We meet as comrades several times a year. The September convention is the most significant of these meetings because we elect our those who will lead us until next September. This year a co-chair, recording secretary, tech ops coordinator, treasurer, and political education coordinator are up for election. We will also debate and vote on resolutions that will shape our vision for organizing, and refine our organizational structure.
The thing is, we need YOU.
We need your presence. In order to hold these elections, we need to make quorum. We are not like so many other structures in life where an authority figure chooses who to lead and what path to follow. The members choose the leaders, the members set the path. The members provide accountability and gauge effectiveness.
We need you to run. If leadership appeals to you, put forth your vision of why you want to do it. Leading is a lot of work! It’s not for show! Talk to a comrade to articulate how your strengths and unique gifts could fit in a leadership position. See this list for position descriptions.
Most importantly, we need you to dive in deep with one another at this convention. We will listen as a comrade shares their incredible story of coming to class consciousness in the local labor movement (I have heard it is amazing and have asked for no spoilers). We will share a space committed to socialism, race equality, and feminism. We will hear from comrades in our Ecosocialism branch who invite us to join the fight locally against Line 3, a fight for our environment and the indigenous people of the land. Feeling hopeless and angry about the Amazon? Come hear how you can share in the struggle right here in our own state.
I want each person who shows up to feel the enormous potential that we have as an organizing vehicle and to see that the struggle will require every single one of us. This is your chance to strengthen your connections and see how you can get involved to develop and deepen your skills and relationships as an organizer. We must learn from one another and sharpen our political skills together. How can I organize in my work place? What does an anti-colonial perspective bring to this discussion? We can’t be a socialists in a vacuum.
I left the DSA national convention with so much energy to fight for building a better world, and I want to share it with you. Come to the September convention and bring your vision. We need your fire.
We have a world to win.
– Rita T.