I. Sign in 

• NOTE: CONVENTION is a HYBRID - members attending via Zoom cannot speak nor vote

II. Welcome + Intro 

• NOTE: CONVENTION has not reached Quorum. Voting items will be Straw Polled as Advisory Votes for the Steering Committee to Consider until Quorum is reached.

A. Convention Structure + Rules

1. How is this Year Different?

Firstly, our convention will be in person this year! We’ll get to see each other in person at Omni Commons, just like in the old days. 

Secondly, our main focus will be on passing priority campaigns this year, rather than selecting priority areas (as was the case last year). The Steering Committee believes that the four organizational priorities we passed at last year’s convention (Racial Justice and Diversifying DSA, Class Struggle Elections, Onboarding and Providing Tools for Membership Empowerment, and Rank-and File Labor Support) are still the most important focus areas for our chapter in the upcoming year. Therefore, the Steering Committee recommends re-ratifying last year’s organizational priorities. Members may bring substantial amendments to these organizational priorities, but may not submit copy-editing/wordsmithing amendments. Members may also bring substantial amendments to our chapter platform (the same guidelines apply as above).

We encourage members to submit priority campaigns, in the scope of our four organizational priorities. Each campaign will outline how we plan to concretely organize around these priorities. To qualify for consideration at our 2022 convention, a priority campaign plan must include:

1. A list of concrete, achievable goals 

2. A plan to achieve those goals including, where possible, who will be responsible for organizing each task 

3. Requests for resources from the chapter, if necessary 

4. A fundraising plan, if significant monetary resources are needed 

5. At least 10 signatures of members who are interested in organizing the campaign

2. Convention Rules

Resolutions: Per our normal General Meeting protocols, an agenda with all relevant resolutions will be circulated to membership at least 9 days in advance of the meeting. 

Motivation and Q&A: Each resolution will be motivated by one of its drafters, and there will be a short time agendized for clarifying questions and answers.

Motions: Procedural motions may be made by raising one’s voting card. Once called on, the member motioning may state their motion. Motions must be seconded by another member stating “second” to move to debate.

Debate: Stack for debate will be taken by the chairs. Members requesting to get on stack should raise their hands. Speakers should state when speaking whether they are for or against the motion being considered. Speakers will be given 90 seconds to speak on the resolution or motion on the floor.

Amendments: Amendments must be submitted by the May 31st deadline at the latest to be considered for the agenda. The chairs will agendize as many amendments as feasible. In the event of too many amendments being submitted, amendments based on political substantiveness and minimal redundancy will be prioritized. There will be no floor amendments (or amendments to amendments) allowed during the meeting.

Consent Agenda: In the event that many priority campaigns and amendments are submitted, the chairs may issue a Consent Agenda poll to determine what we vote on at the convention. If a poll is issued, the Convention will vote on a Consent Agenda to pass priority campaigns and amendments based on the aforementioned Consent Agenda straw poll. The Consent Agenda would then be passed by a simple majority. Members will not be allowed to pull items from the Consent Agenda from the floor.

Voting: Members must be present in the meeting to vote, and no proxy votes will be allowed. To vote, raise your voting card when prompted. The chairs will determine vote results by sight wherever possible. If a vote is very close, or requires a precise ⅔ majority, vote counters will manually count each yes, no, and abstention. Voting will only be accessible to dues-paid members. The Steering Committee election will be carried out via OpaVote. A link to the vote will be sent out to all dues-paid members (regardless of presence at the Convention meeting) following the Convention meeting.

Expulsion: If a member consistently does not follow the special protocols and/or code of conduct, harasses the Chairs or other members, or otherwise is disruptive during the meeting, they may be asked to leave the meeting, per the Chairs’ discretion. Members will receive at least 1 warning before being removed from the meeting. Read the code of conduct here.

Styles Committee: After the Convention, the chairs will serve as a Styles Committee to standardize language across the different proposals that passed and finalize the language of our Chapter’s 2022 priority campaigns, as well as our platform and organizational priorities if needed. The Steering Committee will vote to ratify the final language.

3 . Roberts Rules refresher

4. Review and Approve Consent Agenda

(New language is show with an underline. Removed language is shown with a strikethrough)

a. Resolution in Support of the Living Wage Act of 2022

Submitted by East Bay DSA’s Electoral Committee; passed via straw poll at the 4.30.22 EBDSA General Meeting

Whereas, the minimum wage in California is $15 an hour as of January 1, 2022 and no further increases through the legislature are currently scheduled, and

Whereas, the Living Wage Act of 2022 proposes to raise the minimum wage by a dollar an hour each year for three years to become $18 an hour January 1, 2025, and

Whereas, the Living Wage Act of 2022 is currently in signature gathering for the November 2022 California general election, and

Whereas, the coalition supporting the Living Wage Act includes several labor councils, UNITE-HERE locals, California Calls, and 

Whereas, the outgoing and incoming leadership of the California Labor Federation are in support while the endorsement moves through their process, indicating a likely endorsement, and

Whereas, the main financial backer, Joe Sanberg, has publicly stated that he will spend whatever it takes to get the measure on the ballot, and

Whereas, the pollster for the campaign, Ben Tulchin, who served as Bernie Sanders's pollster, has conducted initial research with likely voters indicating solid support, and 

Whereas, the working class of California could use a raise, and

Whereas, the lowest-paid workers in the state would gain $6,000 per year in full time employment if the measure passes, and 

Whereas, endorsement by EBDSA offers an opportunity for our chapter and members to strengthen our ties to and work together with organized labor on the campaign, and 

Whereas, California DSA's support resolution will take effect when two or more chapters support the measure, 

Therefore be it resolved that EBDSA endorse the Living Wage Act of 2022 and become actively involved in the campaign to pass it.

b. Onboarding and Membership Empowerment Platform Amendment

Submitted by Zach W, Yari G, Isaac H, Sean M, Benny Z, Richard L, Lexi R, Jess W, Maura M, Hillary C

Since 2016, East Bay DSA has grown into one of the largest DSA chapters in the country. However, East Bay DSA’s activation rate is below 50% and increasing our activation rate to above 50% would help us make the most of our existing membership.

New members have already shared similar feedback across the board of difficulty navigating East Bay DSA’s structures and acclimating to the frequently brand-new experience of being in a democratic, mass-oriented, member-led, working-class political organization. Likewise, established members who have potential to grow into new leadership for the chapter often encounter inconsistent mentorship and resources for leadership development, encouraging a culture of either “sink or swim” growth, or disengagement all together. 

Previous intentional investments of resources and attention have paid off immensely, including the Mobilizer Program (which has now spread to the state and national levels), New Member Handbook, Intro to DSA events, and Organizer’s Toolbox Trainings. As we enter a new phase for socialist organizing, we must commit to onboarding, retaining, and training a new generation of socialists that can win campaigns on the local and national level.

East Bay DSA will:

• Make development of its onboarding program and new leadership development a priority for the chapter in 2021-22
• Ensure that onboarding and ongoing development of groups underrepresented in DSA, especially BIPOC and undocumented people receives special focus and attention, including but not limited to: Translating new materials, developing best practices for storing demographic information in line with protocols developed by the Growth and Development Committee, and organizing BIPOC-only onboarding events and socials.
• Support the formation of chapter branches in geographic areas where there is demonstrated interest and leadership capacity, and provide branch organizers with needed leadership development and skills trainings including: meeting facilitation; setting agendas; planning and executing organizing campaigns; and orientation to East Bay DSA's platform, operations, and priorities.

c. Green New Deal Platform Amendment

Submitted by Anayeli Mora, Bonnie Lockhart, Carla West, Doug Woos, Hannah Welsh, Ian Forgie, Izzy Meckler, Juan Canham, Kabir Kapur, Michael Kaufman, Mike Hickey, Steve Ongerth, Susan Schacher,Ted Franklin

Under capitalism, there can be no future for human society. Capitalist pursuit of infinite growth has wrought an urgent and accelerating ecological crisis that will continue to destroy the lives of working class people unless we control our own ability to survive and thrive. Solutions must be rooted in improving quality of life if they are to gain popular support. 

