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Metro DC DSA Weekly Update for Friday, September 13, 2019
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Comrade, First thing, Friday morning: Anti-immigrant groups are organizing a rally in support of ICE in Montgomery County. MoCo DSA calls on all of us to stand up against hate and in solidarity with our immigrant communities. Come out to this counter-protest this morning, Friday, at 10:30 am in Rockville, MD. Follow the link for more information and location.
Also this weekend: Sunday, Rent Control Working Group meeting 1 PM (more below in Briefs) and the MoCo DSA Branch general meeting, 2 PM.
NEXT, watch for the September MDC DSA member ballot, coming soon to your inbox --
The September Ballot includes one election for Internal Organizing Committee Co-Chair and two Resolutions. All members may vote on all questions.
The candidates for IOC Co-Chair are:
Luke Rebecchi | Kishan Yerubandi | Eric Sommers
The two resolutions up for voting are:
Resolution to Endorse the DC Rent Control Campaign (info here) https://docs.google.com/document/d/1pCeBRZ0MsFSSQrwu8gIcHnRWclXn8ZmnU4rbUJMDdR4/edit#heading=h.a8d8dppqzb98)
Resolution to Raise the Reimbursement Limits (info here) https://docs.google.com/document/d/14IlJ17eUynlj3b3msq028-ONw9vjw__752JgyiBnNTk/edit
Voting will end Midnight 09/20/2019
BRIEFS
LABOR NOTES -- Negotiations begin for grocery, janitorial workers. UFCW local 400 workers marched in downtown DC yesterday to demand fair contracts with Giant and Safeway and some 10,000 SEIU 32BJ janitors, many of them immigrants, also opened local contract negotiations Thursday (Sept. 12). SEIU says " Nearly 134,000 commercial janitors nationwide are bargaining for their livelihoods as part of what will be the nation’s large private sector contract bargaining of the year," according to Union City. Local 400 represents 35,000 workers in the DMV and four other Eastern states.
Sat, Sept 14 DC Grassroots Planning Coalition Monthly Citywide Organizing Meeting -- THE COMP PLAN AND YOUR COMMUNITY 1:30-4:00 PM at Union Temple Baptist Church, 1225 W St, SE with: - Update on the DC Housing Authority's plans to privatize over 2,500 units of housing; - Our priorities in the Framework of the Comp Plan - where we stand & action before the vote; and How the Comp Plan affects YOUR community - gearing up for action on the Area (neighborhood) Elements. DEADLINE: The DC Council plans a final vote on the Framework (1st chapter) Tues, Sept 17th!
Support and canvass for Dan Helmer for Delegate with NoVa Labor
The Union Veterans Council, AFL-CIO, is sponsoring a labor walk/ phone bank for labor-endorsed Veteran Dan Helmer tomorrow, Saturday, Sept. 14 at 9 AM at NoVA Labor, 4536 B John Marr Dr, Annandale. Dan Helmer's race is a priority for Union Vets because he is a strong pro-labor veteran who will be a critical voice in the House of Delegates. Breakfast and lunch are served.
--Ginny Diamond
Join the Metro D.C. DSA's rent control working group for our next general business meeting on Sunday, September 15th from 1:00 - 2:30 PM at the Petworth Library.
At this meeting, we'll continue to talk strategy and also get updates from chapter members working on our rent control campaign.
This is going to be one of our big campaigns over the next year, and working group meetings are a great way to get plugged into all kinds of chapter work. Hope to see you there!
Here’s a very breaking announcement from the MDC DSA Climate Strike affinity group, with several upcoming trainings and planning meetings plus details about local action. Many members will have received this as an email, but ICYMI etc…
And thanks to our comrade Maria B for this calendar of September events leading up to Shut Down DC, a local pivot point of the worldwide Climate Strike activities Sept. 20-23 https://www.strikedc.org/index.php/events/2019-09/
DC United Against Hate is hosting a panel/discussion on the fight against eco-fascism, in the run-up to the Climate Strike. The event will be on Tuesday, Sept. 17 th from 6:30-8:30 PM at The Potter’s House in DC (1658 Columbia Rd NW). The FB event link and more information is here: https://www.facebook.com/events/379457396050453/ — Kaiser F
HELP DSA FOR BERNIE GET STARTED
Metro DC DSA is getting started on our canvassing and outreach operation in support of Senator Bernie Sanders’s 2020 presidential campaign! This is an exciting opportunity to support the strongest democratic socialist electoral campaign in more than a century, to raise class consciousness in our region, and to recruit more workers to join DSA. Because we are running an independent expenditure campaign, we have the freedom to print our own literature about what democratic socialism has to offer working people in DC, Maryland, and Virginia and control our own messaging and outreach.
