|
|
Week of September 12, 2022 |
|
|
|
ANNOUNCEMENTS |
|
Take climate action with the DSA-LA Climate Justice Committee and Green New Deal for Public Schools LA Working Group |
|
California is at the tail end of an extreme heat wave. It’s not unusual for temperatures to soar in September, but our deepening climate crisis is making these heat waves longer and more intense. At the same time, there’s a lot of climate action – and inaction – going on in Sacramento and Washington. The biggest is the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), which was passed by Biden and Democrats earlier this month and represents the largest federal investment in renewable energy in American history. It is also a massive giveaway of public lands to fossil fuel companies for drilling. As Aaron Regunberg writes, it is a “bitter triumph,” creating a race for renewables to use the IRA’s benefits to become cheaper and more attractive to use in a capitalist system. Meanwhile politicians like Joe Manchin continue to prevent federal action that would seriously reduce fossil fuel extraction. In Sacramento the results for climate bills, as always, were mixed. After years of work by environmental justice advocates to win the support of Gov. Newsom, CA legislators passed a bill mandating a 3,200-foot buffer zone between oil wells and any residential areas, schools, hospitals, or retirement homes – a huge victory for public health and another nail in the coffin of urban drilling in our state. But on the bad side, California passed bills supporting carbon capture sequestration, which could prolong fossil fuel drilling, and extended the lifespan of the Diablo Canyon nuclear plant. While the plant does provide carbon-free electricity, biologists have long warned that the massive amounts of seawater used to cool its reactors is killing nearby marine life. And while the legislature approved a bill demanding a carbon neutral energy grid by 2045, a bill requiring 55% emissions reductions by 2030 was narrowly defeated by politicians not wanting to be held to deadlines that could come while they are still in office. When Sacramento convenes next year, they will have a new windfall in federal grants from the Inflation Reduction Act to ramp up climate efforts, and it will be up to us to continue the push for faster decarbonization and environmental justice. Of course, we are not waiting until 2023 to fight for ecosocialism on the local and state level. Upcoming ways to take climate action:
|
|
Reclaim our Homes Rally with Housing & Homelessness Committee |
|
Thursday, September 15 @ 2:00 pm - 5:00 pm |
|
Join fellow DSA members and coalition partners to rally and pressure elected officials and government agencies to commit to our demands for housing justice for Reclaimers. No evictions or displacement!
It has been two years since Reclaiming Our Homes (ROH) has reclaimed abandoned homes from the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans). The City of Los Angeles and Caltrans forced ROH into a 2-year contract which is about to expire this Fall. Caltrans is now accepting bids on homes and ROH have spoken to local leaders to demand that Reclaimers be able to permanently live in their homes. The City is planning to forcibly evict Reclaimers so that Caltrans can sell their homes to the highest bidder, rather than offer real community-centered solutions to housing.
Come to join fellow DSA members and coalition partners in a Reclaim Our Homes Rally, on Thursday Sept 15th from 2:00 – 5:00pm at the City Hall South Steps, where there be speakers and then a march to the DTLA Caltrans office. We will be joined by speakers: former Mayoral Candidate Gina Viola, Sua Hernandez from El Sereno Community Land Trust; Kasey Ventura and Faizah Barlas from The Beverly-Vermont Community Land Trust; Professor Ananya Roy from the UCLA’s Department of Urban Planning Social Welfare and Geography; and Professor Tim Ivison at the Art Center College of Design and Caltrans Tenants organizer.
Be sure to bring: Hat, Sunscreen, Comfortable shoes, Water, Mask |
|
Socialist Feminist Strategy Session |
|
Saturday, September 17 @ 11:00 am - 1:00 pm |
|
The fight for reproductive justice is not just happening in red states — we have to fight to expand our rights in California too! Join DSA-LA for an in-person strategy and planning session to discuss what steps we want to take in order to build a mass movement for socialist feminism in LA County. By working together, we can build a movement for reproductive liberation that’s rooted in the power of everyday working people. Come out and be part of it! |
|
DSA + UAW Canvass for Hugo |
|
Saturday, September 17 @ 9:30 am - 1:00 pm |
|
DSA and UAW are canvassing for Hugo in the General Election! It is now a two person race between Hugo Soto-Martínez and Mitch O’Farrell, and we are in the final stretch to November 8th. Hugo Soto-Martínez’s candidacy is an incredible opportunity to elect a longtime socialist union organizer; to activate hundreds of our UAW and DSA members in a diverse, renter-heavy district; and to keep building coalitions with labor and broad social justice campaigns across Los Angeles. Exact location will be announced soon, though it will be in the Echo Park/Elysian Valley area. If you’ve never canvassed before: we will provide you with a thorough training, pair you up with someone experienced/confident, and make sure you are comfortable going out. Don’t worry — we got you! Paid for by Hugo Soto-Martinez For City Council 2022 16633 Ventura Blvd #1008 Los Angeles, CA 91436 |
|
CALENDAR |
|
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! |
|
Foodservice Labor Circle |
|
Monday, September 12 @ 5:00 pm - 6:00 pm |
|
Across the country, foodservice workers are organizing in their workplaces and building worker power. If you work in a restaurant, bar, coffee shop, or other food establishment, join us at our biweekly meetings and help build a movement for solidarity and power within our industry, within our city. |
|
DSA-LA x DSALB Fatima Working Group Meeting |
|
Monday, September 12 @ 7:00 pm - 8:00 pm |
|
Meeting in collaboration with our comrades from DSA Long Beach Chapter in support of Fatima Iqbal-Zubair’s quest for the 65th State Assembly Seat. RSVP for Zoom Link. |
|
Mutual Aid Committee Meeting |
|
Monday, September 12 @ 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm
|
|
Join the Mutual Aid Committee for our twice-monthly committee meeting, where we’ll be discussing ongoing and upcoming committee work, as well as helping folks get plugged into other work throughout the city. New members always welcome!
Please RSVP for meeting connection information.
Mutual Aid Committee meetings are held on the second and fourth Monday of each month. |
|
Labor Committee September General Meeting |
|
Wednesday, September 14 @ 7:00 pm - 8:30 pm |
|
Join us on Wednesday, September 14th at 7:00 p.m. for our monthly Labor Committee meeting. We will be discussing workplace organizing, the labor movement, and opportunities for DSA members to organize and build worker power.
The core of DSA-LA’s labor work is our Labor Circles program. If you are interested in joining a Labor Circle or forming a new Circle, you can begin by filling out the Socialist Workplace Survey. The survey will help us map where we are in LA’s economy and identify where we have workplace, industry and union membership densities to organize around. Take a minute and fill out the Socialist Workplace Survey today! |
|
Mutual Aid Media Club |
|
Wednesday, September 14 @ 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm |
|
The Mutual Aid Media club will be reviewing the proposed Constitution of the new Chilean government. Please read the first 5 chapters of the Proposed Constitution of Chile or this explainer article and this article about the TV campaign both for and against the proposed document.
The Mutual Aid Media Club meets on the second and fourth Wednesday of every month. |
|
|
