The risk of exposure to COVID-19 is still very real.
We need to be extra vigilant and mitigate the risks of infection, particularly for those who are older or who have pre-existing conditions. For the sake of our collective health, please remember to wear a mask when you leave your home, practice social distancing, and wash your hands frequently. This pandemic has shown us that the health of one is the health of all so we all need to take responsibility for our common well-being.
There are some easy ways to safely stay connected to the chapter, such as: signing-up on the front page of our website to receive our weekly newsletter, and checking the calendar on the site for upcoming virtual events.
In solidarity,
DSA-LA
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Introducing the Member Portal and Discussion Board
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DSA-LA is thrilled to announce that this evening we are launching two new projects, built by members for members:
- The Member Portal is a private webpage that only DSA-LA members can get to. It will archive important information about events, decisions, and internal resources. Most content isn’t there yet, but it will continue getting built.
- The Discussion Board is a place for announcements and discussion. It is intended to replace many of the features of – and improve on the insecurities of – Slack and also promote more robust and edifying communication between members!
All Members in Good Standing will automatically have an account created for them to be able to access these new platforms. Within a couple hours, we'll go live, and if you are current on dues as a DSA LA member, you'll receive an email with further instructions. Keep your eyes open!
Please note, you can check your membership status here. If you are surprised to learn that your dues have lapsed, you can renew them here.
Please be advised, if you have to renew, it can take several days for our local lists to get updated from National. We apologize for any inconvenience this causes, we are looking forward to adding you as soon as possible!
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National Convention Delegate Elections – 2 Days Left to Nominate!
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Want to represent DSA-LA as a delegate to the DSA National Convention? (Info event tonight!)
DSA-LA has been allotted 77 delegate slots and 15 alternates to represent our chapter at the 2021 DSA National Convention! We will be hosting elections to find out who will represent our chapter at the upcoming virtual convention taking place from August 1-8. All members who are interested in learning more about the organization at a national level are encouraged to apply!
Timeline:
- Thursday, April 22 - Wednesday, May 5 — Nominations
- Thursday, May 6 - Wednesday, May 19 — Elections
- Thursday, May 20 — Results Announced
Click this link to self-nominate.
If you are curious and would like to learn more about what it means to be a delegate, join us TONIGHT - STARTING IN A FEW MINUTES, April 26, from 6-7pm for an info session hosted by past delegates: REGISTER AND JOIN HERE
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DSA LA Pre-Chapter Meeting Town Hall
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Saturday, May 8 @ 12:00 pm - 2:00 pm
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Join us for an informational Town Hall for the upcoming Chapter Meeting!
Join other DSA LA members for a town hall info session this Saturday to get useful information about the Chapter Meeting! We will have an overview of the event, how to access and participate in the meeting, and a moderated discussion about the items being voted on at the meeting. Hope to see you there!
Please note -- The Chapter meeting will be on May 22, 3-5pm. Registration information will be published soon.
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The following list is only a highlight of what's happening this week with DSA-LA. Please check out our online calendar for full list of committee meetings & chapter events! Be sure to also follow our Instagram & Twitter for real-time announcements and calls-to-action!
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All members are encouraged to attend their neighborhood meetings! You can meet socialists in your area for political education, mutual aid, and tenant organizing. Learn more about the Neighborhood Solidarity Program here.
South Bay Neighborhood Meeting
- Wednesday, May 5 @ 6:30 pm - 8:00 pm
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Healthcare Justice Committee Meeting
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(TODAY) Monday, May 3 @ 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm
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Please RSVP here to join us at the May Healthcare Justice Committee meeting! We’ll be recapping April’s committee retreat and sharing updates on what we’ve accomplished toward our 2021 priorities so far. Agenda and Zoom link will be sent to RSVPs ahead of the meeting.
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Mutual Aid Book Club: Braiding Sweetgrass Part 2
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Tuesday, May 4 @ 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm
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Braiding Sweetgrass looks at the intersection between biology, society, and our connection to nature, seeking to use it to heal the rifts that have been created by wide-scale social forces, unlearning our hurtful mindsets, and healing ourselves in the process. The Mutual Aid Book Club is embarking upon this journey to challenge our own internalized colonialism, seeking to ask questions while walking, and facilitate the process of learning together as comrades. To aid in this process we’ve asked for guest facilitation from the IAF-FAI, and hope that we may learn from their lived wisdom as we learn to relate to all our comrades, both on two legs and four and many, to learn new ways to know and relate to the world around us–and finding solace between them all.
For this week’s reading we’ll be going over the third section of the book, Picking Sweetgrass. The book can be obtained digitally through Hoopla, where an audiobook is also available. If members are still having trouble obtaining a copy, feel free to reach out to mutual aid leadership at [email protected] to make sure you get a copy.
Please RSVP to this event to get connection information.
The Mutual Aid Book Club meets on the first and third Tuesday of every month.
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Electoral Politics Committee Meeting
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Thursday, May 6 @ 7:30 pm - 9:00 pm
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Join the Electoral Politics Committee for our monthly meeting on Zoom.
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Mutual Aid Skill-Share Subcommittee Meeting
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Friday, May 7 @ 6:00 pm - 7:30 pm
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The Mutual Aid Skill-Share Subcommittee is dedicated to giving our members a platform to share their skills and support each other with free resources. If you have a skill to share or want to help us encourage skill shares in your branch, neighborhood or committee, please join us!
Please RSVP for meeting connection information.
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SKILL SHARE EVENT – DSA-LA Medics First Aid Kit Extravaganza
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Saturday, May 8 @ 2:00 pm - 4:00 pm
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Interested in building your own first aid kit, but don’t know where to start? Have a first aid kit, but are you looking for more ideas of things to include? Have a first aid kit that you’re especially proud of, or that you use out in the field? Then have we got an event for you!
Come join folks from the fledgling DSA-LA Medic crew and the Mutual Aid Committee as we talk all things First Aid Kits. Folks with kits already are encouraged to bring them for some show and tell and collective knowledge building. If you don’t have a kit, or if yours is in need of a refresh, we’ll be discussing and building a basic, foundational first aid kit. We’ll be providing the materials for you to make your own kit on site and discussing the purpose and use of everything that we’re putting in our kits. Premade kits are nice — but nothing can beat the experience of getting hands on with your materials and building the kit yourself! Supplies are limited, but we will be bringing a lot.
For this event, we will be meeting at North Hollywood Recreation Center, located in the Valley branch. This is a fairly large venue, so we will try to make ourselves visible. The venue is pretty close to the North Hollywood station on the Metro Red Line. However, if you’re driving, there is a parking lot at the venue, though you may still need to find street parking (which should be decently available). If you need transportation assistance, please reach out to [email protected] after RSVPing!
We will be enforcing reasonable social distancing and masking procedures.
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