- Secretary’s Report (Patrick C, 2:10 pm - 2:15 pm)
Security continues to help ensure our in-person meetings are as safe and secure as they can be and have re-tweaked our storage unit policy in conjunction with steering to clarify who can and can’t access the chapter’s resources there. Only vetted members are going to have access to that unit so we’re encouraging new leaders of working groups to go ahead and submit a vetting ticket sooner rather than later. On that same front, our operations team has updated our storage unit request ticket to include a question about transportation, so that should hopefully also help smooth out the process.
Operations has also established an Events Team to help with planning, our chapter wiki now reflects that and details how to fill out an events ticket which can be filled out the same way you would any other RedDesk ticket.
May be close to finding a new comms steward, I look forward to making an announcement in November.
Our website team is steadily working through an audit of every page of the MDC DSA website, thanks to Kevin and the website team for that.
Community Builder’s Walking Club’s first walk is October 26th walking from Cleveland Park to Marx Café through Rock Creek Park which sounds like a pleasant time, information on that is also linked at the bottom of the agenda.
MED working to and wanting to engage new members as they arrive – this includes beefing up Chat with a Comrade. Our voter turnout is still quite low despite this chapter bringing in dozens and dozens of new dues-paying members a month. So all of us, especially members who have been around for a while, should start to get a little creative on how best to do this outreach. MED is working on it. Please volunteer for chat with a comrade! That is also linked at the bottom of the agenda.
Our updated intake form is linked at the bottom of our agenda which gives more detail as to what each department does – if anyone is interested in helping maintain and build up he infrastructure of the chapter and provide resources to all of our campaigns and working groups, I would encourage you all to take a look.
- Treasurer’s Report (Dieter L, 2:15 pm - 2:20 pm)
Finances looking very good. Convention coming up - working on budget for 2026. Will begin soliciting campaign funding requests. Finance committee will also be helping with that, will accept new help on that committee. Working on restocking merch store.
- Campaigns Coordinator Report (Far, 2:20 pm - 2:25 pm)
Working to break down silos between working groups, which will be a focus of our year-end assessment. Begin thinking about priority campaigns which we will vote on at local convention.
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Branch Updates (2:25 pm - 2:40 pm)
- Montgomery County Branch (Olivia D.)
Gaithersburg Omo city council campaign work wrapping up. Great conversations with voters. Go to our electoral linktree to RSVP to Saturday and Sunday canvasses. Carpools from DC, hopefully from VA, will transport people there. Next branch meeting Monday, November 10th, which is different than our usual date. Social: trivia night on the 14th.
- Northern Virginia Branch (Jane N.)
New steering elections, as they occur 6 months apart. Seven current steering members staying on. A lot going on in NoVa. First mutual aid distro on the 12th, next one is planned on November 9th. #Nova-mutual-aid has info for those interested. Branch emails also include information. VA has elections each year, governor and Lt. Governor and AG elections - we’re not big on Spanberger but we’ll have watchparties. Location TBD. Organized by electoral WG. Second Thursday per month in our branch meeting.
- Prince George’s County Branch (Alex A.)
Continued work on Frankie campaign. Exciting, as Frankie has been a long-term DSA member and we’re excited to have someone as devoted as him hopefully taking office. Potential meeting with Shayla Adams Stafford, councilmember and DSA member, on the Landover data center. Discussing legislative opportunities on alternatives to heavy policing in the county. Branch GBM discussed a branch street team to help with outreach. Canvass on the 1st; distributing info on businesses about their rights as they pertain to ICE, focusing on Hyattsville which has a big immigrant community. PG for Palestine flyering at a number of metro centers across the county, focusing on Glen Ivey’s complicity in the Gaza genocide.
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Working Group and Section Updates (2:40 pm - 3:20 pm)
- Rapid Response
Defending immigrant population - upcoming meeting on direct action through migrant justice working group. Between 6 and 8am we watch ICE around Columbia Heights, report detainments, etc. Please sign up.
Stack: Any coordination with rapid response in MD and VA?
If people in other areas want to discuss plans and strategy we’d be happy to have those conversations and share what’s worked for us.
- WePower DC
We’ve launched our white paper - we’ve spent a lot of time laying out the rationale for how and why to municipalize power in DC. This will serve as the basis for legislation which we hope to draft and have in front of the council in 2027. Need more help with the campaign. We’ve done plenty of wheatpasting and tabling to get the word out. Also post to #green-new-deal and someone from wePower will reach out. Also check out our website.
Stack: Any opportunities to engage in praxis? People most hard hit by Pepco seem to have been in wards 7 and 8; any wheatpasting there?
Yes, and intend to go door to door to speak to people about public power as well, in all wards.
