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In this newsletter:
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2021 DSA Convention: We’re Voting on our Delegates -- and There’s Still Time to Run!
DSA is having its national convention this August (online of course, thanks to Covid). This event -- held every two years -- is a time for every DSA chapter in the country to come together and vote on our political priorities and internal organizing strategy.
Sac DSA will be sending thirteen delegates (eleven regular delegates and two alternates) to the convention. These are elected positions; we are voting to select our delegates this Saturday at our general meeting, beginning at 1:30 (Zoom registration link here). All Sac DSA members are eligible and encouraged to vote!
Also, there’s still time to register as a candidate -- just fill out this form before our general meeting this Saturday! Any Sac DSA member in good standing may run. The convention will be held online from August 1 - August 8, so no travel is required. Delegates are only required to attend meetings on Sunday 8/1, and Thursday 8/5 through Sunday 8/8. All weekday meetings will start no earlier than 4PM Pacific Time.
Here are all of the current delegate nominees (in alphabetical order by first name), along with a link to their candidate statements:
If you want to meet the candidates before our general meeting this Saturday, we are also hosting a candidate forum tonight (Thursday) at 7PM on Zoom -- register here! |
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TAKE OUR ORGANIZING SURVEY |
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Help us get to know our membership better by filling out this survey; this will allow us to get members in touch with campaigns and projects they are interested in, as well as find out what the priorities of members are. |
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Sac DSA Supports Community Homeless Master Plan |
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Sacramento DSA joined 34 other community organizations in signing a letter of support for the Sacramento Regional Coalition to End Homelessness's Community Homeless Master Plan. This plan would help ensure equity in creating homeless shelters, camps, and tiny homes across the city's districts.
The letter, sent to the city council and mayor on June 2, also urges the implementation of recommendations to address systemic racism, fund Homeless Prevention strategies, and address the need for increased investments and clear pathways to permanent housing, among other things. |
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Mutual Aid Opportunities This Week
Sac DSA's Mutual Aid Committee hosts a food and supply distribution at Cesar Chavez Plaza every other Monday. Our next distribution is this Monday, June 14, at 5:30 PM. All members are invited to attend or donate!
We are seeking donations to support this work through https://www.patreon.com/SacDSAMutualAid. Email [email protected] for more information. |
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International Solidarity Updates: Venezuela & Peru
This part of the newsletter is for updates on international situations that national or Sacramento DSA has identified as priorities for our organization. If you would like to write any of these updates, please email us or consider joining our international committee!
DSA Raising Funds for Solidarity Delegations to Venezuela and Peru
For the first time in its history, DSA is sending two delegations to Peru and Venezuela. The objectives of these two delegations are as follows:
1) to attend the Congreso Bicentenario de los Pueblos in Caracas, Venezuela (June 21st-July 1st). The event is a massive international gathering of socialist organizations across the planet. Our delegation will spend two weeks participating in conferences and educational events meant to build solidarity, connections between organizations, and to illustrate Venezuela's struggle against COVID and US sanctions.
2) to observe the presidential elections in Peru -- the results of which are currently contested. Responding to invitations from Peruvian leftists, the objective of this delegation is to ensure fair, democratic practices as Peru votes to elect between left-wing candidate Pedro Castillo (Perú Libre) and right-wing candidate Keiko Fujimori (Fuerza Popular). In this critical period of change for Peru, our delegation will work to preserve the democratic outcome of the election.
All funds raised will go towards travel costs and aid for the Venezuelan people, including medical supplies such as nebulizers, pain medication, etc. Please donate to help fund this historic moment for DSA, as we commit ourselves to the project of internationalism! This project is officially sponsored by DSA National Political Committee (NPC) and DSA International Committee. |
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Upcoming Sac DSA Meetings
All meetings taking place on Zoom, due to Covid. Open to all members! Some meetings require pre-registration so we can verify your DSA membership; just click the link and provide the email address you used when you joined DSA.
