Did you hear the news? Last week, 7 out of 9 Seattle City Councilmembers (a veto-proof majority!) committed to defund the Seattle Police Department (SPD) by 50%. This is a huge win, and shows the real power of the uprising for Black lives over the past two months.
Now it’s time to keep up the pressure on these councilmembers and make sure that their vote matches their pledge. Our Afrosocialists and Socialists of Color caucus (AFROSOC) will be discussing how to apply this pressure and continue to build the movement at our meeting tonight, July 13th at 6PM. All members of color are welcome to join.
Redirecting funds towards investments in healthcare, housing, childcare, and other social services in Black and brown communities—the second demand of the movement—is just as important, and will be part of the budget fight coming up. We know that adequately investing in Black and brown working class communities requires more than just $200 million from the SPD: we’ll also need to tax the wealthiest individuals and corporations in this city.
That’s why we’re also thrilled that a tax on big business was passed by the Seattle City Council last week by a vote of 7-2, another veto-proof majority. The big business tax raises $200 million+ per year, and will fund affordable housing, COVID relief, and some Green New Deal measures. This major victory is the largest big business tax in Seattle history! And it wouldn’t have been possible without the pressure of the Tax Amazon movement, which gathered 30,000 signatures to get legislation on the ballot, as well as the uprising for Black lives. The Tax Amazon action conference has decided not to trigger a ballot initiative unless big business decides to referendum the tax. Instead, Seattle DSA will continue to fight against every measure of austerity in the coming months and link up this struggle with the movement to defund the SPD and reinvest in Black and brown communities.
BLACK COLLECTIVE VOICE & WEEKLY EVENTS!
Black Collective Voice emerged from CHOP and aims to center Black and Indigenous voices in educational and activist programs. Each Friday they host ‘Page Engage’ community education events, as they aim to bring “the best elements of CHOP” back onto the streets.
At their event last Friday, our AFROSOC caucus led a fantastic teach-in on Black liberation and its connection to socialism. You can read a report about the event on our dispatch blog here. We look forward to seeing you this Friday at Jimi Hendrix park for their next event!
And this Thursday, July 16th, don’t miss District 2’s monthly meeting with King County Councilmember Girmay Zahilay, co-sponsored by Seattle DSA’s AFROSOC caucus! Come hear Zahily discuss the work he’s doing on the County Council to support the uprising for Black lives. Zahilay, who is Ethiopian-American, is the only Black member on the otherwise all-white King County Council. His district spans across Seattle, including parts of the Central District, Fremont, Laurelhurst, Capitol Hill, and Rainier Valley. Everyone is encouraged to join!
Finally, come out today to protest ICE and tell Trump, No Student Ban and No Deportations! Join UAW 4121 outside the Seattle ICE office from 9:00-9:30 this morning. Event page here.
In solidarity,
Seattle DSA
Here are upcoming events:
Time: July 13 @ 6:00 pm - 7:30 pm
Venue: Online
The movement for Black lives forced 7 out of 9 Seattle city councilmembers to declare they support defunding the SPD by 50%. This is a big victory! This comes on the heels of our coalition's victory pressuring the council to pass the largest corporate tax in Seattle history, as far as we know, to fund Covid relief and housing! These two victories show the power of organizing mass protests, [Read More]
Time: July 15 @ 5:00 pm - 7:30 pm
Venue: On Zoom
It\'s been a minute since Seattle DSA held an electoral meeting and we have a lot to catch up on! Join us on Wednesday July 15th for a happy hour via zoom! Whether you\'re a seasoned vet with several campaigns worth of experience or broke your teeth on the Bernie campaign - we\'d love to meet you! Newcomers welcome and DSA curious folks are welcome, too! Stop by any time between 5PM and 730PM [Read More]
Time: July 15 @ 5:30 pm - 7:00 pm
Venue: Online (Zoom Call)
Does your building management take too long to make repairs? Are you concerned that your lease could be illegal? Does your landlord charge you too much rent? You’re not alone. The Tenant Organizing Collective is a group of Seattle area residents, including experienced housing rights activists, who meet every week to teach each other concrete, effective organizing skills to build power at [Read More]
Time: July 15 @ 7:00 pm - 8:30 pm
Venue: Online
Due to coronavirus, we'll be meeting online. Join us on Google Hangouts Are you frustrated that you don't have a voice at work? Are you a freelancer who rarely gets paid on time? Are you working 2 or 3 gigs just to make rent? You're not alone. The Workplace Organizing Collective is a group of Seattle DSA members, including experienced labor organizers, who meet every week to teach each [Read More]
Time: July 15 @ 7:00 pm - 8:00 pm
Venue: online
Join Seattle DSA's Queer & Feminist Caucus for a meet & greet social with the LGBTQ+ Caucus in DSA's LA Chapter! Come kick back, chat, celebrate a belated Pride together, and find out what our comrades in LA are up to. We love queer cross-chapter solidarity! RSVP here to access the Zoom link, which we'll send out the day before [Read More]
Time: July 16 @ 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm
Venue: Zoom
Please join the Seattle DSA District 2 Group’s July Zoom meeting focused on Seattle's movement for Black Lives, co-sponsored by Seattle DSA's Afrosocialists and Socialists of Color Caucus. We’ll hear from members of our Afrosocialist and Socialists of Color caucus on efforts to defund the police, and from our local Martin Luther King County Councilmember Girmay Zahilay on the work he’s doing [Read More]
Time: July 16 @ 6:30 pm - 8:00 pm
Venue: On Zoom
Solidarity Phone Bank with Olympia DSA! Are you an experienced phonebanker from your days on the Bernie campaign? Want to bring in others to prove to them how easy it is? Come to a phonebank session for Olympia DSA endorsed candidate Marry Ellen Biggerstaff for LD-22! While our own electoral committee shakes the rust off let's make sure we're working together to elect socialists in our nearby [Read More]
Time: July 18 @ 2:00 pm - 4:00 pm
Venue: On Zoom
Solidarity Phone Bank with Olympia DSA! Are you an experienced phonebanker from your days on the Bernie campaign? Want to bring in others to prove to them how easy it is? Come to a phonebank session for Olympia DSA endorsed candidate Marry Ellen Biggerstaff for LD-22! While our own electoral committee shakes the rust off let's make sure we're working together to elect socialists in our nearby [Read More]
Time: July 19 @ 3:30 pm - 5:00 pm
Venue: Virtual
Join us to pursue a fair and effective Green New Deal to halt climate change and win environmental justice. We explore ecosocialist theory, organize with climate groups, and are developing a campaign for fare-free transit. Join Zoom https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84210777381?pwd=SHdOQWNlUjdVNkJhZVkvZWFMMnJHdz09 OR by phone 253-215-8782 Meeting ID: 842 1077 7381 Password: 317575 [Read More]
