Twin Cities DSA

Yesterday Starbucks workers at 300 Snelling in St Paul and at the St Anthony store held a one day strike action during the annual “Red Cup Day”, one of the busiest days of the year for Starbucks (and the most stressful for understaffed workers!). Workers staged a “Red Cup Rebellion” across the country at over 100 stores, as management has stonewalled negotiations as a matter of national strategy. DSA members locally and across the country turned out in solidarity with these workers and their demands for a contract and fully staffed stores.

And now, the big news last week. We want to congratulate our TCDSA-endorsed candidates: Zaynab Mohamed, Omar Fateh, Samantha Sencer-Mura, Athena Hollins, Mai Chong Xiong, and Aaron Wagner all won their elections! They and all of the dedicated folks who made their victories possible join over 100 DSA-affiliated officials who won races across the U.S. Their victories are a sign of the mounting passion and determination across the nation to build a movement that transforms society by centering working class people. But we can’t be complacent. Despite our gains, we remain poorly equipped to combat the white supremacist and fascist forces that threaten us all. 

A disaster was averted on Tuesday because people recognize the danger we are in and are demanding action. Across the country, workers are waking up. Crushing working conditions across industries are pushing workers — from baristas and warehouse workers, to nurses, railroad workers, and educators — to demand better. Long-established unions are fielding grassroots demands for reform and action from their membership and the resurgence of the labor movement should give us all hope that progress is possible — if we organize. Read TCDSA’s full statement here.

Amidst all these major events, we also appreciate the need to simply connect with each other. At the end of October the chapter hosted a bonfire social in Como Park where current and potential members were able to get to know one another, talk politics, and learn/share about how people can plug into the chapter’s work. Strengthening our sense of community and camaraderie is an important part of building our capacity for the struggles ahead, and we had a great time together!

Also on the blog this week, reflecting on the results of the midterm election, chapter co-chair Kip H shares his thoughts about the road ahead, and the question’s we’re facing. We also ask all members to take our survey about priorities for a physical space.

You might also notice we’re sending this newsletter a week later than normal. In addition to conversations about the future work of the chapter, we’re revamping our newsletter process as the chapter builds up our infrastructure and the opportunities for members to connect and get involved.

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Steering Committee Actions

• TCDSA Physical Space – Take Our Survey!
  • At the 2022 Chapter Convention, two resolutions (Resolution #2 and Resolution #3) passed calling on the chapter to obtain a physical space for our chapter. This builds on discussions that have been ongoing in how to best support member’s vision for the chapter. Several of these threads suggested the potential of a dedicated space for Twin Cities DSA.
    
    As much as anything, this survey is to ask members how a physical space can enhance our organizing. We would like to hear what you think our space should be, what we could do with it, and how we can build it together.
    
    We would also like to tap into your local knowledge. Have you seen an available space that we should check out, or know of a space that would be a good example? Let us know, we will want to get as much information as possible to help us understand our options moving forward.
    
    
• Support for East Phillips Neighborhood Institute
  • This past Sunday the TCDSA Steering Committee voted to endorse the efforts of East Phillips Neighborhood Institute (EPNI)! This fight has been working to both stop the demolition of the Roof Depot and the city’s plan to put its Water Yard there, and repurpose the property to meet the needs of East Phillips residents, including an urban farm.
    
    This will also be part of the larger chapter conversation at the December 5th General Meeting. Stay tuned for an event on December 15. EPNI’s lawsuit against the city is requesting an injunction to halt demolition, and the hearing on the injunction is planned for that date. 

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Big Events Coming Up

• Labor Movie Night – Mayday Books – RSVP Here
  • Saturday, 11/19, 6:00pm – 8:30pm
    Join the Labor Branch for a viewing and discussion of the critically acclaimed Matewan (1987). Based loosely on real events, the story follows a Union organizer entering a town where a coal company is bitterly and violently suppressing a strike.
    
    
• Twin Cities DSA New Member Hangout – Mayday Books– RSVP Here
  • Friday, 12/2, 5:30pm – 7:30pm
    Hangout at Mayday Books. All members welcome, but this is an especially good time for new members and people considering joining TCDSA to get to know each other and ask questions!
    
    
• Twin Cities DSA General Member Meeting – Merriam Park Library – RSVP Here
  • Monday, 12/5, 6:30pm-8:30pm
    Join us for the final full chapter meeting of the year!  We will be discussing proposals that have emerged from our visioning sessions last month and preparing to vote on chapter priorities and what our organizing focus will look like over the next year.

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From the Blog / In the News

Authors’ opinions may not reflect those of Twin Cities DSA.

• Twin Cities DSA Statement on the 2022 Election – Twin Cities DSA Statement on the 2022 Election: A disaster was averted on Tuesday because people recognize the danger we are in and are demanding action. Across the country, workers are waking up. Crushing working conditions across industries are pushing workers — from baristas and warehouse workers, to nurses, railroad workers, and educators — to demand better.
  
  
• The Dangers Ahead – Reflecting on the results of the midterm election, chapter co-chair Kip H shares his thoughts about the road ahead, and the question’s we’re facing.

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Chapter Branch/Committee/Working Group Meetings and Events

• Socialist Reading Group – Sunday, 11/20, 3:00pm-4:30pm – Zoom Registration
  • The socialist reading group will be discussing We Own the Future, Democratic Socialism-American Style.
    
    
• Labor Branch Meeting – Sunday, 11/21, 7:00pm-8:30pm
  • The TCDSA Labor Branch meets on the 3rd Tuesday of the month. For information on joining this meeting, see the #labor channel on Slack. Not on Slack? Submit tcdsa.org/slack to verify you’re on the member list.
    
    
• Steering Committee Meeting – Sunday, 11/27, 3:00pm-4:30pm
  • Check #steeringcommittee for the zoom link and agenda. If you are a member and need access to slack, sign up at tcdsa.org/slack.
    
    
• TechOps: Website Content Strategy – Monday, 11/28, 6:30pm-8:00pm – Zoom Registration
  • We want to talk more about the goals & needs of Twin Cities DSA so that the website can best serve us. We will be talking about direction, strategy & logistics.
    
    
• Tech Ops: Website Redesign Work Check-in – Thursday, 12/1, 12:00pm-12:30pm – Zoom Registration
  • Regular check-in regarding website redesign work and making changes to the website.
    
    
• Communications Committee  – Thursday, 12/1, 6:00pm-7:00pm – Zoom Registration
  • The Communications Committee meets on the 1st and 3rd Thursdays of the month. Join us!
    
    
• Electoral Committee General Meeting, 12/3, 2:00pm-3:30pm – Zoom Registration
  • Rescheduled due to the December 5th General Meeting. Join us to talk about the Twin Cities DSA electoral strategy, including the 2023 local elections, as well as ongoing collaboration efforts with current elected officials

Go to tcdsa.org/events to see everything!

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