A socialist Green New Deal (GND) is more than a solution to existential ecological crisis. It is a vision for reorienting our society and economy to serve people over profit. A socialist GND stands against new and existing fossil fuel infrastructure and aims to create an economy powered by publicly owned, clean, renewable, energy by 2030. A socialist GND rejects market based solutions and instead places the resources necessary for survival—energy, water, housing, transit, food—under public control. A socialist GND is a union job guarantee. A socialist GND recognizes the value of work in the care and protection of life, not in the production of commodities. A socialist GND acknowledges the historical legacy of environmental racism and directly improves conditions for Black, Indigenous, people of color, and other historically oppressed populations. A socialist GND prioritizes liberation of communities most affected by climate change and global extractive industry. A socialist GND honors the debt owed by the wealthy nations of the Global North to the peoples of the Global South and provides the necessary resources for the Global South to flourish without dependence on fossil fuels. 

East Bay DSA will:

Organize with national DSA campaigns:   

• Organize for transformative labor policy in the spirit of the PRO Act (Protect the Right to Organize), coordinated with the national DSA Ecosocialist Working Group and other DSA structures locally and across the country
• Organize upcoming campaigns for People's Bailout legislation and a Jobs Guarantee Act. 

Continue local campaigns and projects:

• Green New Deal for Transit
• Job guarantee for all legislation
• Develop relationships with union members working in the oil industry:
• Plumbers and Pipefitters (UA) Local 342
• Electricians (IBEW) Local 302
• Boilermakers (IBB) Local 549
• Ironworkers (IW) Local 378
• Laborers (LIUNA) Local 324
• Painters (IUPAT) District Council 16
• Operating Engineers (OE) Local 3
• Steelworkers (USW) Local 326 and Local 5
• Identify specific sectors that displaced workers might go to and plan for potential organizing drives in those sectors.
• Push for the expansion of unemployment benefits to a maximum benefit amount of $900 per week
• Let's Own PG&E campaign
• Green New Deal Reading Group

Organize and participate in national, state, and local campaigns:   

• Implement the DSA Green New Deal Commission’s national campaigns embodying DSA’s Green New Deal principles
• Advance a radical Green New Deal agenda using the coordinating power of the State DSA Council and the California Green New Deal Coalition
• Organize ecosocialism-oriented webinars, townhalls, forums, and reading groups
• Build labor and community support for the union-endorsed California Climate Jobs Plan
• Build a DSA working group to confront the massive fossil fuel industry in our backyard:
• Take the fight to Chevron – the largest corporation headquartered in the East Bay and operator of the largest of 5 local refineries
• Create educational materials to popularize the ecosocialist vision of a Just and Equitable Transition to fossil-free energy
• Expand ties with union members working in the oil industry and fight to insure they are engaged in the process and their interests are fully protected as plans are made to phase out the fossil fuel industry
• Collaborate with other groups in the Bay Area climate and environmental justice movement to encourage class consciousness and growing awareness among green allies that capitalism is incompatible with a long-term strategy for ecological survival

d. For the Decommodification of Housing Platform Amendment

Submitted by the Social Housing Committee (Matthew Lewis, Marc Pilisuk, Karl Knobler, Bert Knorr, Susan Schacher, Doug Woos, Stan Woods, Henry Vogt)

The Bay Area is the epicenter of our housing and tenants’ rights crisis caused by colonization of Indigenous land, racial segregation, and capitalism. COVID-19 has exacerbated this crisis with the threat of mass evictions and foreclosures looming. The working class must get organized, unite to stand up against real estate capital and their neoliberal, pro-developer agenda (YIMBY-ism) to demand social housing, cancelling rents and mortgages, ending evictions, and sheltering the houseless. Countering real estate interests requires an understanding of the asymmetry of power at play that real estate leverages over tenants and houseless people.

The housing market, along with the workplace, is one of the key places where the working class experiences direct exploitation by the capitalist class. Home ownership has been the key way working-class people have been able to build a modicum of wealth in this country, but skyrocketing property values and the decline of real earnings have put that dream out of reach. At the same time, residential segregation and redlining are the major driving force in perpetuating racial inequality in the United States. In cities across the country, rental prices have been driven higher and higher and homelessness has skyrocketed as a result.

Capital is exploiting the very crisis it has created, claiming that building lots of market-rate and above-market rate housing will solve this very crisis it has created (YIMBYism), arguing that older housing will supposedly trickle down to working and low-income people. But this ignores reality, including that the United States — and the East Bay — already has massively more vacant housing than homeless individuals. Mass development of market-rate housing will instead further raise land prices, gentrify communities, and drive out tenants. Building more market-rate housing cannot and will not solve our housing affordability crisis, and worsens the status quo. Instead, we need universal, permanently affordable social housing.

We seek to counter the dangers we are facing by building on the insurgent tenant movement, and further decommodifying housing and land. This can be done through canceling rent, closing eviction courts, and, as landlords exit the market, using state action to acquire private property and transform into public democratically controlled housing. We seek to build more connected and inclusive neighborhoods and communities by building out tenant unions and other local organizing.

In the long term, we seek decommodification of housing because capitalism cannot provide basic rights to shelter. We demand social housing that is high-density, racially and income integrated, democratically run, ecologically designed, high-quality, permanently affordable, and off the private market. 

These goals will take a mass movement of organized tenants, houseless people, and homeowners standing in solidarity, organizing against exploitation and state repression. Such a movement must intersect with the movement against the racist police state, as we seek to defund police, decriminalize houselessness, and redistribute resources toward systems of care and mutual security like social housing. 

East Bay DSA will:

• Educate, train, and mobilize members to become tenant organizers, organizing the buildings they rent and collaborating with working-class organizations and tenant councils to build power in the tenants’ movement. 
• Mobilize to prevent mass evictions and foreclosures and to support houseless residents through direct actions, including eviction defense, and mutual aid. 
• Mobilize to support legislation canceling rents and mortgages, granting tenants’ control over their homes, protecting and promoting tenant unionization, removing restrictions on strong rent control, instituting vacancy taxes that are high enough to compel landlords to offer all their housing and lower rents (and using the new revenue to fund social housing), creating strong universal rent control, eviction protections, and creating social housing.
• Mobilize to oppose legislation that deregulates land use to build market-rate housing; and to support legislation that strengthens inclusionary zoning requirements, removes barriers to building auxiliary units (eg ADU’s) and tiny homes with price controls that make them permanently affordable to the working class, and removes barriers to the creation specifically of dense permanently affordable social housing
• Popularize our vision of social housing as health, racial, environmental and gender justice through political education and collaboration with other committees on efforts to defund police and tax the rich.

e. Re-Ratify the 2021-2022 Priorities and platform, including the proposed amendments

CONTEXT - The 2021 - 2022 ORGANIZATIONAL PRIORITIES

Drafted and adopted by the entire membership of East Bay DSA, this 2021 East Bay Democratic Socialists of America Organizational Priorities and Chapter Platform proposes not only ongoing strategies and for what we can best organize for in the coming year, but also what issues to focus on for the next year, with unity and urgency, toward achieving a democratic socialist world together. This document serves as the base for guiding the work of the chapter and of our committees until our next convention. This document was voted on May 16th, 2021, and ratified by the Steering Committee after being edited for style consistency on June 13, 2021.

COVID-19 has upended the world as we know it, exposing and magnifying the pre-existing inequalities in our society. Thousands of working-class people—disproportionately people of color—have died and are dying from unsafe working conditions or lack of healthcare. This global pandemic has resulted in an economic recession that has left millions of people unemployed and unable to pay rent. The powerful are using this crisis as a springboard for an agenda of austerity and corporate bailouts, and ordinary people are being pushed to their limits and grasping hold of collective liberation. The racist police murders of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Tony McDade, and thousands of others have simultaneously ignited a surge of protests, direct action, and organizing. The uprising has surpassed the Civil Rights movement in scale and has provoked a national movement to defund the police, which DSA has taken up as a priority.

The injustices of this period are the direct result of racialized capitalism. An international ruling class has become wealthier than any in history, enriching themselves through price-gouging, ecological pillage, and the labor of exploited workers. To prop up their rule, the ultra-wealthy few increasingly drop any charade of liberal democracy, as they brutally divide and conquer working people using the lines of race, gender, and borders.

The growth of the Democratic Socialists of America to 92,000 members offers the best opportunity in generations to provide a unifying force between these struggles, one able to coordinate and build socialist ideas among millions of working people.

