Twin Cities
Democratic Socialists of America
Little Red Letter #114
Camaraderie At The Close Of Summer, The Twin Cities DSA Annual Convention, UAW Fights For The Future We Need, and More!
Readers, September is here and there is the sense of fall approaching and summer winding down. This time of year provides a good period for reflection, as well as a transition from certain summer activities.
Our softball team General Strike Three closed out it’s season last Tuesday with another doubleheader (including a nail biter of a last game where they lost by only a single run!) followed by a social at Venn Brewing, concluding 11 weeks of play across 2 seasons/leagues in 4 months. It was a great two seasons in which everyone improved, enjoyed themselves, and built a lot of camaraderie with their teammates and those who came out to the games/socials to watch and support. We’re grateful to everyone who participated in any capacity, and are already looking forward to the spring to resume play, using sports as a way to build community and socialism!
Whatever season though, DSA members are out doing work, and that’s almost always better with music. The night after the final softball game, many of our members attended Southside Palooza ft. Soren with Ward 8, an evening of awesome local music at Driftwood Char Bar in support of our endorsed candidate for Minneapolis City Council Ward 8, Soren Stevenson. Three local musicians performed, including Kiernan, jeremy messersmith, and LAAMAR, and the event successfully raised funds and recruited volunteers for the campaign. It was another fun event to build community and power.
Nationally this is a pivotal week in labor, with union workers at the Big 3 Automakers in the USA (General Motors, Ford, and Stellantis) preparing for a potential strike on September 14 when their collective bargaining agreements are set to simultaneously expire. There have been three major demands during the negotiation: an end to two-tier wages and benefits, cost of living raises, and secure union jobs in a just transition to electric vehicles. As socialists committed to workers’ emancipation, human liberation, and ecological flourishing, it is vital that we understand the UAW’s struggle as a struggle of our own and work to ensure the greatest possible victory for our class, for our communities, and for our living planet. Read more here by Riley D.
And lastly members should be looking forward to the upcoming Twin Cities DSA Annual Convention, which will be held on Saturday, September 30 at 2:00 p.m. on Zoom or at the Ramsey County Library – Roseville (2180 Hamline Ave N). Our chapter convention is where we get to know one another, hold our steering committee elections, consider changes to our bylaws, and discuss resolutions that direct the chapter’s actions into the future. Last year’s convention set the stage for many of the projects we have engaged with over the past year, and this is an opportunity to reflect on the progress we have made and the road ahead. The deadline to submit resolutions or bylaw amendments is tonight! Secondary amendments and leadership nominations will be due no later than Tuesday, September 19 at midnight. You can find registration information by going to tcdsa.org/convention, or check the details included with the convention notice emailed to you last week.
Is The 99% The Same As The Working Class
Kip H poses a question about the nature of the working class and the 99%, what this might imply about organizing and strategic importance in the economy, and implications for the orientation of socialist organizing.
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!
- Volunteer with Comrades at the next Open Streets! – Sign Up Here
- Saturday, September 16: 11:00am – 5:00pm
Twin Cities DSA will be tabling at Open Streets West Broadway! This is a great opportunity to spend time with your comrades in person and to get more involved in chapter work. No prior experience with tabling is required. Sign up for a two-hour shift here, and we’ll follow up with you closer to the event to confirm your time. Even if you can’t volunteer stop by to meet some comrades and pick up buttons and other swag!
- Saturday, September 16: 11:00am – 5:00pm
- East Phillips Urban Farm
- Following the huge Roof Depot victory, there’s still plenty of work to be done to continue the fight for environmental justice in the Twin Cities. Current focuses are shutting down the HERC Trash Incinerator, continuing community engagement in East Phillips for the realization of the Urban Farm, We are also developing our work toward shutting down Smith Foundry and Bituminous Roadways and engaging with the process to reimagine Highway I-94.
If you’re interested in any of this work, reach out to TCDSA’s East Phillips and EJ Working Group at eastphillips@twincitiesdsa.org or on Slack at #epni_coalition_with_and_events to get plugged in!
- Following the huge Roof Depot victory, there’s still plenty of work to be done to continue the fight for environmental justice in the Twin Cities. Current focuses are shutting down the HERC Trash Incinerator, continuing community engagement in East Phillips for the realization of the Urban Farm, We are also developing our work toward shutting down Smith Foundry and Bituminous Roadways and engaging with the process to reimagine Highway I-94.
- Twin Cities DSA Sports
- Ultimate Frisbee
TCDSA is putting together an ultimate frisbee team for a nine week fall league! Games will be on Sunday afternoons from September 11– November 6, and we need more players to fill our roster! If you’re interested please join the #socialists-play-sports-ultimate-frisbee Slack channel. All experience levels welcome!
