on razor-thin margins. Still, locals are anxious about further Trumpist putsches into DC. Trump assumed control over the Kennedy Center’s operations, installing loyalists on the board of trustees and promising an end to drag shows and other “DEI” programming at the center. The takeover has put the center into chaos and uncertainty; local musicians and artists are mourning the destruction of the center, which has been a source of local revenue and consistent contracts for strapped working-artists in the region.
Interested in keeping track of the Trump Administration’s operations? Check out this Project 2025 Tracker.
Rockville Rent Stabilization Wheatpasting expedition — this Sunday, February 23 at 1pm
Join the Montgomery County branch of Metro DC DSA to wheatpaste and flyer this Sunday, February 23 at 1pm. The Montgomery County branch will use the wheatpasting event to get the word out about an upcoming rent stabilization community forum on March 15 and about the campaign for rent stabilization in Rockville in general. Tenants in the city of Rockville are not covered by Montgomery County’s rent stabilization law, and they are demanding that the Rockville City and mayor pass a rent stabilization law. RSVP here.
Labor Working Group to hold Federal Worker Rights Training on Sunday March 2, 2pm to 4pm, Shaw Library
Trump, Musk, and DOGE want to take away federal employees’ rights and economic security, but federal laws and union contracts still protect workers in critical ways. Are you worried about being illegally fired, transferred, placed on unpaid leave, or furloughed? This federal labor rights workshop will cover the key protections that you have to fight back with your coworkers. This is part of a continuing series of “Know Your Labor Rights” workshops hosted by experienced labor lawyers and veteran organizers across the metro DC area. RSVP to LWG Federal Workers Rights Training here.
Stomp Out Slumlords calls for all-hands meeting on Thursday, March 6 at 6pm, plus anti-eviction canvass on March 1
Stomp Out Slumlords — Metro DC DSA’s tenant organizing project — will be holding an all-hands meeting on March 6 at the Martin Luther King Library in downtown DC at 6:30pm. Attendees will receive updates on various building fights, talk about the new Washington Area Tenants Union, and discuss upcoming threats to the Tenant Opportunity to Purchase Act. RSVP to SOS’ all-hands meeting here.
Those looking to get involved with tenant organizing in DC are also invited to attend an SOS eviction canvass happening on March 1. SOS eviction canvasses inform tenants facing eviction of their rights in court, how to get a lawyer, and to see if they're interested in organizing their building. Tenants reached by SOS are twice as likely to go to court and fight their eviction, so every volunteer can make a big impact. The group will be meeting at the L'Enfant Plaza Metro station on the D street exit between 6th and 7th above the escalators at 1:30pm, and will include a short training on the process. If you’re interested in our work but can’t canvass, reach out to [email protected] to learn about other ways to get involved. Volunteers can fill out this form to receive snap updates on the canvass.
Seattle has passed and funded social housing; locals organizing in DC to do the same on Sunday, March 9
Seattle voters approved a historic measure last week to fund the city’s social housing department — becoming one of the largest social housing models in the country. This department creates publicly owned, permanently affordable, mixed income housing that meets strong environmental standards and is partially renter-run. After voters passed a ballot measure to create a social housing developer in the fall of 2023, a coalition of organizers (including Seattle DSA) campaigned for this month’s ballot initiative in order to fund the program. Last week’s ballot passed by 58% and ensures an “excessive compensation tax” — such that any business compensating employees over $1 million annually will pay a 5% tax on any dollar over that million (including bonuses and stocks) to fund this department. It’s anticipated the program will generate over $50 million annually.
Metro DC DSA’s own Social Housing Working Group is holding a public meeting on Sunday, March 9th at 2pm to plug into DC’s own social housing push. The group will meet at MLK Library and gather for a happy hour following the meeting.
New Socialist Magazine Essays Discussion Club — February meetup on Monday, Feb. 24
Members of Metro DC DSA are starting a new Magazine Essays Discussion Club, which plans to meet in person to discuss new essays from some of the Left’s most thought-provoking magazines. All are welcome to join the group’s inaugural meeting at MLK Library’s 401-E Conference Room on Monday, February 24 at 6:30pm. The club will be discussing three essays from the latest issue of The Drift. For more details and links to the readings, check out the group’s info doc.
Crafting with comrades — Saturday, Feb. 22
Crafts enthusiasts and newbies alike are invited to join DSA Community Builders and comrades across the DMV for a crafting event with comrades tomorrow, February 22 at the Cleveland Park Library. We’ll gather from 11am to 1pm; comrades can make new roses for marshalling events, press our own buttons, and/or bring your own crafts and hobbies. RSVP here.
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.
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 our tip line. TheWashington Socialist, published since the 1970s, offers articles on a quarterly schedule; the Winter 2025 edition is now live and will be updated on a rolling basis. Next quarterly issue copy deadline is February 28. 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.
DMV LEFT COMMUNITY BULLETIN
Federal Worker Fundraiser and Happy Hour on February 21 | Federal Unionist Network
This Friday, the Federal Unionist Network is hosting a happy hour at Lyman’s Tavern, from 7 to 11pm, to raise a hardship fund to support federal workers that will be administered through the AFL–CIO. More info here.