In the pre-COVID era, we won California for Bernie Sanders. Bernie’s ultimate electoral defeat was not a failure, but reminds us that there are no shortcuts to democratic socialism. It demonstrated the power of collective action and has grown DSA by the thousands. We inspired people across the world with a truly working-class program.

At the center of our struggle for social and economic justice is the working class. The working class is the only social force with both an interest in fighting for deep social transformation and the leverage to win it. Disruptive actions like strikes and walkouts that stop the engine of profit, and mass protests like the ones rippling across the country have the power to bring change. Our chapter is committed to organizing strategically to bring the working class into mass action in class struggle against capitalism and all forms of oppression. 

Our road to democratic socialism will require growing, democratic, leftwing labor unions. It will require engaging in electoral campaigns to win state power and eventually achieve a fully independent worker’s party. It will require an unwavering solidarity in fighting oppression. It will require socialist internationalism and solidarity with struggles against global capitalism and imperialism. It will require a commitment to our own collective political education. And it will require DSA to further become a multiracial, democratic, mass organization.

What is the democratic socialist world we seek to build? We organize for a just society, where working people make the decisions that determine our destiny. We organize for a society free of oppressions of race, gender, sexuality, and borders. We organize for a world where basic needs—education, healthcare, housing, and the environment—are never commodified for profit, but instead provided freely for all. This is the socialist world we want.

Organizational Priorities

Originally our chapter general body voted to adopt 3 Organizational Priorities on March 14th, 2021. Per the resolution passed, “East Bay DSA Steering Committee will be tasked with carrying out this Priorities Resolution by allotting appropriate chapter resources to the Priority Campaigns. Resources may include chapter funds, promotion in chapter communications, and aid in volunteer recruitment.” Through the convention process, a total of 4 organizational priorities were submitted. Through a suspension of the convention rules, the chapter voted to adopt all 4 proposed priorities, which are listed below. 

1. Racial Justice & Diversifying DSA

Capitalism creates scarcity for the goods essential to life, which in turn disproportionately deprives BIPOC of housing, jobs, healthcare and other necessary services. Rather than invest in society and deal with the root causes of crime, the United States chooses to imprison approximately 2 million of its citizens, the highest rate in the world. Of those inmates, 34% are Black, despite accounting for only 11% of the US population. Both the disproportionate economic exploitation and higher instances of criminalization are seized on by right wing media, like Fox News, to perpetuate harmful racial stereotypes that further divide the working class, despite our shared interest in defeating economic exploitation and the prison system. 

Even voting rights, long thought to be the sacrosanct legacy of the Civil Rights Movement, are actively under attack. Elected Democrats have met efforts to disenfranchise black people, immigrants, and the poor with little more than a shrug and a press conference. Socialists must lead the way in protecting and expanding political democracy regardless of the color of your skin, where you were born, or what you can afford. 

At the same time we must reject liberal solutions to racism which emphasize individual choices and self-improvement, and do nothing to fight the emerging threats from the right. Instead we should embrace a multi-racial struggle of the working class for a world without racism. 

To achieve any of our political goals, DSA must strive to be more racially and economically representative of the working class. If socialism remains a politics cloistered in a tiny segment of society, it will never command the power required to win. That is why we must remain focused on recruiting through strategic external campaigns that bring us in regular contact with working class people of color. 

East Bay DSA will: 

• Continue our campaigns to transition public funds from policing to essential services that support our community
• Prioritize recruiting working class candidates of color to run for office that can act as champions for our vision and attract a more diverse membership
• Continue and expand our work with racially diverse unions like ATU 192, SEIU 1021, and Oakland Education Association, and actively recruit socialist unionists into DSA through these campaigns
• Train our campaign and committee leaders on strategic recruitment that will emphasize the need to identify, recruit, and promote leaders of color within East Bay DSA campaigns and elected leadership 
• Prioritize producing bilingual communications, with a particular emphasis on developing Spanish language materials and increasing the number of Spanish speakers in the Chapter
• Establish regular AfroSocialists and Socialists of Color Caucus socials
• Continue to hold regular Night Schools on anti-racism
• Regularly review our anti-racist work and our progress toward BIPOC recruitment through the Steering Committee

2. Class Struggle Elections

East Bay DSA has expanded and refined our ability to run election campaigns over the last few years. During the 2020 election cycle, we recruited, trained, and mobilized hundreds of volunteers to canvas thousands of voters, created our own campaign literature, raised funds, learned election law, and helped elect genuine radicals like Carroll Fife and Jovanka Beckles to local office.

However, we have mostly been limited to supporting candidates who were already planning to run and ballot initiatives designed by other groups. Meanwhile, organic, working-class socialist leaders often do not have the resources to run a successful campaign, especially those from marginalized backgrounds.

2021 is an off-year for local elections, so now is the time to remedy that situation--to begin the long-term planning that will propel home-grown DSA campaigns to victory in 2022 and beyond. While we continue to build on our success in local elections, we hope to — in conjunction with California DSA — be able to build power in the state legislature.

East Bay DSA will:

• Identify a short list of key races in coming years, in which socialist candidates or initiatives have a reasonable chance of winning, and where, if our candidate is elected or our initiative is passed, winning that election would provide the best opportunity to further our other political priorities.
• Focus on creating a socialist candidate pipeline for 2022 and beyond, by connecting emerging socialist and labor leaders with our existing elected leaders for mentorship, helping prospective candidates apply to citizen oversight boards, and hold frank discussions about policy and political opportunity. The goal of this pipeline would be to shift from primarily choosing among already-existing campaigns for endorsement to recruiting working-class socialist leaders, especially socialists of color, to run for office from within DSA.
• Develop a ballot initiative team to consider where our political priorities would best be advanced via California’s robust ballot initiative system. This team should build the capacity to propose concrete initiative plans, draft the text of proposed initiatives, plan a successful signature-gathering plan and/or work with supportive elected officials to place our initiatives on the ballot, etc.
• Create a DSA in Office team to maintain ongoing relationships with elected officials we’ve supported, to continue our relationships with them and use their position to further our political priorities.
• Continue to use the Class Struggle Elections criteria passed at the last convention to guide our strategic decision-making, unless amended by the chapter at a later date.

3. Focus on Onboarding and Providing Tools for Membership Empowerment

Since 2016, East Bay DSA has grown into one of the largest DSA chapters in the country. However, East Bay DSA’s activation rate is below 50% and increasing our activation rate to above 50% would help us make the most of our existing membership.

New members have already shared similar feedback across the board of difficulty navigating East Bay DSA’s structures and acclimating to the frequently brand-new experience of being in a democratic, mass-oriented, member-led, working-class political organization. Likewise, established members who have potential to grow into new leadership for the chapter often encounter inconsistent mentorship and resources for leadership development, encouraging a culture of either “sink or swim” growth, or disengagement all together. 

Previous intentional investments of resources and attention have paid off immensely, including the Mobilizer Program (which has now spread to the state and national levels), New Member Handbook, Intro to DSA events, and Organizer’s Toolbox Trainings. As we enter a new phase for socialist organizing, we must commit to onboarding, retaining, and training a new generation of socialists that can win campaigns on the local and national level.

East Bay DSA will:

• Make development of its onboarding program and new leadership development a priority for the chapter in 2021-22
• Ensure that onboarding and ongoing development of groups underrepresented in DSA, especially BIPOC and undocumented people receives special focus and attention, including but not limited to: Translating new materials, developing best practices for storing demographic information in line with protocols developed by the Growth and Development Committee, and organizing BIPOC-only onboarding events and socials.
• Draft a plan for new member onboarding through the Member Engagement Committee that includes developing introductory materials that continue where the New Member Handbook leaves off and developing a more robust onboarding program using a cohort system (similar to the one used by the Sunrise Movement), and a strong mentorship program similar to the "Rose Buddies" system used in Chicago.
• Draft a similar plan for ongoing member development that includes an expansion of existing leadership resource material, as well as more formal mentorship, onboarding and training structure for new or potential leaders that is more widely accessible.
• Collaborate with Political Education and RSC to create a regular and robust Socialism 101 program highlighting but not limited to the history of racial capitalism in the United States, socialist feminism, internationalism, and anti-colonial socialist traditions for new members. 
• Solicit feedback on these plans from currently elected committee co-chairs on specific member onboarding priorities of their committees and submit the plan to the Steering Committee for approval
• Develop best practices and training for leaders to create clear engagement, recruitment, and onboarding paths for members as well as how to identify and train diverse leaders and spokespeople for all of our campaigns. 
• Allocate a budget line item to this working group, post copy provided by the working group to chapter social media and the newsletter to encourage participation, and conduct a presentation for the chapter membership at a general meeting
• Involve at least 50% of our membership to attend an event in the upcoming year.

