2024-10-20 General Body Meeting Minutes

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General Body Meeting Agenda

October 20, 2024

Meeting Chair: Claire M. Location: All virtual; Register here
Meeting Secretary: Michael M. Time: 3:00 pm - 5:00 pm

We use Robert’s Rules of Order for agenda items that include formal debate. More information is here.

  1. Mingle/Welcome (CHAIR, 3:00 pm - 3:05 pm)

  2. Opening, Review of the Agenda, and Announcements (CHAIR, 3:05 pm - 3:10 pm)

  3. Land acknowledgement, overview of conduct, stack

  4. Approve agenda

  5. Secretary’s Report (Michael M, 3:10 pm - 3:15 pm)

  6. Mobilization efforts ongoing

1. Claudia S is the new Communications Steward
2. We need a new Social Media Steward

  1. This role is responsible for bottom lining social media requests from all Working Groups, Sections and Branches, RedDesk tickets to other members of the team, regularly checking in w/ other team members, and attending Comms Dept meetings to give updates.

3. If you’re interested in the role or generally getting involved in social media, website, or graphic design, please reach out to me or Claudia S on slack or after this meeting
  1. Mark C is the new TechOps Steward
1. If you’re interested in helping w/ various tech projects, building out our internal chapter Wiki, or have any questions about what all TechOps does, reach out to Mark C or Ben M on slack
  1. Ben M is transitioning into the Adcom Steward role
1. Responsible for scheduling regular meetings with all Dept Stewards, checking in w/ Dept Stewards one-on-one, RedDesk ticket check-ins, etc.
2. If you’re interested in getting involved in any of the five Adcom Depts or have any general questions, reach out to Ben on slack

  1. We’ve got ScaleToWin up and running! We’re working on ironing out the kinks of a new spoke policy proposal from Tim. Once that’s voted on by the Steering Committee we’ll be good to go.

  2. Treasurer’s Report (Tim S, 3:15 pm - 3:20 pm)

  3. 77k on hand, a bit down from last report bc we’ve been spending money. Next dues share from national should come in on friday. Should be around $8600. We have about 15k scheduled to spend from budget. If you subtract that from cash on hand we have enough left to fully cover our budget for next year. In good fiscal health. Would encourage ppl to shore up our fiscal health by switching over to monthly dues - helps national to know what their cash flow is gonna look like and will be shared w/ us in our dues share. Annual dues share doesn’t go to our chapter at all. If you have the means pls consider going to solidarity income based dues - will increase our money available and consistent with our philosophy of being member-funded. Important that we’re member funded. Please consider giving money directly to the chapter. Nothing crazy going on - going to end the year at about our budget, which means we were responsible last year when mapping our budget. Please consider getting involved in the Operations dept - very important and very small. Were the ones who handle spoke, dialer, etc.

  4. Alfredo stack

  5. Tim DR

  6. Campaigns Coordinator Report (Gary Z, 3:20 pm - 3:25 pm)

  7. Maintain record of WG activity and convene CC, which occurs every two months or so. Local convention happening December 7th-8th. If you’re looking to request a priority campaign for next year, the deadline is coming up. Will be a few spicy resolutions to debate at local convention.

  8. A bit of a sleepier time in the chapter. Everyone’s holding their breath for the presidential election. We’re pushing folks out in MD to canvass for a ballot initiative to enshrine the right to abortion in the state constitution. Opportunity to get DSA’s word out there and get involved in local movement. In DC, JLG is a socialist running unopposed in Ward 4. No endorsements in VA but members have published research in the Redbug. Two new working groups: Bodily Autonomy and the Green New Deal. Both working groups are mergers of various campaigns/working groups. Going to have an organizing fair coming up soon that would be good for working groups to attend. Having a walking tour on Nov 17th on a history of police violence coordinated by our Abolition WG.

