Twin Cities
Democratic Socialists of America
Little Red Letter #115
Convention Time Is Here, Rethinking I-94, Election Day Coming Up Fast, A Hot Labor Fall, And More!
The 2023 Annual Chapter Convention is upon us! Join us for the chapter’s first ever two-day chapter convention on Saturday, September 30 at 2:00PM on Zoom or at the Ramsey County Library – Roseville (2180 Hamline Ave N), and on zoom the following day, October 1 at 2pm.
We have a lot to consider as members of Twin Cities DSA, from our direction over the next year, how our operations and internal structures should function, and who will be elected to the next term of our steering committee! Doors open on Saturday beginning at 1:30PM, with the meeting kickoff at 2:00PM. More details are available at tcdsa.org/convention. Please register for the method you plan on using to attend on Saturday, this allows us to plan accordingly. Zoom registrants can use the same link both days.
We’re also looking for submissions about the convention proposals from members! This would be an additional opportunity for comrades to share perspectives about the issues being debated at convention for folks to consider during the voting period. If you are a member who would like to send us an article, paragraph, or blurb with your thoughts about a proposal, reach out to newsletter@twincitiesdsa.org. If we get enough interest then members should keep an eye out for a Little Red Letter: 2023 Convention Edition later this week.
Be aware of a time sensitive action request that everyone reading this should do! I-94 has reached end of life and the state and Twin Cities are in a process of “rethinking” the I-94 corridor in Minneapolis and Saint Paul. This includes the infrastructure of the freeway (size, lane numbers, on and off ramps), transportation modes (Bus Rapid Transit, bikes, walking, cars), and the land itself. MNDOT is taking comments on the ten I-94 alternates that look at how the freeway could be reimagined. The EJ Working Group of TCDSA is supporting the two At-Grade Alternates (A and B; also called the Twin Cities Boulevard) and blocking the eight other alternates.
We are asking DSA members to fill out the alternates survey in support of the above position. Some people have found the set up and length of the survey to be confusing, so feel free to use this guide to copy and paste answers (please adapt as desired). Since we do not know how the results are being tabulated, we are asking that each question be answered with a comment either supporting (At-Grade) or blocking (all others). This survey should be open through the end of the month, but the exact end is unclear, so don’t wait!
We are in the middle of an endorsement process for the Mounds View School Board! This year the Mounds View School District will elect four at-large board members. Member Jon VanOeveren has qualified for endorsement consideration. Members can review his questionnaire, and register to attend or submit a question for the Q&A session we hold with candidates seeking our endorsement, scheduled for September 26 at 5p. Chapter endorsements are democratically decided by our membership. Given the timing of this process, the ballot on whether or not to endorse in this race will be included with the Annual Convention OpaVote.
Looking into October, we are entering the last few weeks of election season. Early voting has already begun in the state, and that means now is the time to get out there in support of our endorsed candidates! Starting October 7 we will be attending canvasses with candidates every weekend to get them over the finish line, starting with Hwa Jeong Kim in Saint Paul Ward 5. Early voting also opened on September 22, so get out there and cast your ballot. You can find your polling place at https://pollfinder.sos.state.mn.us/ and register online until Oct 17, or at your polling place. Early in person voting is open now until November 6th, or you can request a mail-in ballot. There is no deadline to request a mail-in ballot, but you do need to allow time to both receive and return the ballot. If you’re within 14 days of the election, you probably want to consider in-person voting.
The Power of Solidarity
Riley D lays out the scope and scale of the current labor moment we are in, nationally and locally, and what the implications are from workers in nearly every sector of the economy, up and down the wage scale, coming together in solidarity to demand better for themselves and each other.
Class Struggle Making A Great Leap Forward
As the UAW Strike enters it’s second week, Carlos B and Kip H describe what the militancy of the UAW means for class struggle, and the connection all movements for justice and for people oppressed and offended by capitalism to the UAW strike,
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 and Environmental Justice
- 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
- TCDSA Ultimate Frisbee Game and Post-game Social
- Sunday, September 24: 3:00pm – 4:00pm – RSVP Here
TCDSA’s ultimate frisbee team plays at 1pm at Lake Nokomis Park. Following the game we will have a social at Sea Salt starting around 3pm. Feel free to come watch the game or just join afterwards at Sea Salt.