But that freedom means we have to independently fundraise to cover printing and event costs. Right now our working group has set a fundraising goal of $10,000 to cover all expenses for the program. Our chapter has come together to help candidates fundraise in the past, and we’re certain we can meet this goal in order to empower our comrades to support democratic socialism at the national level and organize the working class at the local level.
Can you make a donation of $5, $10, $27, or whatever you can spare today in order to support MDC DSA’s Bernie Working Group? Here’s the link to donate: https://mdcdsa.org/donate/
Thank you so much for your support.
In Solidarity,
Ben D. and Brad C.
Co-Chairs, MDC DSA for Bernie Working Group
Curious about Metro DC DSA? MDC DSA’s website has expanded resources on our chapter Campaigns, WGs and Caucuses – check it out here. Is your campaign, caucus or working group properly represented? Contact [email protected], attn: web managers .
MDC DSA Publications Schedule for September: Weekly Updates are scheduled in September for Friday Sept. 20 and 27 and the October Washington Socialist will publish on Tuesday, Oct. 1. Article deadline for October’s issue is Wednesday, Sept. 25. Updates in October will be published Fridays the 4 th, 11 th, 18 th and 25 th and the November Washington Socialist will publish Friday, Nov. 1.
MDC DSA’s regular periodical publications are managed by the Publications Working Group. Indicate interest in writing or other tasks to further socialist ideas and action by messaging [email protected] or visit our Slack channel, #publications, to see what we are up to. Our activism gains support when it is explained in a socialist context and voice, so check our submission guidelines, and add your voice to the mix. What shows up in the Washington Socialist? See the Index for 2016-18 and the supplemental the Washington Socialist Index for January-August 2019.
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MDC DSA Events for September/October
Follow links for details
Sunday SEP 15 2:00 PM
MoCo DSA 🌹General Branch Meeting
Takoma Park Volunteer Fire Department, 7201 Carroll Ave, Takoma Park, MD 20912
Please join us for our September branch meeting! Help us build our vision for equality, democracy, and socialism in Montgomery County. Afterwards, we’ll adjourn to a local establishment for a social hour. See you then! Follow link for details
Sunday, SEP 15 1-2:30 PM
Rent Control Working Group Meeting
Petworth Neighborhood Library 4200 Kansas Ave NW · Washington, DC
At this general business meeting, we'll continue to talk strategy and also get updates from chapter members working on our rent control campaign. Follow link for details.
Monday SEP 16 7-8:30 PM
NOVA Branch Organizing Meeting
Richard Byrd Library 7250 Commerce St · Springfield, VA
Welcome to our monthly NOVA DSA organizing and planning meeting. Follow link for details
Wednesday SEP 18 7:00 PM
Steering Committee
Institute for Policy Studies, 1301 Connecticut Avenue Northwest, Washington, DC 20036
Steering Committee meetings are open to any MDC DSA member who would like to attend. Please RSVP and message the hosts if you would like to join by videoconference so we can make arrangements to get you the appropriate URL. Follow link for details
Saturday, SEP 21, 12- 2 PM
QUEER SOCIALISTS ORGANIZING MEETING
Shaw (Watha T. Daniel) Neighborhood Library 1630 7th St NW · Washington, DC
Comrades, the Queer Socialist Caucus (for LGBTQIA+ socialists and our allies, DSA members and non members welcome) is having an organizational meeting to discuss participation in the National Trans Visibility March on DC on Saturday Sep 28. Also, how we can coordinate with the National DSA Queer caucus/working group (the final form is still being decided), as well as other issues and concerns that may arise. Follow link for details.
