Member Spotlight: Joshua

We often say DSA is a “big tent”. It’s true that we all come from different backgrounds, but every one of our unique experiences has brought us to the same conclusion: A better world is possible, and it is ours to build. The following is the sixth in a series of stories told by our members about the events and experiences that led them to the Left.

I became active in MADSA in January 2020, and since then I’ve probably had more authentic experiences with like-minded people than any previous year (ironic, since we’re all physically isolated). I’ve always struggled with social anxiety, so I’ve had few relationships where I felt I could open up. Having strongly-held political viewpoints as a central part of my personality has not exactly helped me feel closer to others.

I grew up in the suburbs of Atlanta, in Gwinnett County. My dad, a white American, worked in IT, and my mom, an immigrant from the Philippines, was a nurse. They met through church, and I had a deeply religious upbringing. As a child, I remember listening to taped sermons to fall asleep. I judged my uncle for not converting to Christianity when we talked about it once (I’m pretty sure I told him he would go to hell). We didn’t celebrate Halloween, and scoffed at those who did. My parents’ evangelical beliefs, and my mom’s anti-establishment sentiments, inspired the decision to homeschool my sister and me. I know my mom (it was mainly her decision) believed this was the best decision for us at the time, but looking back, I have to disagree.

Read the rest of Joshua's story on our website.

Energy bills in Georgia are too damn high.

You can help change that.

Our energy bills in Georgia are out of control - in fact, as of 2018, our overall energy bills were the third highest in the nation.

Who's to blame for this?

Georgia state's Public Service Commission (PSC) is made up of 5 officials - all white, all Republican - who make the decisions on utility and energy costs for the state. Maybe you've never heard of them, but they have a direct impact on your life - and they are singlehandedly propping up Georgia Power’s utility monopoly, raising rates TWICE in the past year, and unanimously voting to shut off thousands of folks’ utilities in the middle of a pandemic.

You mad yet? Luckily, two of these PSC seats are up for grabs in November. We need phone & text bankers to help us educate Georgians on what they can do to fight for energy and climate justice in their communities.

Email your ecosocialist comrades at [email protected] to volunteer, or join #ecosocialism_wg on Slack.

As part of the Labor Group's Gwinnett County Public Schools (GCPS) Teacher campaign, the Labor working group is helping to organize a laptop donation drive for students lacking tech. They've put a team together that can help refurbish laptops or tablets (if needed), wipe the hard drive for you, and distribute at GCPS. If you or anyone else you know has a laptop to donate, please visit http://tinyurl.com/madsalaptopdrive

Get to the know the candidates for the

MADSA 2020 Steering Committee

Before we vote on our new Steering Committee members on Saturday, September 26, we want you to have the chance to ask your questions. MADSA will host a candidate forum on Thursday, September 24 at 7pm. There will be 1 to 3 general questions asked by a moderator, followed by a Q&A session for attendees to ask further questions.

All members in good standing will have the opportunity to vote on our next Steering Committee of 9 comrades. You MUST register to vote by midnight before the convention.

Remember...

• If you'd like to run for Steering Committee, you can submit your candidate statement.
• If you'd like to volunteer to make sure our convention runs smoothly, you can email [email protected]
• You can review the Convention FAQs, Convention Rules and Convention Agenda

What you missed on #SeizetheMemes

Slack Hack:

Did you know that you can ✨ customize ✨  your Slack theme colors?

Log on to the desktop version, click "Metro Atlanta DSA" in the top left, go to the Dropdown > Preferences > Themes > and then have tons of fun playing around with the color themes.

Join us on Slack

Not finding what you're looking for here? If you’re a member, you’ve got access to the Slack channel. (Email [email protected] if you have questions about your access to the Slack.) There’s no faster way to get plugged in to committees, working groups, and find answers to your questions.