Kurtis H 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 served as co-chair of the MDC DSA for Bernie working group from the fall of 2019 to the spring of 2020 and helped plan and coordinate canvassing efforts and social events. Since the spring of 2020, I have served on the chapter’s Steering Committee, with a particular focus on liaising between the SC and chapter formations. I helped plan and coordinate the chapter’s response to the murder of George Floyd during the summer of 2020. I have served on several commissions, most notably the Bylaw Reform Commission, where I helped propose a redrafting of the chapter’s bylaws. Since the local convention in 2020, I have served as the chapter’s Campaign Coordinator, facilitating communication between the chapter’s formations and the general body.
Why do you believe that you are a good fit for this position?
I believe that I am a good fit for the Campaign Coordinator position because I have developed relationships with working group stewards and leaders during my tenure in the role. I believe that I am generally trusted and well liked by leaders of our chapter formations. Additionally, I helped draft the portions of the bylaws relating to chapter formations and the campaign council. My knowledge of the bylaws has helped stewards navigate the chapter’s reporting requirements.
What do you hope to accomplish for the chapter if elected to this position?
Recruitment - If we are to serve as a vehicle for liberation for the mass multiracial working class, we must recruit the mass multiracial working class. Through continued facilitation of coordination and cooperation between the chapter’s formations, our chapter can work through the best ways to engage and build trust in our communities, with the intention of empowering and bringing folks in.
Leadership development - Our chapter needs to be preparing the next wave of leaders and finding ways to uplift and empower Black and Brown leaders in particular. As I do not intend to run for re-election after this upcoming term, I would like to ensure a smooth transition of power that maintains and builds upon what has been established.