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DL Labor Day 2019.Indd THE MAGAZINE OF THE DEMOCRATIC SOCIALISTS OF AMERICAAMERICA FALL 2019 • VOL. XLVII NO. 2 From the National Director Convention momentum BY MARIA SVART role in building the solidarity across dif- Rosa Luxemburg Stiftung global we- ferences and collective fearlessness it binar series with McAlevey starting in e are at a will take to win not just in the political October. turning realm, but outside of it as well, in the point. Poor W streets and in our workplaces. and working-class want to close by lifting up the paid I write this a week after our conven- people have always and unpaid labor of folks working tion. Being with comrades from all I known that the deck is together to make the convention a suc- corners of the country, sharing organiz- stacked against us, but cess. In no particular order: ing lessons and love was extraordinarily in recent years many of energizing and strengthened the bonds DSA staff There’s the largely unseen us have become even we will need in the coming period. labor of our operations and fi nancial more cynical about Upon hearing about the union-busting teams, internal and external com- the formal political system. On the one Mississippi ICE raids on the day Don- munications, and the constant travel hand, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and ald Trump visited El Paso and Dayton, and chapter support of our organizing Rashida Tlaib have been joined by a our national Immigrant Rights Working team. cohort of openly socialist local and state Group immediately organized with the UNITE HERE Local 23 workers at elected offi cials from across the country. national offi ce and southern members to the hotel who supported DSA staff in On the other, Republican voter suppres- make solidarity plans. Yet how we react numerous ways. sion efforts only exacerbate the fact that to what I call Trump’s shock and awe is many, many people have given up. Vot- Convention chairs Beth Huang, but one piece of our strategy. ers aren’t interested in Democrats who Natalie Midiri, and Chris Riddiough The proactive piece of our strategy vote like Republicans and capitulate for confi dently chairing our gathering is how we fi ght for our vision for an while Donald Trump calls open season of over 1,000 delegates. alternative to barbarism, and how we on our communities. Atlanta DSA for its “pub crawl organize, not just mobilize, to win. Yet between the teacher strikes and social” Friday night, “Welcome to Watching the fl oor debates and hearing the Puerto Rican general strike that Atlanta” guide, and for recruiting so the conversations during the convention, helped oust the island’s corrupt gov- many volunteers and solidarity hous- I see that using the intense democratic ernor, it’s clear that the working class ing hosts. process spanning months to come to is realizing that we still hold immense collective decisions helped build collec- Convention Committees at the na- power, should we choose to exercise tive ownership of our plans. tional level: Credentials, Election, it. Socialists will play an indispensable We also debuted an update to our Program, and especially Resolutions. core national training modules. Mobiliz- The outgoing and incoming Na- ing is something DSAers do well, but tional Political Committee members A New Look for it will take deeper organizing to ensure who give so much of themselves to that a higher percentage of members what is often thankless but critical Democratic Left are active in our chapters and that more work. If you’re a member of DSA, this is chapters are running strategic cam- Knoxville DSAers who fi lled the the print version of your nationwide paigns to take power from the capitalist beautiful swag bags for Allie Cohn to publication, written and produced class. Puya Gerami’s interview with drive to the convention. by volunteers. With this issue we Jane McAlevey in this issue elabo- Volunteers from Atlanta and else- debut what we hope is a more ef- rates on this concept, and our training where who did everything from fective and engaging design. updates draw from our series of mass schlepping supplies and tote bags Let us know what you think at organizing calls with McAlevey this around to staffi ng tables to providing [email protected]. summer. In addition to revamping our trainings, we’re also co-organizing a CONTINUED ON PAGE 16 Executive Editor: Maria Svart Democratic Socialists of America promotes Editor: Maxine Phillips a humane international social order based on equitable distribution of resources, meaningful Guest Editors: Laura Colaneri, Meagan work, a healthy environment, sustainable growth, Day, Stephen Magro, Don McIntosh gender and racial equality, and non-oppressive Editorial Team: Olivia Bauer, Laura relationships. Equality, solidarity, and democracy Democratic Left (ISSN 1643207) is published quarterly at P.O. Colaneri, Meagan Day, Christine Lombardi, can only be achieved through international