1. Mingle/Welcome (CHAIR, 2:00 pm - 2:05 pm)
2. Opening, Review of the Agenda, and Announcements (CHAIR, 2:05 pm - 2:10 pm)
a. Land acknowledgement, overview of conduct, stack
b. Approve agenda
3. Secretary’s Report (Patrick C, 2:10 pm - 2:15 pm)
Announcement of the Adcom apprenticeship program, which will cross-train across the comms, operations, tech ops, and member engagement departments. Volunteers will participate together in a group orientation and graduation. Goal is to provide a broad understanding of our entire chapter’s infrastructure.
4. Treasurer’s Report (Michael S, 2:15 pm - 2:20 pm)
Currently $87; most unallocated gen fund. Q1 dues share received. Initial disbursement just under $10k; another grand after accounting error. Highest dues share so far by a high margin. This is based on number of monthly dues-paying members. Still looking at investment vehicle like a CD. Merch store is out of red t shirts; labor is looking to add. Looking to make the treasurer’s report more of a “living document,” have that up in the next month and up on wiki.
Stack: With dues going up, is it feasible to pay for delegate registration and hotels?
$1,500 budgeting for convention. Last time we paid for registration and some for hotels and flights. We can look into exactly how much that is; these things aren’t cheap and we want to make sure everyone can attend regardless of income.
5. Campaigns Coordinator Report (Bakari W, 2:20 pm - 2:25 pm)
Review of our upcoming events. All WGs in the chapter have a lot going on. mdcdsa.com/calendar and weekly update are a great source of information.
6. National Convention 101 Review
National convention votes on how national organization runs, is staffed, and is structured. Lots of important decisions are made there. We’ll elect our delegates and send them to convention to vote on things and impact the national organization. DSA consists of chapters. 196 chapters or organizing committee. NPC functions as political leadership and board of directors of DSA, elected by delegates. Implements goals as decided at each convention. NPC led by two co-chairs, currently Megan and Ashik.
Many different national bodies make up the national org. NPC determines budget and level of staff support, and how each of these national bodies are structured and governed.
Staff is our biggest yearly budget item; currently about 22 staffers, which primarily support the organizing work, such as field staff or those dedicated to particular functions, such as Milo who gave us an electoral training last month. There are at-large members.
National convention decided by resolutions and amendments to organization’s bylaws.
Some of the business done today will involve selection of delegates. Our internal election’s standing rules say we use approval voting, national rules specify Hare STV method petition/live vote at a meeting. This is that meeting. Delegates have already been nominated, you[ll be able to speak with them at the HH afterwards.
7. Chapter Business (3:20 pm - 3:55 pm)
a. Motion to Adopt STV/Hare for National Convention Delegation
5 minute introduction to base resolution. Three arguments against and two for, 3 minutes each. Is Hare/STV possible on OpaVote?
Michael: We’ve been discussing this with national and we’ve determined that the STV option in OpaVote is Hare/STV.
Bakari: If you’re in OpenSlides, you should be able to see the resolution.
Stack: If STV/Hare isn’t possible, what are we using?
Michael: From national credentials committee: Hare shouldn’t require Hare quota, but droop quota (such as the Scottish method). The credential committee believes STV should be applied without specific method or quota. They recommend Scottish for OpaVote, which they believe meets the Hare method.
Far motivates the resolution: STV is recommended to chapters to ensure the texture of our political thought is preserved in our delegates. There are some strict guardrails put in place by national (15% of meeting members or 10% of chapter petition) for us to meet this requirement. Reso is simple: we’ll use STV for our delegation for national convention 2025. Hare method is a reference to the history of how STV was invented. Many of you have signed our petition, which is ongoing. I encourage you all to vote yes. It’s good to see so much diversity of political thought, including within independents. From the time I’ve been in DSA, seeing this much discourse is better than what I’ve seen in the past. I encourage this chapter to pursue this.
Motion to call the question (end debate and move right to a vote).
Motion to call the question passes with 71% of the vote.
Main resolution passes with 81% of the vote.
Lyra introduces an additional motion to change the delegate process.
Lyra: Change process for electing delegation chair. Historically elected by the delegation. Fundamentally this is an administrative role rather than a political one. Communications, logistics, etc. This year, the rules committee put in the handbook a recommended best practice that this be a separate election, but I don’t think that’s best for our chapter since it becomes a political decision. This causes an additional level of confusion; candidates for chair are also running for chair. It’s unclear whether, if you’re selected as chair, whether you’ll still be selected as delegate. Making this an internal election among delegates is what has worked for us in the past. Empowers the delegation to nominate their chair internally.
POI: If this a proposed best practice from national, what was the rationale?
