The air getting colder (ok, that might be wishful thinking) and the leaves starting to turn can only mean one thing for Philly DSA: that’s right, it’s election season. The only thing scarier than ghouls and goblins would be Republicans winning more seats in the Pennsylvania State House! October has plenty of opportunities for you to get involved with Philly DSA’s campaign work: stand on the picket line in solidarity with Marriott workers, get involved with our ongoing campaign to get Kristin Seale elected, have a friendly chat with Congressmen Boyle and Evans about their mysterious campaign contributions from the private insurance industry, and don’t forget to check out the upcoming Lobbying Training and Night School sessions. There’s a specter haunting Philly, and we ain’t afraid of no ghosts.
At a Glance:
Friday, October 12th | 4:30 PM | 13th and Filbert Street
Join union members, community and political allies and Marriott workers at the Philadelphia Marriott Downtown to support hospitality workers' rights to organize.
After the elimination of 109 jobs and a 17% reduction in hours worked over a 5-year period that saw rising hotel revenue and occupancy, workers at the Marriott Downtown are calling on the company to agree to a fair process for employees to decide whether to form a union.
RSVP on Facebook here.
Saturday, October 13 | 1:00 pm | Headroom, 24 Veterans Square, Media, PA 19063
Saturday, October 20 | 1:00 pm | Location TBD
Saturday, October 27 | 1:00 pm | Location TBD
We're less than a month away from the general election on November 6th! Philly DSA is knocking doors to make sure that our fellow member, Kristin Seale, wins her seat in the PA State Assembly this fall. Join us at our next canvass!
If you have any questions or would like to organize a carpool, reach out to [email protected].
Mon-Wed, October 15-17 | remote
Mon-Wed, October 22-24 | remote
Mon-Wed, October 29-31 | remote
Can’t make it to the canvass but want to get involved? Volunteer to phonebank with us!
The goal of these phonebanks is to turn people out to our upcoming canvasses. Direct conversations with members are one of the best ways to reach out to our local and get them involved with our campaign work.
Email [email protected] to request a phonebank list and instructions.
Live in the 2nd or 3rd Congressional District? Congressmen Brendan Boyle (2nd Congressional District) and Dwight Evans (3rd Congressional District) claim they support Medicare for All, yet both have taken tens of thousands of dollars in campaign contributions from private health insurance companies. Give them a call and let them know that Medicare for All must be a single, comprehensive health insurance plan that would put companies like Blue Cross out of business.Use this form to contact Brendan Boyle.Use this form to contact Dwight Evans.
Sunday, October 14th | 1:00 - 2:30 PM | DIYRE | 4244 Lancaster Ave
If you're a new member of Philly DSA or are thinking about joining, come to our upcoming New Member Orientation! Our Local chapter continues to grow and as new members join these orientations help make clear what it means to be a member of a democratic-socialist, dues funded, volunteer run, membership organization.
There will be time to chat informally with other new members, meet committee persons and campaign organizers, as well as hear speakers cover major topics:
Orientation meetings will take place monthly going forward to supplement general meetings with more informal space for becoming familiar with the organization.
Please contact Peterson Goodwyn via [email protected] if you have any questions.
Wednesday, October 17 | 7:00 PM | Chapterhouse Cafe Basement | 620 S 9th St
Learn the skills to lobby and confront politicians at our M4A Lobbying Training. We'll learn what kinds of questions to ask, how to best record and disseminate their answers, and craft a strategy for getting our Representatives and Senators on the record about Medicare for All.
Monday, October 22 | 7:30 pm | Chapterhouse Coffee | 620 S. 9th Street
The Marxism Reading Group will be meeting to discuss G.A. Cohen's Marx's Theory of History: A Defense. Please contact [email protected] if you are interested in joining. New participants are welcome!
Tuesday, October 23 | 7:00 pm | Bennett Hall 3340 Walnut Street | Room 231
The next Night School will focus on a hot button issue: Electoral Politics.
Electoral work has proved hugely important for DSA, as our numbers and public profile have often grown around electoral successes: Bernie Sanders' primary run, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez's victory in the New York congressional race, and our very own candidates Liz Fiedler and Kristin Seale.
Yet socialists have a long and contradictory history with electoral politics. The electoral arena, as one of the only paths to power within the current capitalist state, has helped leftists implement major social reforms, but it has also led to co-optation and the neutralization of political militancy.
Join us to discuss ways that electoral politics might advance our interests!