- Sunday, September 24: 3:00pm – 4:00pm – RSVP Here
- Chapter Q&A with Jon VanOeveren, Mounds View School Board At-Large candidate
- Tuesday, September 26: 5:00pm – 6:00pm – Zoom Registration
See their questionnaire here.
Submit questions for the Q&A here.
Jon VanOeveren is an At-Large candidate for the Mounds View School Board, and has applied for Twin Cities DSA’s endorsement. This Q&A meetings is an opportunity for membership to ask questions in advance of the chapter voting on their endorsement.
- Tuesday, September 26: 5:00pm – 6:00pm – Zoom Registration
- TCDSA 2023 Annual Member Convention
- Saturday, September 30: 2:00pm – 4:30pm – Ramsey County Library – Roseville
- Sunday, October 1, 2:00pm – 4:00pm – Zoom
- There are two ways to join:
- 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.
Join us for the chapter convention on Saturday, September 30 at 2:00PM on Zoom or at the Ramsey County Library – Roseville (2180 Hamline Ave N), and on zoom the following day, October 1 at 2pm. Doors open on Saturday begins at 1:30PM, with the meeting kickoff at 2:00PM. More details are available at tcdsa.org/convention. Please register for the method you plan on using to attend on Saturday, this allows us to plan accordingly. Zoom registrants can use the same link both days.
- Street Corp Working Group – Sunday, 9/24, 1:00pm-2:30pm – Seward Café – RSVP Here
- The Street Corps Working Group organizes mutual aid and community defense projects for the chapter. Our goal is to bring TCDSA into greater contact with the masses of the Twin Cities and to build dual power programs.
- East Phillips Urban Farm Working Group– Monday, 9/25, 7:00pm-8:30pm – Boneshaker Books
- 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.
- Office Search Committee – Tuesday, 9/26, 6:00pm-7:00pm – Join Here
- Reviewing the lease for the new office space and discussing next steps.
- West Metro & Wright County Working Group – Tuesday, 9/26, 6:00pm-7:30pm – Zoom Registration
- Regular meeting of the West Metro & Wright County working group
- Labor Branch – Tuesday, 9/26, 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.
- Electoral Committee – Wednesday, 9/27, 6:00pm–7:30pm – Zoom Registration
- The TCDSA Electoral Committee holds a general meeting the last Wednesday of every month at 6PM.
- Saint Paul Branch – Wednesday, 9/27, 7:00pm-8:30pm – Zoom Registration
- The St. Paul Branch of TCDSA meets on the 4th Wednesday of the month.
- Health Justice Reading & Discussion Group – Thursday, 9/28, 7:00pm-8:00pm – Zoom Registration
- Our goal is for the Reading and Discussion group to be as accessible and inviting for everyone, so we provide multiple texts and audiovisual materials. Pick and choose which ones are most interesting to you. If you don’t have time to read, watch, or listen, you are still welcome to join us and provide your perspective.
- Minneapolis Rent Control Working Group– Tuesday, 10/3, 6:00pm-7:00pm – Join Here
- Join the Minneapolis Rent Control Working Group as we fight for strong rent control in our city! Meetings on Zoom on the first Tuesday of the month at 6pm.
- Internal Organizing Phonebank– Wednesday, 10/4, 6:00pm–7:00pm
- Join the Internal Organizing Committee for our monthly “lapsed member” phonebank. 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 other members to TCDSA, hear what they need from our chapter and what brings them to socialism. All are welcome to join!
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 monthly “lapsed member” phonebank. 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 other members to TCDSA, hear what they need from our chapter and what brings them to socialism. All are welcome to join!
- Communications Committee Meeting– Thursday, 10/4, 6:00pm-7:30pm
- 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!
On ‘Cancer Road,’ a group of southeastern Minnesota families ask if nitrate exposure is to blame
Many of our ancestors were European immigrants, peasants with the dream of owning their piece of land. Settler colonialism enabled them to work for that dream. And many succeeded and survived on colonized land. However, as industrial capital grew dominant, family farms were squeezed out by greater capital investment and less need for labor. This was the “Green Revolution. ” Technology developed at the University of Minnesota produced hybrid seeds that relied on commercial fertilizer to increase yields by 5 or 10 times. It also dumped hundreds of tonnes of nitrogen onto the prairies. This article shows how farm families were killed along with the family farm.
From Robbie O
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