MDC DSA draft program released with request for member feedback; SOS holding all hands meeting on October 25; final push to elect socialist in Maryland; 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. 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
A socialist vision for the DMV: MDC DSA draft program released — member review and feedback requested
The Metro DC DSA Program Development Commission shared with chapter membership the first full draft of their chapter program at the October General Body Meeting. The discussion highlighted the future use of the program guide as well as the areas in need of revision, particularly around rapid response and how MDC DSA is meeting the current moment. Anyone with feedback on the program guide draft can submit their thoughts in multiple ways: by connecting with the commission in #programdevelopmentcommission in the chapter Slack, by joining their recurring meetings on Wednesdays at 8:30pm, by submitting thoughts through their feedback form, or by submitting an amendment for chapter approval. Smaller suggestions and revisions should be submitted to the form, while substantial feedback should be submitted as an amendment. Comrades unsure of which category their feedback falls into can reach out for guidance. There will be one month for debates and proposed amendments before the program guide will be voted on by the chapter for approval.
Members can also attend a hybrid discussion event on October 26 from 4:30 – 6:30pm to reflect on how the chapter has matured over the last decade and discuss any possible changes — including the program guide.
In Gaithersburg and Greenbelt, socialist surge puts victory in sight as canvassing ops enter homestretch; Metro DC DSA planning multiple election watch parties on November 4th
Metro DC DSA endorsed Frankie Santos Fritz (running for Greenbelt City Council) and Omo Williams (running for Gaithersburg City Council) are fighting to support working people in Montgomery County and Prince George’s County. Both campaigns have been actively supported by Maryland socialists and have been leading mass canvassing efforts to great reception: Metro DC DSA so far has knocked over 17 thousand doors (10k for Frankie, 7k for Omo). These operations have proliferated optimism across left-wing electoral organizers. Victory is in sight.
There are only two weekends left to knock on doors and get the vote out for socialist candidates, and Metro DC DSA has a plan to deliver victory. Operations for this weekend:
Frankie’s team is kicking off canvasses at noon on Saturday, October 25 at the Greenbelt Metro Station. Canvassing will also continue onSunday, October 26 at the Greenbelt Metro Station with community reinforcements. Canvassers will be joined by PG County Councilmembers Shayla Adams-Stafford (DSA elected) and progressive Ed Burroughs, in addition to volunteers from Progressive Maryland, a vaunted left-wing hub in Montgomery and PG Counties.
Omo’s team is kicking off canvasses this Saturday at 10am, Saturday at 2pm, Sunday at 10am, andSunday at 2pm at the Gateway Apartments at 925 Clopper Rd, Gaithersburg, MD 20878. DC volunteers will be able to catch a car from Ward 1 in DC at 10am on Saturday — recruits can reach out through the Signal chats provided in the sign up forms or can drop a note in the #electoral channel in the chapter Slack. Canvasses will be launching every hour on the hour from 10am to 6pm at the Gateway Apartments.
Those with questions or who need transportation assistance should reach out in the #electoral channel on the chapter Slack.
Metro DC DSA receives 13 requests for endorsement; resolutions for consideration due by October 27
As the chapter's ongoing electoral campaigns continue, Metro DC DSA's Political Engagement Committee has received the following electoral endorsement questionnaires for the 2026 primary cycle:
Anthony Field, House of Representatives (Maryland District 4)
Jakeya Johnson, House of Representatives (Maryland District 4)
Hina Ansari, House of Representatives (Virginia District 10)
Deirdre Brown, House of Representatives (DC Delegate)
Oye Owolewa, District of Columbia Council (At-Large)
Izola Shaw, Montgomery County Council (District 3)
Imara Crooms, Prince George’s County Council (District 9)
Per chapter’s bylaws, five chapter members must submit a resolution in support of an electoral candidate to be considered for an endorsement by the Metro DC DSA chapter. Resolutions in support of candidates must be submitted via Red Desk by October 27. After a first read of the resolutions at the next general body meeting on November 9, the membership will hear from candidates via Q&A Zoom calls and then vote on endorsements via OpaVote after debate at the chapter’s local convention in December.
Chapter members are encouraged to contact other members who may be interested in co-sponsoring an endorsement resolution in support of these candidates. At least five chapter members are required to co-sponsor an endorsement resolution before that resolution can move forward in the endorsement process. Please coordinate with chapter members to organize for support of a candidate endorsement in the #electoral channel.
An overview of our Metro DC DSA endorsement process has been added to the endorsements page of the chapter’s website, where you can also find a more detailed endorsement handbook.
Chapter members can email [email protected] or post their questions in the #electoral channel on Slack. The PEC can also assist with uploading resolutions to Red Desk.
