Brian W (he, him)
Steering Committee At-Large Candidate | Metro D.C. DSA
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Please describe your past and current involvement in DSA. This may include your involvement in the metro D.C. chapter, another chapter, and/or work at the national level.
I am currently finishing my second term as the chapter’s Treasurer. In those two years I was able to bring about the chapter’s first regularly published financial reports, piloted a participatory budgeting process that got incorporated into the chapter’s new bylaws, and helped stand up the Finance Committee. This has helped direct thousands of dollars into our chapter’s campaigns. Prior to my time on the Steering Committee, I was the Co-Chair of the 2019 NoVA Electoral WG fighting to elect Irma Corado and Yasmine Taeb, I volunteered with the chapter’s Administrative Committee helping with Red Desk & internal elections, and I organized several social events for the chapter, including outings at DC United, the Nats, movie showings, and more.
Why do you believe that you are a good fit for this position?
I’m running with the Anchor Slate because I know the only way we can tackle big projects as a Steering Committee is if you have a shared platform and vision with other members. So while I believe I have the proven skill set necessary to perform this job, experience serving on the committee, and knowledge of chapter history, I believe it is impossible to do this task without some help from others that share your vision. Whether it’s member recruitment, developing a fundraising strategy, or creating leadership development trainings. I’m proud of the work I’ve done as Treasurer, but hope that I can use this final mini-term on Steering to help train others newer to the committee on what we’ve learned worked well and what we may need to avoid.
What do you hope to accomplish for the chapter if elected to this position?
My first priority is ensuring that the new committee takes on its responsibilities to the chapter, namely passing a plan of work and portfolios. The portfolio system works well for dividing up work equitably and holding Steering members accountable to that work. I would be interested in serving on the Political Engagement Committee and helping to craft endorsement criteria and retrospective reports on past chapter electoral work. Beyond that, I will fight along with my other comrades on the Anchor Slate to promote targeted recruitment campaigns, establish chapter organizer trainings, prepare the chapter for the 2020 Local Convention, all with the goal of making DSA into a multiracial, multigenerational organization of the working class.