A socialist analysis of the current crisis
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Week of Oct 11, 2022
 

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Racism, redistricting, and resignations: DSA-LA's socialist analysis of the current crisis on the LA City Council

Monday, October 17 @ 7:30 pm

On October 9, leaked audio from a conversation between LA City Councilmembers and the chair of the LA County Federation of Labor revealed the racist, anti-worker, and anti-renter beliefs and actions of powerful political leaders.

In many ways, this is no surprise. We've known that the current status quo is rigged for the elite few and doesn't serve the many. We've known that powerful people serve their own interests by pitting Black and brown working people against each other – at the expense of Los Angeles' entire multiracial working class.

At the time of writing this, things are still changing rapidly. Even Joe Biden has called for the three councilmembers to resign. It's a major moment and shift for LA politics.

So what is going to happen to the city council now? What does all this mean for organized labor? Where does the Left fit in?

Join us on Monday night for a chapterwide webinar on our socialist analysis of these questions and our demands going forward.

Let's end the status quo. Let's elect democratic socialists 💅

Hugo Soto-Martínez for LA CD13

Fatima Iqbal-Zubair for Assembly District 65

Ricardo Martinez for La Puente City Council

The DSA-LA General Election Voter Guide has dropped 😎

As socialists in Los Angeles, we believe that it’s important to contextualize the choices on our election ballots. Who are these candidates and how did they build power? What are the dynamics of the races they’re running in? Will their priorities build socialism, or at least help Los Angeles’ working class?

 

Note that our endorsements are special: They require our whole membership to vote to endorse a candidate, and an endorsement includes a commitment for the chapter to devote time and money to that campaign. Otherwise, candidates named in the guide are simply recommendations. The candidate might not call themselves or be a socialist, but there are planks of their platform we believe will materially benefit the working class – especially in comparison to other candidates in their race. Or, they are running in a swing district, may not even be a progressive, but it’s the general election and this race could be the difference in keeping the House of Representatives out of Republican control.

 

We’ve chosen not to make recommendations in races where a status-quo incumbent is expected to coast to reelection. We’ve got to keep building power to take on these forces of capitalism, and we must keep on organizing to make sure these candidates have viable challengers in the future. That being said, there are some races with candidates extremely worth voting for, and in many down ballot votes, your vote and the votes of your friends and family can make a big difference in our collective lives. 

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!

Labor Committee – Strategic Workplace Issue Organizing Training

Wednesday, October 12 @ 7:00 pm - 8:30 pm

Join Labor Committee on Wednesday, October 12th at 7:00 PM via Zoom for a labor training about how to choose a strategic workplace issue to organize around and build power with your coworkers.

 

This training will help you assess what are deeply and widely felt workplace issues, whether a fight over the issue is winnable, and whether the organizing will build confidence and solidarity for future fights.

 

This training will be interactive some come ready to talk through organizing scenarios and share your thoughts with comrades.  

DRAMA- LGBTQIA+ History Month

Wednesday, October 12 @ 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm

For LGBTQIA+ History Month DRAMA, the Mutual Aid Media Club, will be having readings and media focused around gender, it’s definitions and interpretations, and the intersectionality between gender, sexuality, society, culture, and Marxism.

 

The first of two meetings for this month will focus on this article titled “Towards a Queer Marxism”, which focuses on Marxist views through a Queer viewpoint and the intersectionality of Queerness as it interacts with society, the concept of family, bodily exploitation, and more.

 

DRAMA meets on the second and fourth Wednesday of every month.

Climate Justice Committee October Meeting

Thursday, October 13 @ 6:30 pm - 8:00 pm

Join the October DSA-LA Climate Justice Committee Meeting

October Housing & Homelessness Committee Meeting

Thursday, October 13 @ 6:30 pm - 8:00 pm

Join our Housing & Homelessness committee for a discussion of our current tenant organizing projects. Connect with other tenant organizers in the chapter to share skills and ideas!