WASHINGTON SOCIALIST FALL 2025
The Washington Socialist is Metro DC DSA’s quarterly political journal, which has published consistently since 2012 (and inconsistently since the 1970s). Articles provide contemporary commentary and debate on realities facing socialists in the DMV, with writings from MDC DSA members and allies across the Left.
A tribute to David Schwartzman — Metro DC DSA comrade, chair of the DC Statehood-Green Party, and treasured fixture of political life in DC — who passed away on July 1, 2025, at age 81.
A compilation of reporting from the Metro DC DSA Weekly Update on the ongoing invasion of the District by federal troops and officers, presenting the real-time story of what the hell happened in DC during the first month of occupation.
An argument on the power of so-called “useless actions” — and the latest entry in a generations-long debate — from a Pittsburgh DSA comrade, who writes: “defeat, when processed collectively, can generate the very consciousness that makes transformation possible.”
Stomp Out Slumlords to hold all-hands meeting to strategize and organize — October 25 at 2pm
Stomp Out Slumlords, Metro DC DSA's tenant organizing arm, will be holding an all-hands meeting and tenant organizing workshop on Saturday, October 25 at 2pm at the Mount Pleasant Library. Join tenants and organizers to talk through organizing strategy, get help working through rental issues, or find advice for starting a tenants union. This meeting is for everyone, whether they are already a member of a tenants union or are brand new to SOS. RSVP here. Anyone interested in tenant organizing can fill out this interest form to get plugged in.
Organize with Starbucks Workers United — TODAY, October 24 at 6pm
Learn and implement the basics of organizing labor actions while supporting Starbucks Workers United’s (SBWU) fight in the DMV. SBWU is calling for organizers to collect “No Contract, No Coffee” pledges and hold visibility actions outside not-yet-union stores. SBWU and the Metro DC DSA Labor Working Group are planning an organizing training today, October 24 at 6pm. SWBU will also be hosting a practice picket at the Ashbrook Union Store on Friday, October 31 at 1pm.
Metro DC DSA holding free brake light clinic in DC on Saturday, November 8 — canvassing and outreach operations planned this weekend
On Saturday, November 8, Metro DC DSA is hosting a free brake light clinic as a way to build community support for getting police out of transportation. The clinic will be held from 11am to 4pm outside the AutoZone at 955 Longfellow St. NW, where volunteers will fix brake lights on cars for free. The process for fixing brake lights is simple, but will help in reducing community interactions with police and help educate the community on legislation that activists are interested in passing in DC in the near future.
On Saturday, October 25 and Sunday, November 2, the Abolition Working Group will be hosting a training and canvass to build awareness of the clinic. Learn how to change a brake light from 1 to 2pm, then from 2 to 4pm, canvass and wheatpaste local neighborhoods and invite residents to the brake light clinic. The meeting spot for the training and canvassing will be in the AutoZone parking lot. RSVP for Saturday using this sign-up form. Anyone interested in getting their brake light fixed at the clinic on November 8 can fill out a repair request form for the clinic.
Apartheid Free DC canvass training — Wednesday, October 29 at 6:30pm
As Israel continuously violates the ceasefire agreement in Gaza, DC community members are working to end local complicity with the genocidal apartheid regime. Metro DC DSA’s Internationalism Working Group is sponsoring a canvass training for the Apartheid Free DC campaign to invite businesses and institutions to boycott Israeli goods and be part of a community-based network of solidarity with Palestine. Food will be provided. RSVP here.
DC Spanish Club for Socialists holding weekly meetup — Tuesday, October 28th at 7pm
Spanish Club for Socialists, a project of multiple area socialist and mutual aid organizations including Metro DC DSA, is a free weekly event where organizers meet up to practice their Spanish. The event is about 90 minutes long and is split into beginner, intermediate, and advanced groups, so learners of all levels should feel welcome. The next session is scheduled for Tuesday, October 28 from 7 – 8:30pm at 1368 Newton St NW. Sign up here for calendar updates and conversation guides
Dance, dance, and revolution — Metro DC DSA organizing a Latin dance social on November 6
On Thursday, November 6, everyone is invited to attend the Metro DC DSA Latin dance social at Right Proper Brewing from 6:30 – 9pm for an introductory Bachata dance class, followed by a night of Latin music. Whether they’re taking their first dance step or have been a constant bachatero, socialists of all skill levels are encouraged to come out for great music, food, and drinks. RSVP here.