Sunday SEP 22 4:00 PM
Socialist Feminism Reading Group 🌹
The Festival Center, 1640 Columbia Rd., NW, Washington, DC 20009
Please read our reading group Participation Guide and join us as we explore and discuss topics within Socialist Feminism. 🌹 This month, our readings focus on your ideas. You can submit suggested articles anytime — we can build a topic around them! Follow link for details
Sunday, SEP 22 2:30 PM to 4:30 PM
POLITICAL EDUCATION WORKING GROUP MEETING
Northeast Neighborhood Library 330 7th St NE · Washington, DC
The Political Education working group is having an open meeting to discuss future chapter political education projects, including the third semester of Socialist Night School. Come learn how to get involved with political education and about the upcoming Night School programing! Follow link for details.
Tuesday, SEP 24 5-8 PM
QUEER CAUCUS + LSC HAPPY HOUR
Red Bear Brewing Co 209 M St NE · Washington, DC
The MDC DSA Queer Socialism Caucus will be having our monthly Happy Hour, for all Queer, Trans, and Nonbinary comrades, as well our allies and accomplices. Event is open to the public, DSA membership is not required.
Take a breather for a few hours of smashing the cis-hetero patriarchy and enjoy a comradely social atmosphere. And we'll be getting out of our silos, meeting and discussing organizing with our comrades from the Libertarian Socialist Caucus. Hope to see you there! Follow link for details.
Thursday SEP 26 6:30 PM
DSA Happy Hour
The Midlands Beer Garden, 3333 Georgia Ave NW, Washington, DC 20010
Join us for our monthly happy hour! This is a great chance to meet and mingle with fellow comrades. No agenda, no work, and no politics… well, maybe a little politics. Happy hours, like most MDC DSA events, are open to members and non-members alike! Come join us in an informal setting to learn more. Follow link for details
Thursday SEP 26 6:00 PM
Disability Justice Working Group Meeting
The Festival Center, 1640 Columbia Rd NW, Washington, DC 20009
Join Metro DC DSA Disability Justice Working Group for our monthly meeting. Learn how to get involved in the various campaigns to empower and liberate the disabled community from the oppressive capitalist system. We meet on the first floor of the ADA-compliant Festival Center. ASL interpretation will be provided on request. Follow link for details
OCTOBER
Wednesday OCT 2 7 PM
Steering Committee (remote only)
Steering Committee meetings are open to any MDC DSA member who would like to attend. You can find the Zoom link in the #steering channel in the chapter’s Slack. If you would like to submit an item for the agenda, please create a Red Desk ticket at https://reddesk.mdcdsa.org/ Follow link for details.
Sunday OCT 6 2:00 PM
MoCo DSA 🌹General Branch Meeting
Connie Morella (Bethesda) Library, 7400 Arlington Rd, Bethesda, MD 20814
Please join us for our October branch meeting! Help us build our vision for equality, democracy, and socialism in Montgomery County. Afterwards, we’ll adjourn to a local bar for a social hour. See you then! Follow link for details.
Sunday OCT 13 3:00 PM
Metro DC DSA Monthly General Body Meeting
Friends Meeting of Washington, 2111 Florida Ave. NW, Washington, DC
The monthly meeting of the Metro DC Democratic Socialists of America! The agenda will be distributed the week before the meeting. Follow link for details.
Wednesday OCT 16 7:00 PM
Steering Committee
Institute for Policy Studies, 1301 Connecticut Avenue Northwest, Washington, DC 20036
Steering Committee meetings are open to any MDC DSA member who would like to attend. Please RSVP and message the hosts if you would like to join by videoconference so we can make arrangements to get you the appropriate URL. Follow link for details.