4. Rank-and File Labor Support & Solidarity

As socialists, we understand that the fundamental division in society is between the capitalist minority and the working class majority. Because of their position in the economy, workers can disrupt the flow of profit, or, if in the public sector, cause political crisis by striking. The workplace is a key site of struggle: workers have the capacity and self-interest to learn, build, and leverage power by organizing with their coworkers on the basis of their common interest in overcoming exploitation. By leveraging this power, workers can extract concessions from capitalists and the state, and, if organized to do so, win a better life for all oppressed groups. Only the working class, organized from below and fighting in its own interests, has the power to wrest reforms under capitalism and usher in a socialist society.

Winning socialism will require a level of working class organization and militacy not seen in this country for nearly a century. Though unions are the largest and longest-standing working class institutions in the country, we recognize that many unions today are neither democratic nor effective vehicles for working class power. Our task is to help build the power, democracy, and militancy of unions, and of the labor movement more broadly, so that it can fight for increasingly larger and more systemic classwide demands. At the heart of this strategy is empowering rank-and-file workers to lead and determine the course of union and labor struggles.

East Bay DSA will:

• Support campaigns that build strong, lasting relationships with rank-and-file workers in education, transit, healthcare, and logistics around reopening and anti-austerity fights, prioritizing those in unionized workplaces, including but not limited to:
• Support Oakland Education Association teachers in their fight for safe reopening & less standardized testing
• Support Alameda Health System (AHS) workers in their fight to take AHS public, and to protect workers and patients during the pandemic
• Support workers at transit unions across the Bay Area, but particularly at ATU Local 192, in the fight to restore transit service to pre-pandemic levels by hiring more union workers
• Involve members in picket support, design and materials production, community turnout, organizing training, and/or fundraising
• Publicize worker stories and promote rank-and-file perspectives through Majority
• Devote chapter resources to building out Majority’s labor reporting apparatus
• Prioritize labor reporting that builds long standing relationships with workers on the basis of ongoing campaigns
• Where possible, coordinate and develop labor solidarity work with an eye towards supporting projects like labor circles and the Jobs Program so that East Bay DSA members can be best positioned in the long term to aid in both external and internal union organizing

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

STRAWPOLL: CONSENT AGENDA PASSED VIA ACCLIMATION

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

IV. Endorsement Meaning + Implications

(New language is show with an underline. Removed language is shown with a strikethrough)

A. Resolution to Amend Endorsement Process to Add “Support” Tier

Preamble

In DSA’s contemporary era (since the membership bump in 2016 and 2017), chapters and the national organization have developed a theory and practice of electoral politics that focuses on only making endorsements where a chapter can give substantial support to a campaign. “We send an army” of volunteers canvassers and skilled organizers to races where we can make a significant difference in the outcome of the election. These endorsements are set up in opposition to “paper” endorsements, where an organization lends the imprimatur of its name, perhaps a nominal donation to the candidate’s committee, and little else. 

DSA has done this for a variety of reasons: (1) as a democratic organization dedicating to building socialist power, limiting our endorsements to those where we can make a difference grounds our electoral work in our democratic practice: only those candidates for whom a majority of members want to work get the endorsement; (2) it builds our reputation and power as a serious organization that can make or break a campaign; (3) it helps guard against endorsing candidates who represent the “lesser of two evils”; (4) it makes our endorsement a valuable prize, worth taking a risk and identifying as a socialist and adopting controversial positions to get; and (5) it ensures our electoral work is always linked to work that builds DSA, that creates more socialists, and that puts us in direct contact with the working-class electorate. 

In East Bay DSA, we work in an environment that is perhaps uniquely conducive to serious class struggle candidates, at least on the local level. A rich history of left political activism and a comparatively progressive electorate mean that many candidates identify as democratic socialists or even to the left of that label; local labor unions are far to the left of their counterparts in the Midwest and on the East Coast; and a staggering number of municipalities and elected offices in our region mean that we do not have a single city or even county to focus on. Indeed, East Bay DSA is lucky enough to share its territory with the Richmond Progressive Alliance, one of the inspirations for DSA’s own electoral strategy. And of course, unlike much of the rest of the country, California has local and statewide ballot measures competing for our attention. 

In 2020, this environment led East Bay DSA to endorse seventeen campaigns in seven jurisdictions. No chapter can make a significant intervention in seventeen campaigns in a single year, even the fifth largest chapter in the country. We can argue about whether each of these campaigns was a class struggle election within the meaning of our priority campaign resolution, but even if you were to lop off five you thought shouldn’t have been endorsed, we’re still left with a dozen campaigns–well above our capacity to participate meaningfully. Many of these campaigns were emblematic DSA campaigns: electing a black community organizer to a city council seat in East Bay DSA’s largest city; supporting the Richmond Progressive Alliance’s candidates to win a socialist majority in a factory town ruled by fossil fuel corporate interests for years; participating in a democratic, tenant-organized process to elect a progressive majority to the Berkeley Rent Board; working to overturn key portions of Prop 13, the reactionary tax revolt that has decimated California’s public spending for forty years; etc. 

What is the answer? We propose that East Bay DSA endorse only those campaigns where a significant intervention can be made–where we can send an army. This should be a small number of campaigns where we can and intend to send significant resources, and that intervention will make a difference. We further proposed that East Bay DSA officially supports those campaigns that meet all of our substantive criteria for endorsement–class struggle elections, candidates running as democratic socialists, etc.--but where we will not be able to do significant organizing in support. This would allow us to act in solidarity with our allies even when we have committed our resources elsewhere, and prevent a situation where we have endorsed more campaigns than we can possibly assist. We can focus our energies on campaigns we think will build our power and organization, while not alienating allies who are supporting campaigns that we would decline to endorse primarily out of capacity concerns.

We reiterate: this proposal, for a second tier of electoral campaigns that we support, rather than endorse, is not a call to lower our standards when it comes to substance or policy. In a chapter with an embarrassment of riches–more class struggle elections than we can meaningfully participate in–we propose a way to focus our energies on a small number of campaigns that build our chapter, while supporting a broader number of campaigns that advance class struggle.

Proposed Amendment to Endorsement Process

WHEREAS East Bay DSA has adopted class struggle elections as part of its chapter platform and is committed to building an electoral program;

WHEREAS electoral organizing was chosen as a chapter priority at the 2021 chapter convention;

WHEREAS the class struggle elections platform calls for a robust Electoral Committee and a more rigorous endorsement process 

WHEREAS East Bay DSA endorsed seventeen campaigns in 2020, a number well outside our capacity to meaningful engage with;

WHEREAS we will find ourselves confronted in the future with endorsement requests from genuine class struggle campaigns well outside our capacity to meaningfully engage with;

WHEREAS in order to build power as an independent electoral force, we must act strategically to endorse only those campaigns where we actively build power;

Therefore BE IT RESOLVED that the following process be used to endorse candidates and ballot measures: 

