Lately, there's been a real buzz of excitement about getting organized from folks in all sorts of political and non-political groups. You can just feel the energy building. Our chapter might be on the smaller side, but that's okay. If we want to be an organizing home and hub for new (and returning) comrades, I believe socialist political education and community outreach will be great ways to get people involved and engaged.  They go hand in hand, after all, educating the masses has always been a cornerstone of socialism!

Those of us who grew up here or have lived here a long time know that building trust and recognition throughout the community is going to help grow our chapter.

Having folks stepping into leadership roles is key, and trust me, no one does this alone in DSA. You don't have to be some sort of perfect socialist to start planning and proposing events. Political education needs a certain level of topic knowledge, and community events require folks who are willing to connect with others. But some of these skills can be taught and fostered along, so please consider it! DSA National also provides some really great trainings for so many things. 

• March 7 - March 22 - in person - Future Lab(s) Gallery Artist Fundraiser for Gaza Humanitarian Relief: Presented by Comrade Amir Z. Future Lab(s) Gallery, 43 Eagle Street, North Adams is hosting a silent auction on a gallery full of art donated by local artists. Proceeds go to The Sameer Project.
• Monday March 10, 6:30 PM - virtual - New Member Interest Meeting: For anyone looking to get more involved with our chapter, folks who have been involved and want to know what is happening now, or for people who keep getting these emails and want to know why. https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScn7D1VEZ7CUkI7MoIrkJX81r5Ob_gm_cS1Ampxxr5Wzh4Bcw/viewform?usp=dialog
• Thursday March 13, 5:30-7:30 PM - in person - "March" Towards Socialism Meet & Greet with Berkshires DSA Chair: Come hang out at Wish Tree, 437 West Main Street in North Adams to say hello, grab a delicious drink or some amazing vegan food, and chat with our current Chair about all the ways we want to change the world! Please RSVP https://actionnetwork.org/events/march-towards-socialism-a-berkshires-dsa-meet-and-greet
• Thursday March 20, 7:30 PM - virtual - Joyful Militancy: Building Thriving Resistance in Toxic Times by carla bergman and Nick Montgomery: A co-hosted book discussion with Western Mass Area Labor Federation's Education Committee and Berkshires DSA's Labor Working Group. https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfq7RTVt_hMTSMEddWmHac0ZdWrcusmPgyu3CkmmEFPQWqMJQ/viewform
• Tuesday, April 1, 7:00-8:30 PM - virtual - BDS In Action: Food Boycotts through No Appetite for Apartheid: Part Two of our Palestinian Solidarity series on BDS. 
  For anyone curious about what BDS can look like on a local level, this is a great opportunity to hear from two experienced organizers! We will have a comrade from SLC DSA which just relaunched their No Appetite for Apartheid Campaign and a comrade from River Valley DSA where there was a recent petition to de-shelve products made in Israel (which ultimately did not pass in a vote of Co-op Membership). There will be a Q&A and discussion following the presentation. https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdBKX0ErQcjPrsE6B6Gd-PkW-lhfphEe5a62gHOjg6SXFkbAA/viewform?usp=header

As the Chair, I'm often asked, "When do you all meet?" during one-on-one chats. It made me realize we should definitely meet more often as a chapter. We're small, which is great because it means we can be close-knit, but meeting more frequently—even just for fun, casual gatherings—could really strengthen our bond. When you know who you're working with, those big tasks feel a lot lighter. So, I'd like to begin meeting every other month instead of every three to four months.

If you're interested in helping brainstorm ideas for casual chapter events, co-hosting social events, or running political education events, drop an email to our Steering Committee at [email protected].

With rugged hope,

Heidi

Berkshires DSA Chair