The Philly DSA Night School is intended as a forum for discussing thinkers, "-isms," and current trends in socialist politics. All meetings are free and open to the public, and are designed for all people regardless of previous experience. New members are always welcome.
At our July General Meeting, Philly DSA voted to join the Our City Our Schools Coalition and to enact an Ad-Hoc Committee to coordinate our chapter’s participation in the coalition’s fight for education justice in Philadelphia. The Philly DSA OCOS Coordinating Committee had their inaugural meeting and strategy session on Sept. 5. Look for more soon on the next meeting and upcoming actions. Email Seth Kulick and Kate Cairns at [email protected] for further info.
BuxMont DSA
Buxmont Branch Meeting
Friday, October 12th | 6:30 PM | Church of the Ascension UCC | West Norriton, PA
Eco-Socialist Hike & Cleanup
Saturday, October 13th | 11:00 AM | Neshaminy State Park | Croydon, PA
DelCo DSA
DelCo Branch Meeting
Monday, October 15th | 7:00 - 9:00 PM | Aldan Elementary School (Library Room) | 1 N. Woodlawn Ave, Aldan, PA 19018
Outreach Committee
Monday, October 15 | 7:00 - 9:00 PM | DIYRE | 4244 Lancaster Ave
Recent Minutes
Social Committee
Wednesday, October 17th | 7:00 PM | Chapterhouse Cafe Basement | 620 S 9th St
Labor Branch
Sunday, October 21 | 12:00 - 2:00 PM | Location TBD
Local Initiative/ Local Action Committee
Sunday, October 21 | 12:00 - 2:30 PM | 217 AB, Temple University, Howard Gittis Student Center | 1755 N 13th St
Canvassing Committee Call
Wednesday, October 24 | 7:00 - 8:00 PM
Due to the busy electoral season, we will have a call instead of an in-person meeting. Email [email protected] if you are interested in attending the call.
Political Education Committee
TBD | Email Jarek Irving, PolEd Chair at [email protected]
Electoral Evaluation Committee Meeting
TBD | Email Alex Nagle, EEC Chair at [email protected]
Monday, November 12 | 7:00 - 9:00 PM | Location TBD. Email [email protected] for location.
The Steering Committee administers the affairs of the Local and oversees the implementation of the decisions of the General Meetings; it may also create policy in-between Local Conventions. Steering Committee meetings are open to all Philly DSA members, although only Steering Committee members have voting privileges.
Recent minutes
As a membership organization, we are only as strong as members are active, participating and mobilized. Philly DSA is committed to making all aspects of its work available and accessible to all members. If you require any accommodations or resources in order to participate, please reach out via [email protected]. The more we understand about the needs of our chapter, the stronger of an organization we can become.
Philly DSA is seeking members interested in becoming parliamentarians to help run our General Meetings and other official business meetings of the local. Candidates should be comfortable with public speaking and facilitation and have a willingness to learn the basics of Robert’s Rules of Order, which are used to administer large meetings of the DSA at the national level and local level in Philadelphia. If you are interested, please fill out this brief application here.
Philly DSA has only just started receiving funding from the National DSA, so local dues are crucial to the health of our chapter. They support our campaign work and cover everyday operating costs like meeting space, web hosting, and communication tools. Local dues can be paid in the form of one-time or monthly donations of $10, $20, $30, or $50; a custom amount can also be arranged. Getting our finances in order lets us plan ahead to effectively implement the kinds of political activities that we decide on as a local. If we can get even 50% of our Philly membership paying local dues, we will be on a path to really shake things up! Please sign up here to contribute a one-time or recurring payment. Thank you for your support!
Help fund Philly DSA's independent electoral campaigns by contributing to our PAC. Contributions made to Philly DSA PAC go toward expenditures on printed materials, venue rental fees for joint fundraisers with candidates, and other expenses critical to these campaigns' success.
Philly DSA PAC is a political committee connected to Philly DSA. We have this PAC because PA election law requires all coordinated expenditures made to influence the outcomes of elections to be paid from a separate segregated fund (the PAC), not our chapter's general treasury. Contributions to this fund are not redundant with local dues since only individuals can contribute to this fund while our main chapter bank account cannot.
Link to the PAC can be found here: http://dues-phillydsa.nationbuilder.com/pac
In Solidarity,
Philly DSA Outreach Committee
Inquiries: [email protected]
Website: www.phillydsa.com/
Isn’t it time to do something? Get involved with the Local.
