Enjoy your July Dispatch! This month, protect abortion rights, get involved in our multiracial organizing, sign up for workplace organizing trainings, join us at the Socialism Conference 2022, and more. Read on to get involved!

• From Maria — The Supreme Court and the Long Haul Fight
• Apply to the Multiracial Organizing Institute! Deadline Monday 8/1
• Learn How to Become a Workplace Organizer — Trainings Begin Wednesday 8/10
• Join DSA at the Socialism Conference 2022! Early Bird Registration Deadline Friday 7/8
• Bring Student Organizers Together this Month at the YDSA National Convention!
• Check Out the DSA International Committee Venezuelan Feminist Tour Roundup
• Sign Up for Your Democratic Left Newsletter
• Welcome New Organizing Committee and Chapter!

FROM MARIA — THE SUPREME COURT AND THE LONG HAUL FIGHT

The rightwing-packed Supreme Court announced the Dobbs decision on June 24, overturning the Roe decision and 50 years of the federal guarantee to abortion. Then on June 30 it essentially knee-capped the Environmental Protection Agency. It is now crystal clear that the Court is dead set on enacting a full spectrum program of reactionary change to further both the agenda of Christian Right and the ruling class.

The Court and the forces behind it, from the Federalist Society to their rich funders, are enacting minority rule, sweeping aside what limited democracy we have had in this country. They’ve worked towards this backlash for decades, and besides critical rights like LGBTQ+ marriage equality, trans rights and birth control, we know they will go after our ability to fight back next, especially union rights and voting.

It’s not enough to give lip service to voting, or street action, though both are necessary. It’s not enough to merely quote again things like “power concedes nothing without a demand.” We have to go out and make struggle for the long term. That struggle entails both building our organization, scaling it up, and rooting ourselves in efforts big and small. We also must look beyond ourselves to allies within and outside the electoral system. We must work to build a broad and disruptive mass movement powerful enough to punch through.

Less than a week following Dobbs, we had over 1600 new members join us, ready to roll up their sleeves. We also had nearly 500 members renew. Our chapters have organized over 120 marches, rallies, and other rapid response actions. On July 4 our members signed up neighbors and pressured elected Democrats to take decisive action NOW.

This is only the beginning of what we need to be organizing. Join us Monday 7/11 for part one of our Protect Abortion organizing training! And you can find resources on how to get organized right here in our chapter toolkit.

Keep up the fight!

Maria Svart
DSA National Director

APPLY TO THE MULTIRACIAL ORGANIZING INSTITUTE! DEADLINE MONDAY 8/1

Apply to the Multiracial Organizing Institute! DSA’s power hinges on whether we can build mass political will in the entirety of the working class. Therefore we must show active, specific commitment to communities and workers of color.

This fall, DSA will host the inaugural Multiracial Organizing Institute focused on developing multiracial leadership and organizing strategy. The agenda includes training and dialogue around building a mass org, strategic campaigns, intentional recruitment and organizing, identity politics, and more. Starting with a virtual session the weekend of September 24, followed by an in-person convening October 7-9, and then online follow up, participants in the institute will dig into some of the biggest questions facing our organization. While some leadership experience within DSA is recommended and priority will be given to organizers of color, all are welcome to apply.

Applications are open now! The deadline to apply is Monday 8/1 at 11:59pm PST.

LEARN HOW TO BECOME A WORKPLACE ORGANIZER — TRAININGS BEGIN WEDNESDAY 8/10

Across the country, across all industries, workers are reaching their breaking point. Millions are leaving their jobs. Those who are staying suffer from higher levels of understaffing, low pay, and dangerous conditions. Bosses know the plight many workers are in, and yet they continue to put them in harm’s way while they sit safely at home.

In the face of all this, workers are coming together with their coworkers to fight back. We’ve seen one of the largest strike waves in recent memory, and workers spontaneously organizing to win better wages and working conditions. Workers can win big when they stick together. You and your coworkers can too!

Join us for our Emergency Workplace Organizing Committee’s Organizer Training Series! Trainings start Wednesday 8/10 — RSVP today to learn how you can come together with your coworkers to build power in your workplace.

JOIN DSA AT THE SOCIALISM CONFERENCE 2022! EARLY BIRD REGISTRATION DEADLINE FRIDAY 7/8

The Socialism Conference is back, and we’re excited that DSA is a co-sponsor! The largest socialist conference in North America returns this September 2-5 in Chicago, and registration is now live.

In a time of pandemic, war, planetary and economic crisis, resurgent social movements, and inspiring neighborhood and workplace organizing, Socialism 2022 will be an important gathering place for today’s left. Join hundreds of other activists, organizers, abolitionists, and socialists for four days of discussion and debate, featuring dozens of panels, lectures, and workshops on left history, theory, and strategy. This will be a great space to facilitate exchanges between existing activists and organizations, while also welcoming new layers of the politically curious as part of rebuilding our radical traditions and movements.

Featured Speakers at Socialism 2022 will include: Ruth Wilson Gilmore, Robin D.G. Kelley, David Harvey, Harsha Walia, Barbara Ransby, Derecka Purnell, Olúfẹmi O. Táíwò, Kim Kelly, Mohammed El-Kurd, Anand Gopal, Daniel Denvir, Hadas Thier, Carlos Ramirez-Rosa, Rossana Rodriguez Sanchez, Justin Akers Chacón, Sophie Lewis, Joe Burns, Kali Akuno, Donna Murch, Ash-Lee Woodard Henderson, Ben Davis, Robyn Maynard, Leanne Betasamosake Simpson, and more.

The Socialism conference is brought to you by Haymarket Books and a range of endorsing left-wing organizations and publications. Learn more here, and register by Friday 7/8 for the early bird discounted rate!

BRING STUDENT ORGANIZERS TOGETHER THIS MONTH AT THE YDSA NATIONAL CONVENTION!

Help YDSA members get to their National Convention this summer! In just three weeks, students across the country are traveling to Minneapolis for the first in-person YDSA Convention in two years. But many students can’t get to the Convention without help. YDSA needs to raise $5,000 to make sure housing and travel costs are covered for anyone who needs support, and DSA members have already pitched in to get them more than halfway to their goal. But they still need our help to make sure everyone can attend. Will you pitch in right now to help the next generation of socialist organizers come together?

CHECK OUT THE DSA INTERNATIONAL COMMITTEE VENEZUELAN FEMINIST TOUR ROUNDUP

The DSA International Committee hosted three feminist activists from Venezuela who traveled across the US over the past weeks, meeting with DSA chapters, social movements, and electeds to talk about impacts of US sanctions on people in Venezuela. Check our webpage for details from each of the 7 DSA chapters that hosted them!

SIGN UP FOR YOUR DEMOCRATIC LEFT NEWSLETTER

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WELCOME NEW ORGANIZING COMMITTEE AND CHAPTER!

A warm welcome to our newest Organizing Committee, Frederick DSA in Maryland, and to our latest chapter, Florida’s Broward County DSA!