political and social cooperation aimed at ensuring that Box 1038, New York NY 10272. Periodicals postage paid at New Stephen Magro, Don McIntosh York, NY (Publication No. 701-960). Subscriptions: $10 regular, economic institutions bene t people. We are $15 institutional. Postmaster: Send address changes to P.O. Founding Editor: Michael Harrington dedicated to building truly international social movements—of unions, environmentalists, feminists, Box 1038, New York NY 10272. (212) 726-8610. Signed articles (1928-1989) Cover: Alan Duda and people of color—which together can elevate express the opinions of the authors and not necessarily the global justice over brutalizing global competition. organization. Cover Photo: Steve Eberhardt PAGE 2 DEMOCRATIC LEFT FALL 2019 Today, Chicago. Tomorrow, Your City. Six DSA members recently won city council seats in Chicago. Their wins show how socialists all over the country can ght and win. BY MICAH UETRICHT ntil recently in U.S. politics, “socialists” and “winning” Uweren’t words you would utter in the same breath. That’s why, even months later, it’s impossible for me to write the following without a sense of incredulity: six members of the Chicago Democratic Socialists of America were elected to the Chicago city council in April. DSA members now make up DSA members elected to the Chicago city council(from left) Byron Sigcho-Lopez, 12% of the 50-member council. Andre Vasquez, Jeanette Taylor, Rossana Rodriguez-Sanchez, and Carlos Ramirez- These are stunning victories, pro- Rosa celebrate Rodriguez-Sanchez’s election. Her race in the 33rd Ward was the last pelled by the candidates’ willingness one to be called, making six DSA member wins o cial.Photo by Nick Burt. to fi ght the wealthy and their political lackeys pushing gentrifi cation and aus- gentrifying working-class neighbor- and SEIU Health Care Illinois Indiana, terity, the strength of the city’s broader hoods and forcing working people out which a number of progressive unions working-class movement, and the au- of Chicago. and community groups have joined in dacity of Chicago DSA to put the chap- Ramirez-Rosa, for example, an recent years. They devoted signifi cant ter’s resources behind a large number of incumbent in the 35th ward, made his resources to many of the campaigns. candidates. Chicago’s unexpected vic- race a referendum on affordable hous- Most unions and progressive groups tories should inspire socialists around ing and gentrifi cation, painting real- avoid the “socialist” label. United the country to think big in their own cit- estate developers as the enemy and Working Families didn’t. ies—not just about candidates who can demanding rent control. Likewise, those Rossana Rodriguez-Sanchez had run for offi ce and win, but also about real-estate developers painted him as the backing of a neighborhood group, the kinds of working-class struggles the enemy. His ward’s largest landlord, 33rd Ward Working Families, that ran that can create the conditions for those Mark Fishman, spent at least $100,000 teacher and socialist Tim Meegan for candidates to win. on Ramirez-Rosa’s opponent in an ef- the offi ce in 2015. The group has orga- The six races spanned much of fort to unseat him. nized around affordable housing and Chicago and a wide range of neighbor- But Ramirez-Rosa’s campaign didn’t immigrants’ rights in a working-class hood-specifi c issues, but all of Chicago shy away from attacking the ward’s immigrant neighborhood, Albany Park, DSA’s endorsed candidates—Carlos most powerful capitalist. That class- since then—so effectively that the losing Ramirez-Rosa, Rossana Rodriguez- struggle approach paid off: Ramirez- incumbent, Deb Mell, complained that Sanchez, Jeanette Taylor, Andre Rosa won reelection by nearly 20% 33rd Ward Working Families “[n]ever Vasquez, and Byron Sigcho Lopez (a over his real estate–friendly opponent. stopped running over the last four years.” sixth candidate, Daniel La Spata, is a The victories didn’t come in a vacu- Mell, whose father literally gave her the DSA member whom the chapter did um. All six of the candidates are DSA city council seat in 2013 after holding it not endorse, though DSA members members, but they’re also aligned with himself for nearly four decades, appar- worked on his campaign)—signed onto unions, community groups, political ently thinks candidates who organize in a broad, left platform: housing for all, organizations, and other groups. Those their communities are cheating. sanctuary for all, education for all, and groups both paved the way for these And Chicago wouldn’t be willing to taxing the rich. These demands refl ect victories and played key roles during elect leftist candidates if the city hadn’t political issues and movement demands the campaign. And DSA showed them been such a hotbed of working-class in Chicago, but are also burning issues that socialists are key allies in these militancy in recent years.
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