Transit Working Group mobilizing public to push for effective regional transit — make your voice heard
The Metro DC DSA Transit Working Group is mobilizing in advance of the upcoming DMV Moves meeting on October 29 to pressure DMV Moves to reconsider the impacts of a disappointing proposed regional transit plan, which would provide no secure source of operations funding, no regional bus priority funding, and no regional funding mechanisms. Eighteen months after local leaders launched the DMV Moves Taskforce with a promise to deliver better regional transit, those same leaders are committing the region to future decades of a stagnant, ineffective transit system that does not meet the needs of the public.
To get involved in the ongoing campaign, check out the Transit Working Group Action Network page, where there are opportunities to raise your concerns about DMV Moves’ ineffective plan via email and phone.
INFO ACCESS
The DMV continues to be under siege by militarist authoritarians. Want to fight fascism from the heart of the empire? Join DSA and fight to build socialism! We’re the alternative that works for people, not profiteers and their captive politicians.
The next sessions of MDC DSA’s “Why You Should Join DSA/New Member Orientation” include an in-person version on Wednesday, November 12 at 6:30pm followed the next week by a virtual version on Wednesday, November 19 at 7pm. You can learn about the Metro DC chapter — DMV branches, working groups, campaigns, current activities, and enduring values — right here. Members are encouraged to join our Slack for real-time info on working group and campaign events, strategy/tactic exchange, and inspiration. Email [email protected] with your most recent DSA dues receipt to get access.
Staying current with MDC DSA — Weekly Updates, like the one you are reading, are scheduled and emailed on Fridays; current and past Updates are available anytime on our website. Not subscribed? DSA member or not, sign up to get the Update, the go-to source for the DMV Left. The MDC Dispatch is the chapter’s new video news series, published on the first and third Sunday of each month. Submit your Update or Dispatch suggestions (or DMV scandal tips) to our tip line. The Washington Socialist, published since the 1970s, offers in-depth analytical/opinion articles on a quarterly schedule; the Fall 2025 issue is available now (see above in this Update). Anyone, MDC DSA member or not, interested in contributing to the Washington Socialist can email submissions or questions to [email protected]. Members, look in on us or join at #publications on Slack.
DMV LEFT COMMUNITY BULLETIN
Pack the Courts: Guard Out of DC TODAY at 12:30pm | Free DC
Trump’s deployment of the National Guard to DC is wasteful, unnecessary, and unlawful… and it could drag on for another year if the people of DC don’t continue to fight back. DC Attorney General Brian Schwalb is suing the Trump Administration over their deployment of the National Guard, revealing in the process that the deployment could extend through next summer. The suit’s first hearing at the U.S. District Court is today, Friday, October 24. Join Free DC for a rally at 12:30pm and then pack the courts at 2pm. RSVP here.
DC Co-Op Fest on October 26 | DC Community Wealth Builders
Let’s build wealth, not hoard it! Join DC Community Wealth Builders and ReDelicious on Sunday, October 26, from 3 – 5pm at Edgewood Community Farm for a family-friendly celebration of DC cooperatives. Enjoy music and games while learning about cooperatives in DC, how to support them, and how to tap in. RSVP here.
Newly Launched DC Resource Bridge hotline
The newly launched DC Resource Bridge hotline streamlines the search for legal assistance. Eligible DC residents can call 202-933-HELP (4357) to be matched with a lawyer to speak to about their case. These free or low-cost legal services can help with family law cases, issues with public benefits, financial issues, and cases in the DC Court of Appeals. Learn more on Street Sense Media.
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.
Artificial Intelligence: Principles To Protect Workers
AI shouldn’t repeat the mistakes of the past, where periods of globalization, such as NAFTA and automation prioritized short-term gains for companies and investors, and left working families and their communities to bear the cost. A position paper from the AFL-CIO via Portside. For current mistakes “of the past” still getting media space, see this neolib perspective that blames workers, in WaPo.
LABOR: The National Labor Relations Board has sued California to block a new law Gov. Gavin Newsom signed last month that will allow the California Public Employee Relations Board to enforce federal labor laws. The law allows the state board to oversee union elections and workplace retaliation cases if the NLRB declines to take up the case. (Los Angeles Times) via Pluribus (may be paywalled) Also see Reuters account
Just plain everyday American socialism
Comparing the heat that Mamdani has taken for his proposal to open five publicly owned groceries in New York City to the heat that Newsom has taken for the public funding of insulin production and sales suggests, among other things, that socialist programs that come from non-socialists don’t arouse the same level of right-wing hysteria. What Mamdani’s groceries and Newsom’s insulin have in common is that both are responses to market failures. In today’s economy, affordable food and affordable health care are sometime things at best, and it should come as no surprise that Americans welcome public provision of life’s essentials even when it flies in the face of laissez-faire economics. American Prospect
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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HERE
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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