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Events from Our Allies in the DMV
Follow links for details
SAT Sept. 14 – 350MoCo town hall on climate action, 11 AM to 1:30 PM, Silver Spring Civic Center https://www.eventbrite.com/e/climate-emergency-montgomery-countys-response-tickets-66570745893
MON Sept 16 Billy Bragg talks about his book Three Dimensions of Freedom at Politics and Prose https://www.politics-prose.com/event/book/billy-bragg-three-dimensions-of-freedom-in-conversation-david-weigel
MON September 16 Movie: Racing Extinction: A Race We Can't Afford to Lose -- Reel & Meal at the New Deal Café, located at 113 Centerway, Greenbelt, MD screens this insider account of the double whammy of the undercover wildlife trade and the extraction industries, together threatening up to half of existing species with extinction. The evening begins with an optional plant-based buffet at 6:30 PM and the free screening starts at 7 PM.
TUE Sept 17 In Defense of American Democracy – day-long session at the GWU Marvin Center with a star-studded guest list and some surprises; organized by Shanker Institute, AFT and Forward Together. Follow link for more information.
TUE Sept 17 DC United Against Hate panel/discussion on the fight against eco-fascism, 6:30-8:30 PM at The Potter’s House in DC (1658 Columbia Rd NW) part of the run-up to the worldwide Climate Strike Sept. 20-23. https://www.facebook.com/events/379457396050453/
THUR September 19 Monthly Legal Clinics for Restaurant Workers! 1– 5 PM, 1100 Florida Ave NW, Washington, DC 20009 Hosted by Restaurant Opportunities Center of Washington DC (ROC-DC): RSVP HERE: calendly.com/roc-dc/legal-clinic – get answers to your questions regarding your legal rights in the workplace – breaks, paid sick days, tips, harassment and more. Follow link for more information
SAT Sept 21 Deep Canvass with SURJ 11 AM – 5 PM Sponsored by SURJ Northern Virginia and Showing Up for Racial Justice – SURJ – DC: at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Rockville, in Maryland. The registration form is coming soon. Follow link for more information.
WED September 25 Listening Sessions: Are you in the know about Paid Family Leave 12:30– 2:30 PM at Restaurant Opportunity Center DC, Second Floor, 1100 Florida Ave NW, Washington, DC 20009 – a discussion on the upcoming Paid Family Leave benefit and how service industry professionals will be affected. Watch for more sessions around the city.
THURS Sept 26 DC Stand Up Against “RIA” Displacement at Brookland Manor 8 AM District of Columbia Government DC Court of Appeals 430 E Street, NW, Washington, District of Columbia 20001 Hosted by LinkUp and Brookland Manor/Brentwood Village Residents Association:
8 AM rally; 9:30 AM pack the courtroom to protest DC’s intrusive, tax-subsidized “Rhode Island Avenue” project and its potential for displacing Brookland Manor residents. More info: linkupitsofficial.org/dc-stand-up
SAT Sept 28 Poor People’s Campaign Prince George’s Co planning meeting, 12-2 PM Oxon Hill Library 6200 Oxon Hill Rd, Oxon Hill, MD 20745
SUN Sept 29 – The path to single payer health care in Maryland, 1:30 – 4:30 PM at Elkridge Library – 6450 Washington Boulevard, Elkridge, MD 21075 — Join Senator Paul Pinsky, Chair of the Education, Health and Environmental Affairs Committee in the Senate, and Delegate Terri Hill, of the Health and Government Operations Committee in the House, for a discussion of the road map to Single Payer in Maryland. Follow link for more information. https://www.facebook.com/events/361641874764169/
MON Sep 30 ROC DC Monthly Meeting! 1-3 PM Restaurant Opportunity Center DC, Second Floor, 1100 Florida Ave NW, Washington, DC 20009 https://www.facebook.com/events/2261435187446709/?event_time_id=2261435204113374
Come together and meet other restaurant and tipped workers in DC who want to build worker power in order to improve wages and working conditions in the DC restaurant industry! Follow link for more information.
THURS Oct 3 The Epiphany Power Hour: ONE DC 12:10-1 PM at The Church of the Epiphany 1317 G St NW, DC xxxxxx Claire Cook and Kelly Iradukunda of ONE DC teach us about organizing in our city. Hosted EVERY THURSDAY by The Church of the Epiphany and ONE DC: https://www.facebook.com/events/2543087422378554/
SAT Oct 5 Street Law 101: Know Your Rights Training 1-3 PM – Dorothy I. Height/Benning Neighborhood Library, 3935 Benning Rd NE, Washington, DC 20019, Hosted by Black Lives Matter DC and Keep DC 4 Me: https://www.facebook.com/events/705926619821385/
The people most targeted by police MUST have critical information about their rights during police interactions. Follow link for more information.
