Twin Cities
Democratic Socialists of America
Little Red Letter #104
Conventions, Elections, Rallies, Progress, and More!
It’s been another busy one these last couple weeks, so let’s start with some highlights.
Last Saturday, members met on Zoom for the 2023 Twin Cities DSA Endorsement Meeting. Candidates introduced themselves to membership, and following a brief rules discussion, spent time discussing the races, what our endorsement means in 2023, and how these races will help us achieve the chapter’s goals. OpaVote Ballots were emailed to members on April 16, and today, April 23, is the final day of voting. Member discussion has been ongoing in the slack, and If you haven’t already, check your inboxes and send in your choices for chapter endorsements.
The same day, workers and activists showed up on Saturday to express their solidarity with over 50,000 airline workers at Delta Air Lines who are trying to gain a union. They were joined by Sara Nelson, flight attendant union leader, Richie Johnsen from the Machinists union and Tom Erickson, Vice President of the Central Region of the Teamsters. Robin Wonsley, Minneapolis Ward 2 City Council Member, delivered a resolution passed by the City Council in support of the union campaign. See the piece by Deb K R for more about the event.
That same weekend, members traveled to Chicago for the 2023 YDSA and DSA Conference: Socialism is the Future. YDSA members learned more about organizing and met with other socialists from across the country, while DSA’s National Labor Committee and National Electoral Committee facilitated organizer trainings and announced the national Strike Ready campaign in support of the upcoming UPS Contract negotiations.
Appropriately happening in the same week as Earth Day, positive developments have occurred in the fight against the Roof Depot demolition in East Phillips. In a meeting on Wednesday, the City of Minneapolis stated they would be willing to sell the full site to EPNI. This is not the end of the fight, and there are more things that need to be navigated, but this is a major shift, and a promising one. Read the update by Tim H for more details and how to help bring this home.
Members received an email yesterday about the 2023 DSA National Convention election and Steering Committee At-Large Member Special election. Nominations for both elections are open until the Twin Cities DSA May 7 General Meeting. A meeting notice will be sent out soon detailing the location and agenda.
Folks also have social events they can attend this week, one of which, the On The Left Bank zine launch at Newell Park, is happening today at 1pm. We also have a working social this Friday, making buttons for upcoming Open Streets events and putting together mailers for new members to welcome them to the chapter and let them know about upcoming events. Details in the upcoming events section.
Update: East Phillips Urban Farm in Sight
Comrades, we’ve just passed Earth Day, and in that spirit, we are thrilled to share positive news about the effort in East Phillips to avoid demolition of the Roof Depot and realize the community’s vision of an indoor urban farm, housing, and community hub. By Tim H
On Saturday, April 15, Twin Cities DSA members were invited to attend a major labor rally to boost the coordinated organizing efforts at Delta Air Lines. Altogether this nationwide organizing drive represents over 45,000 workers employed by one of the leading anti-union companies. By Deb K R
TCDSA committees and working groups need members to get involved in order to create the multi-racial, worker-powered socialist future we’re all aiming for. Below are some opportunities to be part of the exciting work going on in our chapter right now!
- East Phillips Urban Farm
TCDSA has endorsed the East Phillips Neighborhood Institute’s (EPNI) Urban Farm initiative to resist the City’s Hiawatha Campus Expansion plan. Not only could this release arsenic into the environment and further pollute the neighborhood with diesel fuel exhaust from city fleet services onsite, but it would also dash the community’s plan to develop this site as a neighborhood hub (with socialist solutions such as cooperatively owned businesses, solar energy, and jobs for East Phillips residents).
The coalition maintains a sheet with their current calls to action, links to stay informed, and their working group meeting schedule. The coalition has specifically asked our chapter for help with administrative tasks such as updating documents with video links for archival purposes and helping EPNI with tabling at some upcoming health and environmental events scheduled in the spring. Reach out to Connor S (eastphillips@twincitiesdsa.org) to become part of TCDSA’s EPNI Working Group and/or to express interest in these specific tasks.
- Twin Cities DSA Sports
- Basketball
Want to play some casual pickup basketball with comrades? We had our first informal pickup game this morning, and it was awesome! We’ll be playing Sundays at 9:30 for now. Join the #socialists-play-sports-basketball Slack channel for more details and to stay in the loop. - Softball
TCDSA has registered a team for an eight week summer league! Games will be Monday evenings from June 5-July 17, and we need players to fill our roster. If you’re interested please join the #socialists-play-sports-softball Slack channel! We’ll arrange some informal practice sessions in May for anyone interested.
- Basketball
- Call for Poster & Sticker Art Submissions
Twin Cities DSA is seeking submissions for art for chapter recruitment posters and stickers. The theme is: Building a multiracial worker-powered socialist future. The submission window is from now until 11:59PM on Sunday May 7th. Find more details here.
- The Street Corps Working Group Mutual Aid Series
Interested in getting involved in Chapter organizing? Interested in mutual aid and helping the community? The Street Corps Working Group is launching several prospective mutual aid and community building programs for this Spring and Summer. We have coordinators ready to help lead these programs but volunteers are needed to make these projects a reality. We encourage you to take a look and sign up for a project you are interested in here.
- On the Left Bank 4th Issue Launch Social – RSVP Here
- Sunday, 4/23 – 1:00PM at Newell Park
The On the Left Bank editorial board is proud to release the fourth issue of our homegrown Twin Cities Socialist lit and art zine! Issue 4 has our best collection yet. We’re planning to host a reading, art launch, and social on April 23rd. Stay tuned for more details!