1. Membership in the Electoral Committee will be open to any dues-paying member of East Bay DSA, but the committee can create smaller subcommittees to fulfill its responsibilities in this endorsement process.
2. The Electoral Committee will have the responsibility to research targeted districts and incumbents, and to conduct informal candidate recruitment and informational interviews with respective candidates.
3. The Electoral Committee, in conjunction with other committees, will draft a candidate questionnaire. If multiple kinds of races are being considered (municipal, county, state, etc.), multiple questionnaires may be prepared. Questionnaires will be provided to any interested candidates.
4. The Electoral Committee will review the questionnaires and invite selected candidates to a candidate forum. The Electoral Committee will have the responsibility to produce candidate and district reports on any candidate invited to a forum, which will be circulated to all members who have opted in to Electoral Committee emails in advance of a forum.
5. The Electoral Committee will hold a forum, which any member of East Bay DSA can attend. Candidates who appear will have the opportunity to make a short statement, after which a few minutes of questions from the audience will be taken. Once all candidates are done presenting, all candidates, campaign staff, and journalists will be asked to leave and a discussion will be held. At the end of the forum, or at the end of the last forum if multiple forums are held in the same month, a vote will be taken; any East Bay DSA member present who has attended a prior Electoral Committee meeting will be eligible to vote. 
6. Candidates receiving a majority of votes cast will be recommended for endorsement by the Electoral Committee. Once the vote has been held, the Electoral Committee will make a formal report to the Steering Committee, including all the questionnaires completed by any candidate, all candidate and district reports, and all Electoral Committee recommendation vote results. 
7. The Steering Committee will then agendize all candidates recommended by the Electoral Committee, and may by a majority vote decide to agendize any additional candidates who completed a questionnaire. The endorsements will then be voted on at the next voting General Meeting, and must be approved by a 60% majority of members voting at the General Meeting.
8. When a ballot measure is considered for endorsement, a district report and ballot measure report should be created and submitted to the Electoral Committee for consideration. 
9. The electoral committee may choose to recommend a campaign, and the general membership may vote to adopt such a recommendation, for support instead of endorsement, following the same procedure outlined above. Campaigns that are “supported” rather than “endorsed” will receive fewer resources from the electoral committee and the chapter as a whole. The committee may develop a questionnaire for campaigns that wish to apply for support only that omits questions regarding the logistics of DSA campaign support.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Q&A

DEBATE 

STRAWPOLL: ADVISORY VOTE FAILS via CLEAR MAJORITY

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

B. Resolution to Un-Endorse Mike Hutchinson 

Submitted by: Hillary C, Gerald S, Lawrence L, Abhi K, Ian B, Maura M, Daniel E, Isaac H, Carlos O , Claire R, Max M

Whereas, East Bay DSA endorsed Mike Hutchinson for his district 5 run for school board in November 2020 and provided monetary and labor support for his campaign,

Whereas, an East Bay DSA member and a parent ally of East Bay DSA were paid staffers for Mike Hutchinson’s campaign and did not receive payment for their work after the elections,

Whereas, Mike Hutchinson has been contacted by various individuals and organizations regarding the nonpayment of his staffers and has yet to pay one of them despite indicating a $9,089 surplus at the end of his campaign, which is almost 3 times the amount he owed his staffers, 

Whereas, Mike Hutchinson has publicly announced support for Kyla Johnson-Trammel and Lisa Grant Dawson, both of which have helped create, advocate, and lead the closure of multiple Oakland public schools,

Whereas, as a school board member, Mike Hutchinson did not support a resolution that would have put a pause on school closures, saving three schools from closure at the end of the year,

Therefore be it resolved, the East Bay DSA will an unendorse Mike Hutchinson and take the following actions:

• East Bay DSA will unendorse Mike Hutchinson through a statement to be given to all members of the chapter
• East Bay DSA will not endorse Mike Hutchinson should he ask for an endorsement in the future

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

MOTIVATED BY MAX M

Q&A 

DEBATE

IMPORTANT NOTE: Director Hutchison was expected to appear in person and was given time to speak against the resolution, instead the director opted to attend the meeting through zoom, which did not allow for speakers. As a result, the director never got to speak.

STRAW POLL - ADVISORY VOTE PASSES UNANIMOUSLY

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

BREAK 

• Cream was missing and then recovered.

***EXECUTIVE DECISION - DSA MEMBRS ATTENDING VIA ZOOM ARE ALLOWED TO VOTE***

**UPDATE: QUORUM IS REACHED - ADVISORY VOTES WILL BE REVOTED WITHOUT DEBATES as OFFICIAL (EXECUTIVE) VOTES.

V. Oakland Endorsements 

A. Nikki Fortunato Bas for City Council District 2

The East Bay Electoral Committee voted 13-1 to recommend an endorsement for Nikki Fortunato Bas’s re-election in District 2 Oakland City Council. 

You can find the Oakland District 2 report here and Nikki’s endorsement questionnaire here. 

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

MOTIVATED 

Q&A

Highlight: Q - will you run openly as a socialist? A - Yes.

DEBATE

Highlights:

1. Against - While alot of candidates aren’t afraid of the word Socialism, we should ask candidate about explicitly supporting the definition of socialism. 2. For -The progressive politicians want to work with the DSA.

VOTE: PASSED via CLEAR MAJORITY

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

B. Janani Ramachandran for City Council District 4 

The East Bay Electoral Committee voted 9-4 to recommend an endorsement for Janani Ramachandran’s election in District 2 Oakland City Council. 

You can find the Oakland District 4 report here and Janani’s endorsement questionnaire here. 

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

MOTIVATION

Q&A

DEBATE

Highlights: 1. Against - Unsatisfactory answer of questions on cops and meaning of socialism. 2. For - In a competitive race against establishment candidates so she could use the help. 3. For - Electoral committee recommended her endorsement along with several allied organization that shared DSA’s views.

VOTE: FAILES - 28 YES, 50 NO, 14 ABSTAIN

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

VI. REVOTES: Endorsement Meaning + Implications

OFFICIAL EXECUTIVE VOTES on ADVISORY VOTES

A. REVOTE: CONVENTION AGENDA

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Officially ADOPTED by ACCLIMATION

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

B. REVOTE: RESOLUTION TO AMEND ENDORSEMENT PROCESS TO ADD "SUPPORT" TIER

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Officially FAILED via CLEAR MAJORITY

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

C. REVOTE: RESOLUTION TO UNENDORSE MIKE HUTCHINSON

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Officially PASSES unanimously.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

LUNCH 

Pizza + snacks and coffee

VII. Richmond endorsements

A. Recommendation to Endorse Eduardo Martinez for Richmond Mayor

The East Bay Electoral Committee voted 16-0 to recommend an endorsement for Eduardo Martinez’s election for Richmond Mayor. You can find the Richmond district report here and Eduardo’s endorsement questionnaire here. 

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Motivated by Shiva M

Q&A

DEBATE - no one opposed

VOTE - PASSES unanimously

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Recommendation to Endorse Jamin Pursell for Richmond City Council District 4

The East Bay Electoral Committee voted 12-2 to recommend an endorsement for Jamin Pursell’s election for Richmond City Council District 4. You can find the Richmond district 4 report here and Eduardo’s endorsement questionnaire here. 

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Motivation by Jamin P 

Q&A

DEBATE - no one opposed

VOTE: PASSES VIA CLEAR MAJORITY

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

VIII. Steering Committee candidate statements 

• Hasan A - Co-chair
• Shane R - Co-chair
• Maddy Grace W - Vice Chair
• Carlos O - Recording Secretary
• Graham D - Treasurer
• [No Nominees] - Communications Secretary
• Yari G - At-Large [motivated by Zack W]
• Zac G - At-Large
• Neder G-S - At-Large
• Matthew L - At-Large
• Max M - At-Large
• Renée P - At-Large
• Nick R - At-Large
• Michael S - At-Large
• Matthew T - At-Large [motivated by Ly M]
• Benny Z - At-Large [motivated by Maura M]

IX. Priority Campaign Proposals

A. Labor Solidarity Priority Campaign Proposal

Submitted by: Maddy Grace W. and Richard M.

Preamble

At our last Convention in May 2021, East Bay DSA’s membership adopted a platform with an organizational priority of Rank-and-File Labor Support & Solidarity, asserting that “Winning socialism will require a level of working class organization and militancy not seen in this country for nearly a century.” 

Since then, the level of rank-and-file militancy–nationally and especially in California–has increased sharply. From last Fall’s “Striketober” wave of public- and private-sector labor actions to the stunning rank-and-file organizing victories at Amazon and Starbucks to the gains in union democracy made by reform caucuses at UAW and the Teamsters, it is clear that the U.S. has entered a period in which militant working class struggle is spreading organically. Historically, in periods like this, working class self-activity has spread rapidly, class consciousness grown abruptly, and major classwide gains been won that previously had seemed impossible. Our role as socialists is to support this organic militancy in every way that we can. This requires a sharper focus on the goals and tasks of our labor solidarity work in the coming year, and beyond.

The past successes of East Bay DSA’s labor solidarity work provide a solid grounding for us to scale up to meet the needs and opportunities of the moment. This includes our chapter’s picket line support for AFSCME 3299 workers in their 2018 strike against the University of California, our major strike solidarity campaign in support of the Oakland Education Association’s inspiring 2019 teachers’ strike, our support for the successful 2020 strike of public healthcare workers at SEIU 2021 and CNA against the Alameda Health System, and our solidarity work with the frontline AC Transit workers of ATU 192, including a pre-strike solidarity campaign in 2019 and the hazard pay campaign we helped rank-and-file organizers win this year. 