SUN October 6-- Eastern Shore Environmental Legislative Summit, 1- 4 PM (Doors open at noon) hosted at Washington College - 300 Washington Avenue, Chestertown, MD 21620
Explore the issues that face the Shore (and the state), what steps have been taken, and what obstacles we must overcome to defeat the existential crisis of Climate Change and other pressing environmental issues. https://www.facebook.com/events/361641874764169/
THUR October 10 AROS Forum On New Funding Formula For Prince George’s Public Schools at LAUREL HIGH SCHOOL, 8000 Cherry Lane Laurel 20707 at 6:30 PM Parents, students and engaged community members are invited to hear about the Kirwan commission proposals and possibilities of well-funded schools -- and make their voices heard. Also WED October 23 at Bowie Performing Arts Center, 15200 Annapolis Rd. Bowie 20715, 6:30 PM: WED November 12 at Prince George’s Community College, 301 Largo Rd. Largo 20774, 6:30 PM and MON November 18 at OXON HILL HIGH SCHOOL 6701 Leyte Drive Oxon Hill 20745 6:30 PM. Follow link for details.
THUR October 17 Monthly Legal Clinics for Restaurant Workers! 1– 5 PM, 1100 Florida Ave NW, Washington, DC 20009 Hosted by Restaurant Opportunities Center of Washington DC (ROC-DC): RSVP HERE: calendly.com/roc-dc/legal-clinic – get answers to your questions regarding your legal rights in the workplace – breaks, paid sick days, tips, harassment and more
GOOD READS
>>A blue-green solidarity statement from The Guardian co-authored by one of our Takoma Park allies at the Labor Network for Sustainability: https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2019/sep/10/jobs-environment-unions-green-new-deal (TX Jules Bernstein for floating this one).
>>Another deep dive from the NYT’s Tom Edsall, this time about conflicting political trends and attitudes among African-American Dem voters and the dangers to enthusiasm and turnout if they are not addressed with nuance by the party’s presidential candidates. In “No One Should Take Black Voters for Granted,” Edsall echoes his academic sources in signaling a real personal urgency, more so than usual, as he wraps up this pretty alarming account. https://www.nytimes.com/2019/09/11/opinion/black-voters-democrats-2020-election.html/
>>Sarah Nelson in a Guardian portrait touting her (rightly!) as the next AFL-CIO prez, leading with her appearance at our Atlanta convention. Detailed and savvy article outlining the politics inside the federation that would affect her prospects. https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2019/sep/09/sara-nelson-flight-attendants-union-interview-labor/
>>From VOX, and the headline says it all: “I Read Every 2020 Frontrunner’s Labor Platform So You Didn’t Have To” https://portside.org/2019-09-10/i-read-every-2020-frontrunners-labor-platform-so-you-didnt-have
>>Context from In These Times about tenant protection/rent control activism in other jurisdictions as our MDC DSA campaign gets under way: https://popularresistance.org/new-york-took-on-the-real-estate-industry-and-won-illinois-could-be-next/
>>Steve Early and Suzanne Gordon in Counterpunch defend the Veterans Administration model as applied socialism: https://popularresistance.org/the-va-as-workers-comp-why-socialized-medicine-for-veterans-is-worth-defending/
>>Washington State’s highest court opens up union organizing emails to potential public scrutiny after agitation by a right-wing foundation known for anti-union activity: https://www.routefifty.com/management/2019/09/uw-union-organizing-emails-freedom-foundation/159748/
>> And if you have been looking for a really, really thorough reading list about Marxist thought, here is one (PDF format) from Democracy at Work’s Richard Wolff. https://d3n8a8pro7vhmx.cloudfront.net/democracyatwork/pages/4203/attachments/original/1562590678/WolffRecomendedReading_Marxism.pdf?1562590678
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