- Basketball
Join us Sundays at 9:00 to play some casual pickup basketball games with comrades! Join the #socialists-play-sports-basketball Slack channel to stay in the loop! All skill levels are welcome 🏀 - Disc Golf
Disc golf is the golf of the working class! Most courses are in public parks and are free to play. Discs are inexpensive compared to most sporting gear and can be bought used, and many people who’ve been playing for a while have a collection of extra discs available to borrow. We’re organizing occasional TCDSA group rounds—join the #socialists-play-sports-disc-golf Slack channel for more info! All are welcome, regardless of athleticism.
- Ultimate Frisbee
- A Marxist caucus within TCDSA!
- Our inaugural Marxist caucus met in August at Merriam Park Library. The lively conversations touched on many issues through a Marxist lens including race, class, labor, revolutionary movement building, political education and much more. Join us on Slack at the #marxist-caucus channel to check out the inaugural agenda, detailed meeting notes, document links for future plans, agendas and postings. Our next meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, 9/27 at Boneshaker Books from 5-7 pm.
- TCDSA 101
- Saturday, September 16: 10:00am – 12:00pm – RSVP Here
Join us for an introduction to Twin Cities DSA! Designed mainly for new members but any member might benefit. This event will acquaint you with the ideas behind socialism, the structure, culture, and history of Twin Cities DSA, its position in the national and local left ecosystem, and help you discern where you might find the most rewarding opportunities to get involved.
- Saturday, September 16: 10:00am – 12:00pm – RSVP Here
- TCDSA 2023 Annual Member Convention
- Saturday, September 30: 1:30pm – 4:30pm – Ramsey County Library – Roseville
Every September, Twin Cities DSA gathers for our annual convention where we elect chapter leadership, consider resolutions and bylaws proposals, and set a path forward together for socialist organizing in the coming year.
Doors open at 1:30pm and the meeting begins at 2:00pm. For updates as we get closer to convention, including full meeting packet, including proposed resolutions, bylaws amendments and candidate statements, check tcdsa.org/convention.
There are two ways to join:
- Saturday, September 30: 1:30pm – 4:30pm – Ramsey County Library – Roseville
- Tech Ops Committee – Monday, 9/11, 7:00pm-8:00pm – Register Here
- The Tech Ops Committee meets on the 2nd Monday of the month
To see the latest agenda (top of the page): https://wiki.twincitiesdsa.org/books/tech-operations-committee/chapter/agendas-minutes
- The Tech Ops Committee meets on the 2nd Monday of the month
- LEast Phillips Urban Farm Working Group– Monday, 9/11, 7:00pm-9:00pm – Meeting in person, DM Connor S or Michael W for the location
- Following the huge Roof Depot victory, there’s still plenty of work to be done to continue the fight for environmental justice in the Twin Cities. Current focuses are:
- Shutting down the HERC Trash Incinerator
- Reimagining Highway I-94
- Shutting down Smith Foundry and Bituminous Roadways
- Continuing community engagement in East Phillips for the realization of the Urban Farm
- Following the huge Roof Depot victory, there’s still plenty of work to be done to continue the fight for environmental justice in the Twin Cities. Current focuses are:
- Minneapolis Rent Control Work Group – Tuesday, 9/12, 6:00pm-7:00pm – Zoom Link
- Join us in the fight for strong rent control in Minneapolis as we plan our next event!
- Street Corp Working Group – Tuesday, 9/12, 6:00pm-7:00pm – Zoom Registration
- The Street Corps Working Group works on addressing issues in the community through mutual aid, community building, and community defense initiatives.
This group meets on the 2nd Tuesday of the month. For further information about joining this meeting, check out the #street-corps-working-group channel.
- The Street Corps Working Group works on addressing issues in the community through mutual aid, community building, and community defense initiatives.
- Electoral Phone Bank – Wednesday, 9/13, 5:00pm-6:30pm – Zoom Registration
- Join our Electoral Committee as we call members to invite them to our upcoming door knocks!
- Internal Organizing Committee – Wednesday, 9/13, 6:30pm–8:00pm
- All are welcome to join our monthly meetings of the TCDSA Internal Organizing Committee (IOC).
This committee works to create the spaces, structures, and resources to initiate and sustain members’ active and healthy participation in chapter work. Through internal organizing, we strive to grow our capacity by developing confident and skilled organizers and leaders who are empowered to turn their resources into collective power to make socialist change. Join the #internal-organizing channel on Slack for more info.
Stay tuned for the Zoom link or visit the #internal-organizing Slack channel.
- All are welcome to join our monthly meetings of the TCDSA Internal Organizing Committee (IOC).
- Steering Committee Meeting – Sunday, 9/17, 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
- Labor Branch Meeting – Tuesday, 9/19, 7:00pm-8:30pm – Zoom Registration
- The TCDSA Labor Branch meets on the 3rd Tuesday of the month. For information about this meeting, see the #labor channel on Slack. Not on Slack? Submit tcdsa.org/slack to verify you’re on the member list.
- Internal Organizing Phone Bank – Wednesday, 9/20, 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.
- Join the Internal Organizing Committee for our bimonthly phonebank to call new TCDSA members.
- Communications Committee Meeting– Thursday, 9/21, 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!
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