  9. We’ve been doing a better job at maintaining MiGS, in part because of our weekly newsletter.

  10. Stack - what is a priority campaign?

  11. Gary DR

  12. Branch Updates (3:25 pm - 3:40 pm)

  13. Montgomery County Branch (Michael S.) -5 mins

1. If you’re interested in doing things around MoCo, send email to our listserv. Tomorrow at Rockville city council, we’ll have members testify for rent control. Rockville was carved out from that legislation. We need ppl to come in and show our support in this fight to ensure Rockville is also covered by the rent control legislation. This Thursday we have our BDS research party. Recently met w/ district organizer to give us training on how to identify and run good campaigns. We’re taking what we’ve learned and coming together on Zoom to discuss what campaign we’re gonna do for BDS locally in MoCo - ideally to divest from Israeli funded institutions. Next saturday having meeting in upcounty MoCo.
  1. Northern Virginia Branch (Alf) -5 mins
1. We had GEO rep steering elections. Still working for Manassas and PG rep. Alexandria city council passed the trans sanctuary resolution. Big win. Alex4Pal put together a one year anniversary vigil. NOVA electoral put forward electoral research for primary. M4A still working on Arlington resolution.
2. Bakari stack
3. Alf DR
  1. Prince George’s County Branch (Ralph C.) -5 mins
1. Knocking on doors for repro freedom. Have been knocking doors. Next Sunday we’ll have social after the canvass at franklin’s brewery in Hyattsville. GBM will be the 17th. Haven’t booked the library but will put in the weekly update.