Will you stand by us? Fundraiser Night on February 22 | La ColectiVA
On Saturday, February 22nd from 8 to 11:30pm, La ColectiVA is hosting a fundraiser at Mary’s Bar and Grill for their Liberation Fund. There will be delicious food and live music by Los Locos! More info and RSVP here.
Solidarity Economic Social Hour on Feb 23 | BCI
On Sunday, Feb. 23rd from 1-4pm, the Beloved Community Incubator — a cooperative startup network operating in DC — is holding a social hour at Wunder Garten DC (located at 1st and L Street NE). Whether you’re a worker-owner/co-op member, union member, organizer, mutual aid-er, or just curious about what’s going on with the solidarity economy in DC, you are invited to join. Find more details here.
Sunday Bites: From Colombia to Palestine | Amour Falafel with 411 Collective
On Sunday, February 23, head to Chacho Spirits (6031 Kansas Ave NW, Washington, DC 20011) from 12-5pm for an afternoon of food, music, art, and solidarity featuring traditional cuisine, a vendor marketplace, and art exhibits. Learn more here.
Community Meeting on February 24 | DC For Palestine
Take time to come together, regroup, and continue to dream as a community about the world we want to live in. On February 24 from 7 to 9pm, join DC for Palestine for food and solidarity, and hear the announcement of their brand new Apartheid Free DC campaign. RSVP here.
The History of Tenant Organizing and Co-ops in Adams Morgan: Walking Tour | Park East Co-op Project
This Saturday, February 22, join Park East Co-op Project’s community walking tour led by DC historian Amanda Huron to explore the past and present of housing justice and co-operative homeownership in Adams Morgan. Learn about resident victories in the fight against displacement and gentrification while supporting the Park East Tenant Association in their current efforts. Sign up 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.
Chris Hedges illuminates the Mafia State: “America is a full blown kleptocracy. The demolition of the social and political structure, begun long before Trump, makes a few very, very rich and immiserates everyone else. Mafia capitalism always leads to a mafia state. The two ruling parties gave us the first. Now we get the second. It is not only our wealth that is being taken from us, but our liberty. First we got a mafia economy. Then we got a mafia state. We must rid ourselves of the ruling criminal class or become its victims.” The Chris Hedges Report
The Left Needs Its “Schools of Enlightenment and Revolution”Throughout the entire history of left-wing and working-class organizing in the United States, the participation in and building of institutions of political education has been key. Jacobin via Portside
In the Face of Overwhelm We owe it to each other to resist attempts to disorient, divide and distract us from the reality of government takeover by the billionaire Right…. Beyond a laundry list of moral positions or communities we care about, we should be tying ourselves together with a coherent vision for the direction we want our society to go — and a worldview about how it should work — that can compete with the individualist, free-market economic populism and so-called patriotism of the MAGA Right. For many of us, that starts with a story about a more equitable world where we invest in robust, accountable public institutions that function effectively to serve the public as a whole. In These Times
Federal Workers Organize Against Billionaire Takeover The second Trump administration has the federal workforce in its crosshairs. Spearheading the effort is the richest man in the world — Elon Musk and his so-called Department of Government Efficiency (not an actual government department). Federal unions have begun to respond by filing lawsuits and holding rallies. And workers are organizing themselves to share information and begin to fight back. “I’ve never seen a billionaire carry the mail,” said Mark Smith, a patient educator at the Veterans Administration in San Francisco and the president of National Federation of Federal Employee (NFFE) Local 1. “I’ve never seen a billionaire put out a forest fire. I’ve never seen a billionaire make sure people get their Social Security checks on time. I’ve never seen a billionaire answer a phone call from a suicidal veteran on a crisis line. So I don’t trust a billionaire to decide what happens to our public services — and that’s why we’re fighting to get this billionaire’s hands out of them.” Labor Notes
Housing crisis spillover: Inability to move to new places can mean isolation and bitterness “There’s a lot of good social science research to suggest that moving doesn’t just change people’s economic destinies and the prospects of their children, it shifts their whole mindset. Researchers have found that people who relocate to new places are more open to new experiences, they tend to necessarily be more open to diversity, and conceive of the world as a place where there can be win-wins. People who want to move, and can’t, grow more cynical, more pessimistic, more inclined to see the world as zero-sum. They may also grow more isolated, more set in their ways and habits. The author of a new book thinks that a society that ties people down is likely to produce a politics that views change as threatening and diversity as dangerous.” Vox
From (and by) our comrade Kurt S —Twenty-eight Anti-Fascist Films. “We are entering into a new period of reaction – and though the exact shape things will take in the years ahead are unknown, the immediate picture is indeed bleak. … Critically, what we do matters. How we live, act, make a life for ourselves without giving in to resignation or bitterness are questions many are asking. Many movies have explored these dimensions, for these are questions others have faced in times past – such as shown in the films noted below, all anti-fascist movies that reveal different aspects of how people have seen the possibility of change in the past during times when hope was hard to grasp.” Here is a list of 28 such movies. Stansbury Forum
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.
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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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