2026-8-11 Steering Committee Minutes

Minutes & Historicals
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1

Land Acknowledgement

Code of Conduct

Declared Absences: Sam, Mina (for part of meeting)

Undeclared Absences: Diego, Alex P

Consent Agenda - approved by unanimous consent

Reports

  • Financial Report (Ken B)

    • In process of paying out summit reimbursements

    • Motion to disperse to two people who had slightly irregular reimbursement submissions the amount we agreed to offer

      • Nell - Y

      • Julian - Y

      • Far - Y

      • Dieter - Y

      • Julia - Y

      • Ken - Abstain

      • Joe - Y

  • Secretary Report (Sam N)

    • 8/30 GBM August 2026 General Body Meeting

      • Will keep updates to officers, Campaigns Council, branches.

      • Second Reads on Public Lands Resolution, Program Edits

      • Vote on budget for the membership development grant

      • Democracy Commission presentation

      • Presidential endorsement discussion (whose leading?)

      • Note: I will not be able to attend

    • GBM next steps

      • Kurtis will make slides

      • Kurtis and Dieter willing to work with James on facilitation of presidential endorsement process discussion; Far will confirm with James

      • Dieter will assist with coordination with events team/tech ops (w/ Ben and Marc)

      • Promotion of GBM

        • Scale2Win mass text; email

        • Top billing in weekly update

        • Kurtis will offer draft text; Nell will review

  • Campaigns Council Report (Far)

    • Mass meeting planning underway, still looking for WGs to facilitate break-outs

    • Joe brought forward idea to track all legislative issues in place

      • NYC has Legislative Analysis Teams

      • Looking for chapter structures/templates

      • Likely to be pool of people within Electoral separate from WGs

    • Discussion with MED on quarterly in-person campaigns council meetings

  • NoVA Branch (Ben M)

- NoVA Newsletters

-[ August 6](https://docs.google.com/document/d/1RhLtNPEnQicDHZ0OuUH0_o-ZB6lveuzUZdJENZTicCg)

-[ August 13](https://docs.google.com/document/d/1JldDkIBEtxGU4Pieu1hLTpTg_X-wHjKnEq0uHKM38qM) (pending)

- Updates

- All 4 geo reps up for election in September

    - Nominations close September 3

    - Candidate forum September 10

- Events

-[ NoVA branch GBM](http://actionnetwork.org/events/nova-branch-general-body-meeting-august-13) (Sterling), Thursday, August 13, 6:15pm

-[ Electoral Deep Dive: Train the Trainers](http://actionnetwork.org/events/electoral-deep-dive-training-the-trainers) (Arlington), Saturday, August 15, 11am

-[ MAWG Meeting](http://actionnetwork.org/events/nova-mutual-aid-working-group-meeting) (Virtual), Monday, August 17, 6pm

-[ NoVA Social](https://actionnetwork.org/events/nova-social-meetup-nova-branch-dsa-august-20th-630pm) (Arlington), Thursday, August 20, 6:30pm

-[ M4A Petition Drive at Crystal City Metro](http://actionnetwork.org/events/petition-drive-crystal-city-2), Saturday, August 22, Noon

  • MoCo Branch (Mike H)

    • Branch picnic successful

  • PG Branch (Jon C.)

    • Next GBM 8/22

    • Abolition planning upcoming events on ICE and Abolition 101

    • Fighting planning board approval of ICE expansion

    • Labor tabling at union job fair in Hyattsville

    • Electoral WG doing info session on what it takes to run for muni office

    • Attended state board of ed on 7/28, had about 10 speakers

    • Attended county board of education to speak re access to facilities for trans kids

    • Upcoming picnic labor day weekend with leadership from all the MD chapters

  • YDSA Update (Alex P)

  • MED Update (Diego)

Old Business

  • Movimiento/Just Recovery Coalition Steering Committee (Kurtis)

    • Requires having a rep to meeting Thurs during day and contribute legwork

    • https://justrecoverydc.org/

    • Joe R has been attempting to recruit

    • Dieter willing to serve

    • Motion to approve MDC DSA’s membership in Just Recovery’s steering committee - approved by UC

New Business

  • Program Edit Resolution First Read Metro DC DSA Chapter Program Amendments (August GBM) (Sam G)

  • Priority Campaign Bylaw Implementation (Paige)

    • Intention is for applications to be submitted by 3 months in advance of convention, but this year a little different. Propose the chapter/steering issue extension to go from 90 days ahead to 60 days ahead.

    • The application template is in the amendment document.

      • There is language about steering making adjustments as needed.

    • Facilitating conversations about this is a good idea.

    • Julian- note we will need to change the application to reflect the 1-year timeframe rather than 2-year. Agree good to have facilitated discussion or prompt/announcement at August GBM.

    • Kurtis- we are covered to make edits by bylaw grant of authority. The 2-year fix is bringing it into alignment, doesn’t require vote.

    • Nell - Next CC, discuss in more depth. Hoping that we can get a good turnout for a robust discussion and start threads. Get folks talking collaboratively

    • Far- Could open up next CC meeting to general members to come for that discussion

    • Paige- this topic could be prioritized at already-planned meetings.

    • Motion - we provide extension to priority campaign applications so they are due by 60 days before local convention – passed by UC

  • No on Question A in MoCo First Read Ballot question A resolution (Mike H)

  • Font Purchase (Leah)

    • Motion to approve $360 for font purchase for redesign – passed by UC. Kurtis will let Leah know.

  • Endorse Free DC letter on 1-year of occupation – approved asynchronously, confirmed through UC

Executive Session

Adjourn