It also includes the work of the East Bay Labor Solidarity group, which was informally organized by members of East Bay DSA in 2021 as an early response to Striketober, and has, among other things, identified active and potential strike activity, turned out members to picket lines, raised funds, and recruited chapter members to engage in solidarity work with unions such as IUOE 39, NUHW, CNA, OEA, IAM, and Unite Summit, developing the skills and leadership of members in the process. 

A list of concrete, achievable tasks/goals

Goals

Goal 1: Engage hundreds of members of our chapter, and multiple committees and working groups, in supporting worker-led labor struggles during a historic rise in rank-and-file labor militancy, building our capacity as socialist organizers and deepening our relationships with militant members of the East Bay’s multiracial working class.

Goal 2: Across multiple labor struggles, both anticipated and unanticipated, play the historic role of socialists at times of mass rank-and-file labor militancy by (1) providing workplace struggles with decisive organizing support, (2) helping connect them to other struggles, and (3) defending them against class-collaboration and co-optation.  

Goal 3: Support Oakland’s education workers, students, parents and the broader community in winning common-good demands, including better school staffing, safe schools, and an end to school closures. 

Tasks

Task 1: Prepare for and engage in supporting a likely strike of the Oakland Education Association (OEA), building on our successful chapter-wide OEA strike solidarity campaign in 2018-19. This support will be planned and executed in maximum coordination and communication with East Bay DSA’s OEA members.

Task 2: Provide solidarity and material support to other militant labor struggles in the Bay Area, anticipated and unanticipated, and conduct advance planning for anticipated campaigns. The nature of the support, including activities and messaging, will be determined by the needs of the affected workforce.

Task 3: To achieve the foregoing tasks and goals, formalize and expand the existing East Bay Labor Solidarity group into a subcommittee of East Bay DSA’s Labor Committee, tasked with planning, coordinating and/or executing all labor solidarity actions of the chapter. Members of East Bay Labor Solidarity (EBLS) will connect with workers engaged in labor struggle, determine how East Bay DSA can best support them, and then carry out that support, in collaboration with the Labor Committee and other relevant East Bay DSA committees. EBLS will recruit to engage chapter membership in labor solidarity work, both to participate in individual campaigns and in the broader, ongoing committee work of EBLS. 

Task 4: In carrying out this work, EBLS will center membership development and recruitment, using support actions as opportunities to bring in new members, and enable existing members to learn new skills, gain a deeper understanding of class struggle, and build confidence so that members can become skilled organizers and leaders of future solidarity campaigns.

A plan to achieve those goals including, if possible, who will be responsible for organizing each task

The members who have signed in support of this resolution have each pledged to be part of the East Bay Labor Solidarity Committee and/or to engage in other parts of this campaign by playing a range of leadership and other roles, including recruiting dozens more members to engage in the planning and execution of the campaign.

The East Bay Labor Solidarity Committee will prepare, with input from multiple committees and working groups within the chapter, a detailed implementation plan. That plan will include the following components, among others:

• Monitor emerging East Bay labor struggles in order to become aware of solidarity opportunities by using existing means and developing new ones. (Examples: following social media and emails of various unions and labor councils, actively researching unions in the area, establishing individual contacts in various sectors and workplaces.)
• When a solidarity opportunity is discovered, spread the word within the chapter to activate a list of interested members and committees within the chapter to engage in the campaign working group. (Examples: Majority articles, chapter email and text blasts, phone and text banking, presentations at membership and committee meetings.)
• For each solidarity opportunity, engage interested members and committees within the chapter in activities that include:

1. Establishing contacts and developing trust with the relevant union(s) at the rank-and-file level and, where possible, with elected leadership.
2. Assessing the situation with the union contacts to discover the major demands and solidarity needs, and preparing a “game plan” for the struggle to fulfill the asks. (Examples: picket turnout, fundraising, direct action, media.)
3. Based on the “game plan,” recruit East Bay DSA members to fill necessary roles and form a campaign working group. This working group will exist for the duration of the struggle and take responsibility for its support.
4. Execute the game plan while maintaining regular communication with the union contacts and East Bay DSA’s membership. In particular, EBLS shall maintain regular communication with, and rely on input and leadership from, the chapter’s Labor Committee and East Bay DSA members who are union members in particular sectors, such as the Education Workers Labor Circle. 
5. For larger/longer-term campaigns, assist other committees and/or workers directly involved in the struggle in holding educational meetings about the struggle in question.
6. Hold a debrief discussion of the campaign, documenting lessons learned, and setting out next steps for continuing to build the relationships with the union and its rank-and-file leaders.

• Plan events, media, and other forms of outreach to recruit new members to campaign working groups, including members of East Bay DSA, other local DSA and YDSA chapters, and interested union and community members.
• In the case of labor actions that have a scope broader than the East Bay, collaborate with the Labor Committee of California DSA, and other DSA and YDSA chapters engaged in the campaign. 
• Provide opportunities for our members to develop their organizing and leadership skills. (Examples: bottomlining a phone bank, graphic design, writing for Majority, research, 1:1s, strategic analysis and leadership, co-leading a campaign working group.)
• Report back at monthly Labor Committee meetings. Hold regular, open meetings of the East Bay Labor Solidarity Subcommittee to keep members updated on fast-moving developments, share updates from campaign working groups and others on the latest work, and promote/recruit for ongoing game plans.

Measures of the campaign’s success will include:

• How many militant labor struggles East Bay DSA supports on the picket lines, through communications, and in other ways
• How many DSA members actively engage in the work of EBLS (target: 2 dozen or more)
• How many DSA members engage in labor solidarity activities overall (target: 100 or more)
• How many new members, including workers, join DSA through relationships forged in the labor struggles we support

Request for resources from chapter, if necessary

This urgent priority campaign, like the Bernie Sanders campaign in 2018-20, will require a major mobilization of our members to successfully support the rapidly-spreading consciousness and self-activity of the multiracial working class, as we can anticipate a number of major strikes and unionization efforts occurring in rapid succession and/or simultaneously. 

This campaign will require access to the EBDSA NationBuilder and Spoke accounts, the ability to phone bank and email East Bay DSA membership as needed, and physical chapter materials such as banners. It will also require support from chapter social media and design volunteers. 

The need for extraordinary financial resources is not currently anticipated, but the East Bay Labor Solidarity Subcommittee will assess and bring any financial needs to the attention of the Steering Committee as soon as they arise. For instance, the East Bay Labor Solidarity Subcommittee may consider recommending that the chapter vote to create, and fundraise for, a standing chapter strike or campaign fund.

A fundraising plan, if significant monetary resources are needed

Not applicable, see above. However, it is possible that campaigns will engage in fundraising efforts to contribute to strike funds, or another effort along the lines of the Bread for Ed project we mounted in support of the 2019 Oakland teachers’ strike.

10 signatures of members who are interested in organizing the campaign

(Names in bold are members who have committed to participate in and/or lead East Bay Labor Solidarity; others have committed to participate in campaign and recruitment activities)

• Maddy Grace W. 
• Medb G. 
• Hasan A. 
• Tim T. 
• Carla W. 
• Richard M. 
• Keith B.B.
• Ashley P. 
• Cyn H.
• Zach M. 
• Lexi R.
• Ana M.
• Jamie G.
• Abigail G-G
• Ari M.
• Dori G.
• Daria K.
• Ella T. 
• Joty D. 
• Matt S.
• Michael S.
• Molly S.
• Nathan S.
• Shane R. 
• Tim M. 
• Vilma S.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Motivated by Hasan A

Q&A

DEBATE - no one opposed

VOTE: PASSES CLEAR MAJORITY 

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

B. Richmond Progressive Alliance Priority Campaign Proposal 

Preamble

As a political institution, the Richmond Progressive Alliance (RPA) is unique nationally. The RPA does not simply put candidates in office; it endeavors to connect and ally with movements. Once in office, its politicians see themselves as organizers, tasked with bringing together a coalition to win the demands they have campaigned on. To do so, the RPA campaigns year round on issues that are widely and deeply felt by the residents of Richmond, fights that they can join and help lead. The organization has cultivated a political identity independent of the two party system and in many ways offers a model of what an independent political party could look like at the local level. 