  1. Working Group and Section Updates (3:40 pm - 4:10 pm)

  2. Member Engagement Department (Emily N.) -5 mins

1. Current MiGS 1910
2. If you’re looking to get involved w/ mobilizing, onboarding members and building community, please get in touch w/ anyone on the screen.
  1. Bodily Autonomy Working Group (Lyra M.) -5 mins
1. Announcing that we’ve accomplished our merger. Repro justice spun up post-Dobbs. Our merger is to bring us in line w/ national TBRA campaign. We felt it was important to reduce redundancy of efforts and improve the way we interact w/ national. What we’ve been up to: Alexandria trans sanctuary win - first trans sanctuary in VA. Got us good earned media in the Washington Blade. There are ppl who know who we are now. Didn’t rest on our laurels long - immediately pushed for Arlington county sanctuary. Repro justice side is the electoral side of question 1 in MD. For those who are on the fence about getting involved: they’re pretty easy doors and not overtly hostile. Folks might not be interested in joining DSA, but it’s mostly for building awareness and getting involved in the community. On Wednesday we have a reproductive justice 101 poli ed event. As part of our participation in the gender liberation march, we made good contacts w/ SEIU - they were interested in modeling labor contracts for gender affirming care. Looking forward post-election to building that collaboration. Join the slack channel, join our meetings every Wednesday evening, trans queer liberation every other monday. Come canvass. Easiest doors I’ve ever knocked. Link has the form if you’re interested. Join us at our launch event on 11/4 at the Dew Drop Inn.
2. John O stack - what impact does it have on the ground when you have a reso passed for trans sanctuary?
3. Lyra DR - it’s a policy directive that tells the city staff to not comply with or take any actions that violate trans and queer rights and repro rights - ensures equal civil rights - with the precedent w/ the 14th amendment. Preemptively protects against any actions taken by the supreme court. Also a directive to city attorneys general to actively seek participation to challenge anti-queer legislation. Directive to city manager in terms of funding queer social programs.
  1. Abolition Working Group (Elizabeth T.) -5 mins
1. Excited to share what we’re working on: in a month from now we have a history of police violence walking tour, starting at 1pm at BLM plaza on Nov 16th. Many good speakers lined up. Relatedly, we also have wheatpasting sessions. Split up and put posters all around DC. Another one in October 27th, meeting in Columbia heights. Will have spanish language posters too. There will be spanish language translation available during the walking tour. A third wheatpasting session the following weekend as well in Anacostia Saturday, Nov 2nd. We have joint abolition WG meeting for DC, MoCo and NOVA. Will have four different stops, about 1 mile of walking. Within our four stops, one will be at the Wilson building.
  1. Green New Deal Working Group (Eduarda S.) -5 mins
1. There is a new WG launching - it’s a merger as an effort from WePower, Social Housing and Labor that let’s folks come from different areas of the chapter to focus on something w/ significant overlap. Want to be an eco socialist hub. Now there’s a place ppl can come to work on different Ideas. Next Thursday at Lyman’s tavern. Will be at the same time as a labor HH. Lots of cool opportunities to get involved.
  1. Labor Working Group (Zachary T.) -5 mins
1. If you want to get involved in labor solidarity captain, let us know. We have an interest form.
2. Monday Oct 21st UNITE HERE 23 Picket at DCA (11am-1pm)
3. Start a Starbucks Workers United Red for Bread Event
4. Wed Oct 23rd Know Your Labor Rights workshop (at AU)
5. Wed Nov 6th Labor Working Group monthly meeting (TBD)
6. Wed Nov 10th Know Your Labor Rights workshop (at MLK library)
7. Monthly meeting for Labor WG on November 6th
8. Nell stack - wanted to say how easy it is to get involved in the red for bread. Encourage others to participate.
9. Zach stack - we need more ppl for solidarity captains - was proposed by national DC labor. Last year, we did three strike actions w/ Teamsters, UAW and Starbucks. Trying to bring those together to have permanent standing members to talk on labor issues. Trying to get up to 5 solidarity campaigns. Very easy to do the starbucks canvassing. Need as much help as we can get to ensure they get a good contract.
10. Stack Matt G - I noticed the meeting is the day after the election, so wondering if we could reschedule
11. Eduarda DR - good point. It’s a standard monthly meeting but we should probably move it. Will get back with the new date soon.
  1. Pre-Convention Political Discussion (Tim S.) -5 mins
1. We’re working w/ Julian, one of our YDSA comrades, who’s excited about putting on this semi formal discussion event before convention. Having it as an addendum to the post-election debrief at our Nov GBM. Will be a hybrid or maybe in person event held at a big library room where we’ll have discussions about where the left is at at the local and national level, where we ought to be going, etc. Will be semi-open/semi-formal conversation. We’ll have something like this at our next GBM, so consider coming to both. Look out for RSVP form in the weekly update. Will be a valuable place to talk general politics.
2. Gary stack - by GBM, do you mean the campaigns fair?
3. Tim DR - yes

  1. Local Convention (4:10 pm - 4:55 pm)

  2. Metro DC DSA Guide to Local Convention (Emily N. & Carl R.) -45 mins

1. Local convention will be December 7th and 8th, still figuring out location. Will be hybrid. All MiGS who’ve been members for at least 30 days prior to convention are eligible to participate.
2. Gideon POI - deadline for submitting form on Nov 13th is coming up quickly, when will that be sent out?
3. Carl R DR - we’ll send it out shortly with more information in slack
  1. Meeting Closing (CHAIR, 5:00 pm)

LINKS from SLIDES

  1. Join Slack: slack@mdcdsa.org
  2. Take the Member Interest survey!
  3. Join DSA if you’re not yet a member! https://dsausa.org/join?source=Metro+DC
  4. REDBUG researched published
  5. NEW Bodily Autonomy working group (charter, sign-up)
  6. OCT 21 — Rockville City Council housing discussion
  7. OCT 23 — Socialist Night School: Reproductive Justice 101
  8. OCT 23 — Know Your Rights: Overtime Pay & Wage Theft
  9. OCT 24 — Green New Deal working group launch party
  10. NOV 17 — History of Police Violence walking tour
  11. Come to a canvass! Knock doors to enshrine the right to an abortion in Maryland’s state constitution. Get involved by filling out this form.
    https://docs.google.com/document/d/1qZzRDbGNnyXp8RDGqdbXEnBXqFox5n6AxxXhxSU8-eI/edit?usp=sharing