Socialist Education Committee meeting, Thursday, June 10 @ 7PM, Zoom link
General Membership meeting, Saturday, June 12 @ 1:30PM, Zoom link
Healthcare Committee meeting, Thursday, June 17 @ 7PM, Zoom link
Missed a Meeting? Here are the Notes!
Executive Board meeting notes, 6/9/21
Healthcare committee meeting notes, 5/20/21
Electoral committee meeting notes, 5/23/21
Executive Board meeting notes, 5/25/21
Upcoming National DSA Events & Programs
These events are hosted by National DSA or chapters outside Sacramento. As with all DSA events, they are free and open to anyone!
“The European Left at a Crossroads” Saturday, June 12 @ 6PM California time, Facebook Event Page
Join DSA’s International Committee for a panel on the current state of politics in Western Europe. Esteemed guests include Tariq Ali, Clare Daly (MEP from Ireland), Grace Blakeley, and Cole Stangler, who will discuss topics ranging from the EU and NATO to the rise of the far-right and the state of the left. Q+A with audience questions fielded from the facebook livestream follows. The event will be moderated by DSA Europe International Committee member Chip Gibbons.
“Socialism and Electoral Politics” Tuesday, June 15th @ 5:30 PM California time, RSVP Here
From Bernie Sanders to AOC and dozens of local elected officials, socialism is popular at the polls. Since 2017, over 100 DSA members have been elected, and chapters have used their campaigns to build power and organize the working class.
This call features members of the National Electoral Committee who will present on DSA’s successes and challenges in the last few years as well as our official electoral strategy. Multiple resolutions about electoral politics were submitted to be debated at this summer’s convention.
This call will give an overview of DSA’s electoral work -- why elections matter and how to use them. |
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Pre-Convention Conferences
With the 2021 national convention coming soon, DSA is hosting national pre-convention conferences to give potential delegates and other members an idea of what to expect at the convention, to meet comrades across the country, and to get the opportunity to engage in political discussion.
This year’s pre-convention conferences we will be discussing the platform, talking about what it means to be a delegate, and preparing for this year’s National Convention.
The five pre-convention conferences will be open to any member and run from May 15th to June 15. We strongly encourage those who are planning on or considering being a convention delegate to register for them.
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What We're Reading (Or Viewing, Or Listening To...)
This is a space where we link to interesting articles, videos, podcasts -- whatever -- that our members have shared with each other on our chapter Slack. We are re-sharing them here in case others are interested; they do not necessarily represent “official” positions or endorsements of DSA.
“Are We Entering a New Political Era?” (article, The New Yorker)
“Great piece on Justice Democrats / Sunrise Movement!”
“Ten Myths About Israel” (book) by Ilan Pappe
“Free book!”
“Sober-Minded Socialism” (article, Current Affairs)
“I liked this piece”
“Rosa Luxemburg: The Biography” by J.P. Nettl (book) “Rosa Luxemburg” by Paul Frolich (book) “Red Rosa: A Graphic Biography of Rosa Luxemburg” (graphic novel) by Kate Evans
“Been reading a biography of Rosa Luxemburg by JP Nettl. Anyone else read it or otherwise learned much about her? I'm struck how the issues & controversies of her day remain relevant today. For example, how should socialists relate to elections and participation in government in a capitalist state? This bio is a bit long and dry sometimes but still interesting.”
“I just started her biography by Paul Frölich, from Haymarket. I’ll have to see about the graphic novel, that sounds fun!”
“The graphic novel I have a copy of is by Kate Evans and is titled Red Rosa. I haven’t read through it however. There is an excellent quote by Luxemburg that is in a footnote in Ernest Mandel’s introduction for the Penguin Classics edition of Capital Volume 1: “The production relations of capitalist society approach more and more the production relations of socialist society. But on the other hand, its political and juridical relations establish between capitalist society and socialist society a steadily rising wall. This wall is not overthrown but on the contrary strengthened and consolidated by the development of social reforms and the course of democracy.” -Luxemburg in “Reform or Revolution”
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