Dear Friend --
My name is Jovanka Beckles, and I’m an elected democratic
socialist in the East Bay. I’m also a member of East Bay DSA, and the
chapter has endorsed me in my last two runs for office.
I’m reaching out to my East Bay DSA siblings to talk
about one of the most important local elections going on in
the entire country right
now: the Richmond city elections.
Although we live in the richest
country in the history of the world, like so many American cities,
Richmond’s streets do not reflect that wealth. The city is full of
potholes, unhoused people go hungry on the streets, and
massive corporations profit off of oil, coal, and gas -
including Chevron, right here in Richmond. Meanwhile, California’s forests are
burning, and our cities are choked with smoke.
But there’s a different way. A better way. We can win by creating a
world built on humanity, growth, and solidarity. We can take on
Chevron, the real estate lobby, and the police unions, but only if
ordinary working-class people struggle together. Two of my democratic
socialist colleagues in the Richmond Progressive Alliance (RPA) are
doing just that, by running for City Council and Mayor. Help
put class-struggle candidates in office - give monthly dues to East
Bay DSA >>
(This
is not the same as paying dues to national DSA, which many of you
already do. East Bay
DSA only receives a portion of national dues,
but if you give monthly dues to the chapter,
100% of them will come straight to East Bay
DSA!)
Who are these candidates? Eduardo Martinez, a retired teacher and the
current Vice Mayor, is running for Mayor. Jamin Pursell, a small
business owner and artist, is running for City Council. Both are
endorsed by East Bay DSA. And they’ve got a fighting chance thanks to
the power we’ve built in Richmond.
From 2010 to 2018, I spent two
terms as an RPA-backed City Councilmember. During that
time, we used our working-class power to make Chevron pay their fair
share of taxes, created the first rent control policy in 30 years,
advocated for and implemented a $15 minimum wage, and won a ban on
coal storage in Richmond. In
the last two years, the RPA City Council majority has invested in
reimagining public safety, thoughtfully and practically redistributing
police funding and funneling it to support services and non-law
enforcement crisis response teams.
Now, ALL of these gains are under attack. Chevron, the real
estate lobby, and the police unions are already backing candidates to
beat the RPA Slate. In 2014,
these same forces spent $3 million to try and beat me and the RPA, but
we defeated them, because working-class people knocked on doors and
donated to our campaigns. To beat them this November, East Bay DSA
needs to get organized and turn out our members in force to get voters
to the polls. Make
this work possible - start your monthly dues today
>>
As a member of both RPA and East
Bay DSA, I know firsthand how important membership-based organizations
are for building people power. Being funded by rank-and-file members
allows our organizations to fight for real transformative change,
because we're not beholden to huge millionaire and billionaire
donors. If we want to win the struggle for rent
control, ecosocialism, and reimagining public safety, not just in
Richmond but across the East Bay, we’re going to need a fighting
democratic socialist organization. That’s why I’m asking you: become
a monthly donor
to East Bay DSA >>
Some of us have been doin this for
a long time. For others, the fight is just beginning. We need
everyone. Thanks for everything you do.
Solidarity,
Jovanka Beckles
AC Transit Board Ward 1
East Bay DSA