Lyra: None given, and I don’t want to infer.
Stack against: I’m voting no. I understand the value, but I think the value we have as a body to select the chair is to provide a mandate for how the election should be run. Letting the delegation do that themselves would work, but having GB vote gives some accountability to all of us. I know this isn’t supposed to be a political position, but all elected positions are political. Pretending they’re not is dangerous. We must assess whether we can trust someone to bring 40-50 people to Chicago and lead those people.
Stack for: This is my second convention. From what I understand, this is an administrative role, more of a chaperone role for the delegates. I think the delegates are the ones best suited to make that decision. It’s a thankless role. Those who will be managed should decide this; this makes it more cohesive.
Stack for: Lyra made great points. We shouldn’t conflate the role of what chair is. In past conventions, our delegation elected the chair. The chair did seem like a thankless job; lots of logistics and coordination. They need to be reliable on coordination and being a point of contact. Very responsive. This had nothing to do with your vision for DSA or resolutions the delegation would be voting on. When we turn something over to a larger vote, it implies that it needs to reflect the will of the chapter. What reflects the will of the chapter is the delegates. We don’t want this to be politicized.
Motion on resolution passes with 78% of the vote.
b. Candidates for National Convention Chair
Bakari: Given the results of this vote, we’ll skip the delegate chair discussion so we have more time for what we’re here for. Feel free to motion to overturn my ruling.
8. Branch Updates (2:25 pm - 2:40 pm)
1. Montgomery County Branch (Tony S.)
Rockville rent stabilization, successful tenant power summit of numerous organizations for renter power in the county came together Good turnout DSA was well represented there. Rockville renters united acquired rent stabilization yard signs. We’ll be doing a canvass in the Rockville mayor’s neighborhood to let people know how people feel. The next Palestine solidarity meeting is on the 31st. Branch meeting on June 8th. Looking to recruit candidates for Gaithersburg city council election; we’re currently vetting 2 or 3.
Jeovany and Michael with Montgomery County YDSA: As the semester comes to an end, we’ve managed to get some regular members to spread awareness around sanctuary status for our campus and Palestine. Also had an event to collect donations and did a tabling event to help those efforts. Our final meeting was a couple weeks ago. This was generally a meeting to figure out what we did right and wrong. We’re looking to become an official club on campus (more resources) and engage in readings/political education with members. Working on more events, tabling, cultural events, etc. for next semester. Jack of YDSA and Michael, our treasurer, were instrumental in this.
2. Northern Virginia Branch (Stacey M.)
Arlington county board voted to have the city become a trans sanctuary city. Tireless organizing from BAWG and migrant justice folks. ACPD reached out to ICE by a 600% increase since Trump took office. Section 7, which used to allow for that collaboration when someone detained is tagged as a “gang member,” is now closed. Over 6 years of campaigning and organizing led up to this. Hopefully we can continue pushing the county to do the right thing. Liberation Promissory Fund raised via abolition’s film screening. Electoral working group starting their research meeting on general elections in Virginia. The next governor will be a woman who does not support the full repeal of right to work. We’ll electorally intervene. Medicare For All health fair. The mutual aid working group, our newest one, has had a seed swap and another public event coming up soon. Next branch coming up after our next GBM.
3. Prince George’s County Branch (Ralph C.)
June 3rd; Shayla goes into the general election. We expect her to win the county which has a 9 to 1 dem to GOP registration ratio. She wants to work on rent stabilization, social housing, and a variety of other DSA initiatives. She’ll be up for re=election next year. We have an interest meeting; anyone who works, lives, or studies in PGC is encouraged to show up. Starting up a new newsletter to help make up for the lack of local media. Baysox game on June 14th.
9. Working Group and Section Updates (2:40 pm - 3:20 pm)
1. Bodily Autonomy Working Group (Lyra M.)
This was a big week for Arlington. We first approached the board last summer for the sanctuary resolution as a policy. Despite initial enthusiasm, we ended up roadblocked. Trump election and board chair’s cowardice played a role in this. What really broke the dam was that we had members in abolition, la collectiva, create an intersectional bridge with other orgs such as Arlington for Palestine members. Early coalition discussions were using each of our org’s individual requests against one another. Confronted council with a united front once we figured that out. Instigated a rapid capitulation. On to Fairfax for our next sanctuary effort. Now more regulatory work like HHS work. Successfully create pressure that established near-unanimous filibuster for the title 9 “sports bill” which now has about a 0% chance of going anywhere. OUr mutual aid subcommittee announced our grocery support program for food insecure queer and trans folks. Anyone who needs food support can request groceries; we’ll deliver and purchase requested groceries. Yesterday was the launch of world pride; we were tabling there. Lots of good conversations. Incidentally, one of the things we should take pride in is that we were selected for the Trans Pride and Gendered Spirit award this year. Two of the four recipients were DSA comrades. Plenty of press photography. Happy hour on the 29th in Roslyn. At the 14th, in the evening, we have our pride packing party (plan B, pregnancy tests, information on sexual health, etc.). Also helps with fundraising. Trans and Queer Liberation meeting is moving to not conflict with abolition; will adjust our presence on the calendar.