The RPA and its corporate money-free candidates offer a path to a better world. For over a decade the RPA has organized a multiracial coalition that has taken back control of the previously Chevron-controlled City Council, imposed millions in new taxes on the fossil fuel giant, and won such demands as rent control, a $15 minimum wage, and a ban on coal storage in Richmond. Today the RPA is continuing to fight against the business interests of Richmond, who have united in the Richmond Business Political Action Committee (RichPAC). This Chamber of Commerce-funded group has set out to overturn progressive and democratically decided decisions such as the RPA supported and voter approved Measure U, which will make Richmond’s local tax system more progressive, as well as rent control, which the RPA helped pass in the city several years ago.

The political stakes of this campaign are high. At stake is the continued work in Richmond by the RPA, Reimagine Richmond and others to reallocate police funding, an effort that will certainly be overturned if a council majority is lost. Richmond is currently a testing ground for separating the police unions from the broader labor movement and the outcome of this election will be a major factor in that fight. The RPA model is also serving as a template in other East Bay cities, most recently Antioch, and a victory would spur on new organizing of this type. Both Eduardo and Jamin are members of EBDSA and once elected will provide a direct route to engaging with policy making and organizing from within office. 

By standing together with the RPA to help elect our fellow members and comrades to office we can help win the mayor’s seat of Richmond, secure an RPA majority on council, involve hundreds of working class Richmond residents in the fight against corporate power, and help build a model for how workers, environmentalists, and community members can change the world. 

We live in the richest country in the history of the world, yet our streets are riddled with potholes, unhoused people go hungry on the streets of our cities, and massive corporations profit off of oil, coal, and gas extraction while the forests of California burn and our cities are choked with smoke. Climate change poses an existential threat to humanity, yet corporate politicians, Democrats and Republicans alike, continue to do the bidding of the fossil fuel companies while the Earth hangs in the balance.

There is a different way. We can take on the fossil fuel companies, the real estate conglomerates, and the crony politicians they call their puppets. We can win a world built on humanity, growth, and solidarity, but only if ordinary working class people lead the way.

Goals 

Goal 1: Help the RPA build its corporate money-free movement in Richmond

For decades the RPA has been fighting to take back control of Richmond from a City government that has historically been bought and paid for by Chevron and other corporate interests in the city. They have done so by standing up for the rights of workers, immigrants, the environment and much more, refusing all corporate donations, and pulling back the curtain on the lies propagated by corporations, the real estate lobby, corporate landlords, and the corporate establishment of the Democratic party. By supporting this campaign we endeavor to help RPA advance its cause of building a movement of and by working people to take on the rich and powerful.

Goal 2: Bring ordinary people into the fight against Chevron and for a safe, healthy, and flourishing Richmond

In EBDSA we have long believed that winning elections alone will not change the world. The RPA is out to win both of these races and we feel confident that together we can do so. But beyond winning an election, our goal is to inspire the people we meet to believe that change is possible, but only if they fight for it. Through this campaign we endeavor to build working class organization and power in Richmond and beyond. We hope to end the campaign with a stronger, and more organized multiracial working class base in Richmond that can help make the RPA’s and East Bay DSA’s demands a reality. 

Goal 3: Raise political consciousness about the corporations vying for control of Richmond, and the movement of workers, environmental activists, and community members fighting to make Richmond work for ordinary people

Through every canvassing conversation, phone call, rally, and post we will work to raise public consciousness of the fact that corporations in Richmond and everywhere profit off the exploitation of workers and our communities. We will help others understand that the world we live in is not a given but can be changed through our collective action. 

Goal 4: Learn from the RPA model of political independence in our efforts to move towards an independent political party 

The RPA has established a political identity independent of the two parties of capital. EBDSA holds as a longer term goal the formation of an independent political party of and for the working class. In our efforts on this front we have a unique and exciting opportunity to learn from the RPA model, its political independence, year round campaigns and rejection of corporate money. By engaging EBDSA members from neighboring jurisdictions, this campaign will enable the RPA model to serve as a learning hub for EBDSA organizers throughout the chapter, including West Contra Costa County, informing and inspiring campaigns throughout the region.

Goal 5: Deepen the relationship between RPA and EBDSA

While EBDSA and the RPA share many political goals, the interpersonal relationships between our two organizations could be stronger. In the past we have supported numerous RPA candidates among them “Team Richmond'' slate for City Council last election and Jovanka Beckles in multiple races. By participating in this campaign we hope to strengthen relationships across our organizations, with activists, leaders, and RPA politicians themselves. We know we have much to learn from one another and will be stronger the more we engage in struggle together. 

Goal 6: Offer EBDSA members the opportunity to learn hands on organizing skills in a campaign whose strategy is based on involving ordinary people to change the world

Through this electoral campaign EBDSA members will have the opportunity to learn a variety of core organizing skills including deep door-to-door canvassing, public speaking, event planning and turnout, and GOTV. While housed within the Electoral Committee, this campaign has the opportunity to bring together organizers from across the chapter — involving members with a broad range of interests and skillsets to work together towards a shared goal.

Our goal is to organize at least 10 canvasses/phone banks and involve upwards of 100 volunteers over the course of supporting the RPA campaigns. Our goal is for at least 50 of those volunteers to be people who live in Richmond. 

Goal 7: Help build EBDSA’s base of support and organization in Richmond and beyond

Richmond is a historically black and brown working class city. Historically, however, EBDSA has had a smaller membership base in Richmond than in Berkeley and Oakland. Through this campaign we hope to build a stronger and broader base of support and organization in Richmond, paving the way for future campaigns and recruiting Richmond residents to join EBDSA. There is already an effort underway by EBDSA members to build a branch in West Contra Costa County. This campaign will offer an exciting political opportunity for that group to grow around. The RPA is engaged in a concerted effort to support a group of young organizers of color who are energized about progressive politics and participation in this campaign would be an exciting opportunity to work with them. 

Plan

Turnout to RPA canvasses:

• Organizing phonebanks to turn out groups of DSA members and non-DSA Richmond residents to canvasses in Richmond. The goal is to recruit groups of DSA members to go together to an RPA canvass instead of hosting our own — helping to build relationships between volunteers from both organizations.
• Using EBDSA’s network and membership data / comms to recruit volunteers. 

Richmond Socials:

• Organize DSA social events that coincide with canvasses to help create a bond between RPA volunteers and DSA volunteers, in addition to recruiting Richmond residents to EBDSA.

Political education:

• Host political education events related to core issues in Richmond and the RPA candidate platforms. This is an opportunity for political education of both EBDSA members and RPA supporters who are not yet DSA members.

Media and communications:

• Social media support for RPA campaign events, including technical support with media creation such as graphics, photography, etc.
• Majority articles to support campaign and build political consciousness regarding key issues in Richmond 

Resource Needs

To succeed, campaign organizers will require access to the EBDSA NationBuilder and Spoke accounts, the ability to phone bank and email EBDSA membership as needed, and physical chapter materials including but not limited to pop up tents, chairs, banners, etc. We will also require support at times from chapter social media and design volunteers. 

Aside from the use of existing chapter tools and resources, this effort will likely require purchases of supplies for canvassers (ex. snacks, sunscreen, etc), and the ability to reserve space and purchase supplies for social events and meetings related to the campaign (food, drink, printing, etc)

In addition, we propose printing new DSA shirts and other swag so that our members may clearly identify themselves at canvasses and social events when interacting with other volunteers from RPA and members of the community.

In general we expect the campaign to require a budget of roughly $1,000-$1,500.

Fundraising Plan

Donation requests will be made at all campaign events and during phone banks to raise funds. Any swag that is produced will recoup costs through suggested donations.