- Sunday, 4/23 – 1:00PM at Newell Park
- Welcome Kit and Button Making Social – RSVP Here
- Friday, 4/28 – 6:00PM at Boneshaker Books
Join us in making welcome kits for new comrades who have recently joined to welcome them to the organization, as well as buttons for the TCDSA table at Open Streets East Lake! No experience required, come spend time with comrades while we welcome new ones!
- Friday, 4/28 – 6:00PM at Boneshaker Books
- May Day March! | ¡Marcha 1ro de mayo! – RSVP Here
- Monday, 5/1, 4:00pm at MPS Adult Education Building
May 1st is International Workers Day, a day for protest and a day for the working class to get in the streets and march!
- Monday, 5/1, 4:00pm at MPS Adult Education Building
- Twin Cities May General Meeting – Register Here
- Sunday, 5/7 – 2:00PM – Mpls Central Library
Our May general meeting will include updates on ongoing chapter work, taking nominations for the 2023 DSA National Convention Delegate Election and TCDSA Steering Committee At-Large Special Election, and a broader discussion and visioning for DSA and the path forward.
- Sunday, 5/7 – 2:00PM – Mpls Central Library
- Health Justice Working Group – Monday, 4/24, 6:30pm-7:30pm – Zoom Registration
- The Health Justice working group is rebuilding! Join us for our monthly meeting and get to know other comrades to discuss the healthcare industry, learn about current healthcare-related legislation, and plan how our chapter can work for health justice.
- East Phillips Urban Farm Working Group – Monday, 4/24, 8:00pm-9:30pm – Zoom Registration
- The East Phillips Urban Farm working group meets weekly on Monday at 8p.TCDSA has endorsed the East Phillips Neighborhood Institute’s (EPNI) Urban Farm initiative to resist the City’s Hiawatha Campus Expansion plan.
- Street Corps WG Security Committee Meeting – Tuesday, 4/25, 6:00pm-7:00pm – Zoom Registration
- The goal of the Street Corps WG Security Committee is to increase overall security literacy for chapter members and build capacity to maintain security literacy within the chapter. Anyone interested in protest marshalling, antifascist action, self-defense, first aid, or infosec is welcome to attend no matter their experience level. Street Corps Security Committee meets on the 3rd Tuesday of every month.
- Socialist Feminist Branch – Tuesday, 4/25, 6:30pm-8:00pm – Zoom Registration
- Our monthly branch meetings are a space to talk about current organizing and how people can get involved! We also have discussion centered around political education on specific topics each month. All are welcome.
Sign up for email notification including upcoming events and meeting materials by contacting us at socfem@twincitiesdsa.org
- Our monthly branch meetings are a space to talk about current organizing and how people can get involved! We also have discussion centered around political education on specific topics each month. All are welcome.
- Electoral Committee General Meeting – Wednesday, 4/26, 6:00pm-7:30pm – Zoom Registration
- Join the Electoral Committee to get plugged in with supporting our endorsed candidates for elected office. We’ll be discussing the results of the endorsement vote as well as planning for campaigning.
- Saint Paul Branch Meeting – Thursday, 4/27, 7:00pm-8:30pm – Zoom Registration
- The St. Paul Branch of TCDSA meets on the 4th Thursday of the month.
- Steering Committee Meeting – Sunday, 4/30, 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
- East Phillips Urban Farm Working Group – Monday, May 1, 8:00pm-9:30pm – Zoom Registration
- The East Phillips Urban Farm working group meets weekly on Monday at 8p.TCDSA has endorsed the East Phillips Neighborhood Institute’s (EPNI) Urban Farm initiative to resist the City’s Hiawatha Campus Expansion plan.
- Internal Organizing Phonebank – Wednesday, 5/3, 6:00pm-7:00pm
- Join the Internal Organizing Committee for our bimonthly phonebank to call new TCDSA members.
We meet on Zoom to go over the script, mute ourselves and make phone calls to other DSA members, and then return to debrief how our calls went. A brief training is provided and no prior experience is required. These phonebanks are a chance to meet newer members to TCDSA, hear what they need from our chapter and what brings them to socialism. All are welcome to join, but new members should note that this is a group calling session where we will call you, not an event designed for new members.
IO phonebanks are held on the 1st and 3rd Wednesdays of the month. For more information about joining this meeting, see the #internal-organizing Slack channel. Not on Slack? Submit tcdsa.org/slack to verify you’re on the member list.
- Join the Internal Organizing Committee for our bimonthly phonebank to call new TCDSA members.
- Communications Committee Meeting – Thursday, 5/4, 6:00pm-7:30pm – Zoom Registration
- The Communications Committee meets on the 1st and 3rd Thursdays of the month.
For information on joining this meeting, see the #communications channel on Slack. Not on Slack? Submit tcdsa.org/slack to verify you’re on the member list.
- The Communications Committee meets on the 1st and 3rd Thursdays of the month.
Go to tcdsa.org/events to see everything!
The Other Abortion Pill Option
This piece in Your Local Epidemiologist via aggregator Portside.org notes that of the two medications given for medical abortions, the second one misopristol is almost as effective on its, is easily available as a stomach ulcer remedy, and is used in many countries outside the US without preceding with mifepristone.
from Debra K R.
If you find something that should be shared, you can post it to the #linkroundup channel on Slack.
Members and newsletter subscribers should have received this in their email. If you did not and believe you should have, please check spam and promotion folders before contacting operations@twincitiesdsa.org.