2. Labor Working Group (Eduarda S.)
Initiative 82; this chapter must help defend it. We’ve had plenty of recent actions, meeting on May 26th on i82 specifically. I82 was passed in 2022 to raise the tipped minimum wage to meet the standard minimum wage. This is an important socialist policy. We knocked doors and canvassed a lot for this, so it’s a DSA victory. Restaurant Association (RAMW) has been consistently trying to attack it every year. This year, the mayor is doing their bidding; she’s made it clear via her latest budget that she wants it repealed, bringing min wage down to around $5. We’re the founding member of Fair Price, Fair Wage coalition. Outreach to workers to make sure they understand i82 who are susceptible to lies told to them by their employers who want to keep exploiting their lowest-paid workers. DSA is good at propaganda (art, wheatspasting, canvassing). Join the LWG and support us on this. Interest form on slide. Get the word out via comms (we have a labor i82 comms subcommittee), outreach to workers and voters, hit the streets and go to restaurants. Get workers to come out to our tipped worker meetings and l;ug them into Fair Wage coalition. If you’re a tipped worker, come out to our meeting on the 26th. If you’re just a chapter member, you can sign our petition to protect i82 or send letters to the city council.
Stack: If folks just want the talking points against RAMW, has anyone released those?
Eduarda: Yes, Fair Price, Fair Wage coalition has talking points. Will put them into our Slack and link it in labor if you’re not already a member. Otherwise, DSA-branded talking points are in the works.
Stack: We’ll also be covering this in the weekly update; working with writers who are tipped workers as well. We’ll be cohering talking points into the update. Lots of tipped workers don’t have time to go to these meetings. This has very little coverage of the worker’s perspective on this question. If you’re good at research and know how to pool stuff together, speak to Gary or Eduarda.
Bakari: Unite Here 25 recently put out a good report on i82. We knocked 18,000 doors for this, passed with 75% of the votes, and won in every precinct. We didn’t do this to have the initiative overturned by pigs.
3. S.O.S. (Julian A.)
Mayor Bowser’s Rental Act seeks to strip tenants of TOPA rights. TOPA allows tenants the right to buy their building or choose their purchaser. We’ve been doing a lot of great canvassing around this. Coming up, we’re having a town hall on May 27th and foundry (with Robert White and JObs with Justice). May 28th council hearing on this same issue. Looking to support tenants at the Oaklawn apartments on rent strike, we’re covering low bono legal expenses (still like $120 an hour). If you want to contribute, we’re selling tote bags for $25 each. Good quality, nice art on both sides of the bag.
4. Program Development Committee (Stacey M.)
Please fill out the PDC survey. Body is following through on chapter program resolution. 13 of us were seated, we meet biweekly, to present a chapter program to the body in October covering 2026 and 2027. We have a framework, we now need to fill in our strategies, principles and perspectives, etc. We need the general body’s input on this. It is intentionally anonymous. We want to understand the chapter. What do we want, and how do we achieve it? Please keep this in mind, you’ll see other PDC members re-upping this over the next weeks and months. We’ll have more listening sessions, next one is May 31st. Hybrid; at MLK library. Also will have sessions in NoVa and Maryland. Questions will evolve as the program evolves. Will also be reaching out to WGs to hear feedback. Folks are welcome to sit in on our meetings.
Bakari: Also want to update: Abolition is having a poetry event going on with a recently returned citizen to build community and solidarity. Letter writing socials. Wepower: Starting up canvassing to knock doors, which should be easy doors, asking if they hate Pepco. Keep eyes out for that. Electoral: It’s endorsement season, our questionnaire has been finalized, candidates can apply for endorsement. For general elections happening this year Next GBM will be first read of those endorsement resolutions. We’ll be doing some training on running campaigns after the endorsement season is over. Internationalism: Yesterday, there was a Nakba day walking tour that went over campaigns happening to drop ADL, Boycott Chevron, etc. make sure local businesses aren’t buying Israeli products. All important campaigns to help end the genocide. Anti-imperialism summer school alongside political education. Summer reading groups are launching soon including an Andor season 2 watching group with additional readings. More in the weekly update.
Stack: Posters for summer reading groups and wheatpaste available here. Please put posters up. Plenty of folks joined DSA after attending a reading group.