- Social Housing
Part of Green New Deal WG. On Tuesday, GND for DC coalition town hall with Janeese Lewis George in Ward 4. We have a website to RSVP at. It’s been a tough year for renters/housing rights, and social housing is our response. Cautiously optimistic about that in the near future. Members of the council have sponsored the bill. Transit WG is new - we’re holding an action to encourage having a dedicated source of funding. City is about to fail out and they don’t want you to notice that they won’t achieve any of the goals they’re pushing for. We want the committee to have dedicated funding, rapid transit systems through corridors, etc., transit apprenticeships with unions, etc. With with ATU local which advocates for a land value tax to finance this. In DC, reach out to your councilmembers, or Kate Stewart in MoCo. Trying to raise the cost of their impending betrayal of the working class.
- Stomp Out Slumlords
We’re getting back into the rhythm of having general meetings - open to anyone interested, maybe you’re having trouble with your landlord, etc. Open space for tenants, tenant unionists, organizers, etc. Rental Act fight; for those unaware, the mayor pushed through some anti-tenant legislation through the council. We shifted toward defending TOPA and paused some of the rest of our canvassing this year. We’ve had some small wins, so we’re now bringing back our anti-eviction canvasses to encourage people to push back against convictions. Attempting to return protection to two-to-four-unit TOPA which is where people are mostly able to buy their own units; otherwise, people are essentially negotiating who their new landlord is (which is still a positive). Next Saturday’s action is on our Action Network and our calendar. If not, there is a separate Stop Out Slumlords Action Network.
- Internationalism Working Group
Our priority is Palestine solidarity. Ceasefire is a big relief for Gaza, but it doesn’t take away the power Israel has over Palestine and there’s a long way to go in changing that dynamic. We have a role in pushing our government to stop aiding and abetting that. Apartheid Free DC campaign is a coalition we’re working with to have small businesses and churches sign on to an Apartheid Free pledge. We have our own DC oriented pledge, taking some action toward boycotting Israeli goods which we help facilitate. We’re doing a canvass training on how to do that outreach on October 29th at the Festival Center.
- Electoral Working Group
Knocking doors for Frankie Fritz and Omodomola Williams for separate MD city council races. Just over 18,500 doors so far for Frankie and Omo. Not equally split, a bit more on the Frankie side. Two and a half weeks until election day. Can’t speak as well on Omo race but we feel confident on Frankie - the difference is us, we’re the only ones out there speaking to voters. Traditionally, the top vote-getter in in the race becomes mayor of Greenbelt. Linktree allows you to sign up for canvasses. Doors are friendly.
Endorsement process for 2026: PEC putting together process. Endorsement questionnaire due tomorrow; resolution required for endorsement, which are due on the 27th. We’ll vote at the November GBM. Allows for members to ask questions of candidates, decision at local convention in December. Two-thirds majority vote required to pass, those elections will come after convention. Progress updated in #electoral Slack channel.
Stack: On the timeline - were Janeese to run for mayor without her having submitted a questionnaire, would there be an exception?
There’s precedent for that, emergency resolutions that the PEC would recommend and the chapter would decide. Frankie endorsement was off cycle.
- Abolition
Upcoming mutual aid events based in DC: winter coat giveaway, our GoFundMe reached our goal today. Following up on successful backpack distribution. Please sign up via QR code on slides. Brakelight repair clinic; busted brakelight is often used as a pretext to search car, run plates, etc. Will help people have less contact with the police. Upcoming canvasses to make people aware of this service - flyering and canvassing, encouraging people to let us know what what types of car they have so that we know how to repair it. Will also host trainings if some people have never worked on a car before.
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Chapter Business (3:20 pm - 3:55 pm)
- Local Convention Primer
Convention is chapter’s highest body, very important decision making point for the chapter. Debate priorities, bylaws changes, changes to formal structure, and set the tone for the next year of organizing. Live voting on the first day, along with priority campaign debates and electoral endorsements, etc. Bylaw amendments require two-thirds majority to pass. Will also discuss the budget which will be as participatory as possible. Steering committee elections will run right after the nomination. November 6th is the last day to get your dues in order to ensure you can participate in the convention. Information will be coming across all channels about this, no need to memorize this.
Stack: Will there be an outreach period for folks, get them to reup their dues, make them aware that convention is coming?
Yes, steering has a detailed step-by-step plan for convention that involves this directly.
- Chapter Program Discussion
Chapter program is to be given to the public and new members so folks know our positions on things and work we’ll be engaged in through 2027. Looking for feedback, 300 responses to a survey, five listening sessions. That has all been incorporated into this program so we’re now looking for additional feedback. Looking to pass it at December convention. Feedback form got sent out. Requesting only substantial changes be made via an amendment; smaller changes we’re open for, especially if you’re involved in the work going on. Three breakout groups. Two more hybrid feedback sessions before convention.
- Meeting Closing