Aparna R Questionnaire
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 became a member of MDC DSA in 2019. I’ve been mostly involved with Stomp Out Slumlords, doing long-term tenant organizing at Marbury Plaza in Ward 8. I’ve been organizing with ~80 tenants there for over a year around a rent strike to protest inhumane living conditions, which has led to the formal creation of a new tenants’ association, lawsuits against the building, and the replacement of the management company. I’m also on the media outreach team for regional actions for SOS and am facilitating tenant organizer trainings East of the River. With the labor working group, I will be co-leading our chapter’s efforts around Initiative 82, a ballot initiative to raise DC’s tipped minimum wage to its regular minimum wage. We will be conducting worker outreach, canvassing on behalf of the initiative, and developing a social media campaign to advocate for the Initiative.
Why do you believe that you are a good fit for this position?
My work as an external organizer has demonstrated my ability to collaborate with people. I understand how to have one on ones and organize with folks outside of the chapter and how to build our base, especially in Wards 7 & 8, for the long-term. My organizing is rooted in long-term strategy to meet people on a human level and has resulted in concrete growth and tangible wins. My experience with two different priority campaigns also gives me a deep understanding of how to support our external organizers and working groups. As a member of the Rainbow Slate, I believe in the strength of our chapter’s members and organizers, and our ability to lead regional organizing.
What do you hope to accomplish for the chapter if elected to this position?
The two main areas I hope to focus on are supporting our chapter’s external organizers and increasing community engagement within the chapter. Our chapter has a strong administrative foundation, and I hope to build on that to advance our external-facing work. As someone who would be coming in new to the Steering Committee if elected, I hope to help support the work of our priority campaigns and organizers alongside the Campaigns Coordinator and find areas of coordination and support across working groups. I also would like to use the experience I’ll have with tenant organizer trainings to support our chapter-wide organizer trainings and larger political education efforts.