Signatures of members who will organize this campaign

• Mark G
• Ari M
• Cyn H
• Daria K
• Maddy Grace W
• Abigail GG
• Zach W
• Bonnie L
• Zach M
• Yari G
• Ted F

SIGN THE INTEREST FORM HERE.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Motivated by Cyn

Q&A

DEBATE

VOTE: PASSES via CLEAR MAJORITY

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

BREAK 

IX. Structural Resolutions

A. Resolution for East Bay DSA to Hire a Staffer

Submitted by Kat O’Toole, Shane Ruiz, Ian Miller, Maddy Grace Webbon, Lindsey Moore, Nathan Swedlow, Andrew Richner, Nick Ratto, Michael Tal, Sean Murphy, Mark Gabriel, Matt Stone, Joty Dhaliwal, Jennifer Arbuckle, Lexi Ross, Annika Bastacky, Zac Goldstein, Bonnie Lockhart, Max Lapides, Abigail Gutmann-Gonzalez, Maria Curiel

Whereas, winning socialism will mean building DSA into a fighting, working class organization, which requires a considerable amount of political organizing as well as dependable, consistent operational and administrative labor to support it,

Whereas, we are currently an all-volunteer organization in the most expensive metropolitan area in the country and our members have limited time to contribute to our work,

Whereas, we want all members to be able to engage with chapter work in ways that are energizing and sustainable so we can retain a confident, active membership,

Whereas, our members who serve in operational and administrative in roles where they are sole keepers of resources needed by the whole chapter are burning out and unable to find comrades willing and able to take over these roles,

Whereas, national DSA has recognized the need for paid staff to support operational tasks in large local chapters by offering matching funds through Resolution #30,

Whereas, we are currently the largest local chapter of DSA that has not yet taken the step to hire a staffer,

Therefore, be it resolved that East Bay DSA Steering Committee is authorized to hire staff to complete up to 40 hours/per week organizing our membership to complete the following administrative and operational tasks

• Fundraising
• Locating and Managing an East Bay DSA Office (+ managing the storage unit until an office is rented)
• Database management
• Website Management
• Zoom Schedule Management
• Membership Communication (Newsletter, Email Blasts, Spoke)

Therefore, be it resolved that the East Bay DSA Steering Committee will take applications from all interested members in the chapter and that the job posting will be communicated through an all-member email and at membership meetings, 

Therefore, be it resolved that the chapter chairs will interview the applicants and provide a recommendation and contract for Steering Committee approval,

Therefore, be it resolved that the General Membership will vote to ratify the Steering Committee’s staff selection at a regular General Membership meeting,

Therefore, be it resolved that the staff is not empowered to make political decisions and that their actions and priorities are to be decided directly by the Steering Committee, 

Therefore, be it resolved that a supervisor to the staff will be elected by the Steering Committee from among the Steering Committee,

Therefore, be it resolved that the Steering Committee will present a regular report at General Membership meetings on the state of staff work.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

MOTIVATED by SHane R and KAT O

Q&A

DEBATE

VOTE: PASSES via CLEAR MAJORITY

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

B. Resolution for Quarterly General Meetings + Re-Establishing a Meetings Cmte 

Submitted by Shane R, Annika B, Andrew R, Katherine O, Graham D, Jess B, Lindsey M, Maddy Grace W, and Mark G

Whereas, in the last year, of our six General Membership meetings, only two have achieved quorum,

Whereas, since 2020 the Meetings Committee tasked with planning General Membership meetings has been non-existent and General Membership meetings have fallen mostly on the Steering Committee members to execute,

Whereas, there has been very little interest from members to help plan and execute General Membership meetings every other month,

Whereas, our bylaws only require the General Membership to meet every three months,

Whereas, we should maximize member time toward political campaigns and organizing workers, 

Whereas, quarterly membership meetings will free up chapter and branch leaders to run more local socials that help build camaraderie in a lower stakes environment than a debate meeting,

Therefore, be it resolved that East Bay DSA will reduce it’s current bi-monthly General Membership meeting schedule to once every three months (quarterly),

Therefore, be it resolved that members can petition the steering committee for a special meeting with 20 signatories and that the steering committee will debate and vote on such a petition within two weeks of submission, 

Therefore, be it resolved that East Bay DSA Steering Committee reserves the right to call special membership meetings to discuss urgent matters,

Therefore, be it resolved that the Steering Committee will make it a priority to re-establish a Meetings Committee dedicated to organizing the quarterly General Membership meetings

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Motivated by Shane R

RESOLUTION Q&A

MOTION TO DIVIDE TO QUESTION, SECONDED

MOTION VOTE: PASSES with 37 YES; 21 NO

DEBATE the 1ST THREE THEREFORES

The Quarterly Meeting portion

MOTION to extend time to 15 minutes; seconded -

MOTION VOTE: FAILS via CLEAR MAJORITY

MOTION to call to question; seconded -

MOTION VOTE: PASSES VIA ACCLIMATION

VOTE on the 1ST 3 THEREFORES - PASSES via CLEAR MAJORITY 

DEBATE ON THE 4TH THEREFORE

The Meetings Committee portion

No against

VOTE on the 4TH THEREFORE - PASSES via CLEAR MAJORITY

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

X. 3:25 - 4:00 Bylaws Amendments 

A. Amendment to Dissolve the Communications Secretary Position & Add an At-Large Seat 

Submitted by Kat O’Toole, Molly Stuart, Lexi Ross, Shane Ruiz, Maddy Grace Webbon, Graham Denevan, Michael Tal, Zac Goldstein, Mark Gabriel, Annika Bastacky, Max Lapides, Andrew Richner, Jennifer Arbuckle

Preamble

Communication is one of the central functions of a healthy socialist organization. We need to make our messaging strong and clear to be able to succeed at the work we have ahead of us. We should strive for a chapter in which every member is able to formulate clear messaging on the work they do. 

The Communications Secretary role was created to suit a very different organizational context for EBDSA, but is incompatible with the way our chapter functions currently. As our chapter’s active membership numbers have dipped and comrades holding other Communications-related leadership roles have cycled out in the past few years, this role has expanded beyond just managing the newsletter and website to informally include running the Communications Committee, serving as a contact for several channels of social media and supporting new leaders to take on East Bay Majority. As a chapter, we have developed the habit of asking a single person to be the point of contact for all labor related to communications. In our current engagement lull, there are oftentimes not communications-skilled folks at the ready to fulfill requests, which leaves the Secretary in a position where they can be a deadend or do the work themselves. Rather than being carried out by a single volunteer member of this org, the duties outlined in this role should be carried out by the committees doing the political work itself. We need to develop members who can confidently carry out Communications work in every corner of the chapter while allowing those members to remain engaged in the political work that motivates them. 

Having a single person in the chapter tasked with an unmanageable workload is a recipe for burnout and a missed opportunity for leadership development. This role has burned out some very dedicated comrades and we should dissolve it in order to allow a stronger, more collaborative network of Comms folks to share the work while staying connected to the political work they are creating messaging to advance.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

• MOTIVATED by Kat O
• Q&A
• Highlight: Point of order - is the last resolution we voted for now in effect? - At the next steering committee. 
• DEBATE
• MOTION TO CALL TO QUESTION
• STRAW POLL - UNANIMOUS FAVORABILITY

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

B. Amendment to Rotate Chairs of Chapter Meetings 

Submitted by Izzy M, Mayank M, Max M, Zoe S, Oliver F, Doug W, Abrar A, Lawrence L, Ian F, and Genean W

Preamble

Motivation and context

General Meetings and conventions are the lifeblood of our chapter's democracy. They are the primary formal avenue for the membership to collectively exercise control over the activities of the organization.

Robert's Rules permit meeting facilitators (currently the chapter co-chairs) a large degree of discretion in how a meeting is run. The beliefs of an individual facilitator (political and otherwise) can have significant influence over how the meeting is run: who is called on to speak, in practice how much time is allotted to each agenda item, and even whether rules should be enforced.

All of this in turn has an influence on the outcome of the meeting: e.g., members may not hear all sides of a debate depending on which speakers are selected, which then influences how members vote.

While it is not possible to eliminate the bias of an individual facilitator in a given meeting, it is possible to prevent it from shaping the chapter's direction on longer timescales by selecting the chair randomly, from a list of qualified members, before each meeting, so that no single individual's beliefs have an undue influence.

Moreover, this structure gives members a significant opportunity to develop as leaders and become more involved in chapter life. Most leadership positions, being yearly, afford the opportunity to facilitate meetings to very few people. Conversely, having per-meeting chairs would give a leadership opportunity to many more members of our chapter, and to those who may not have the time for the responsibilities of a position like chapter co-chair.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Motivated by Izzy M

MOTION to EXTEND by 10 minutes; seconded, PASSED by CLEAR MAJORITY

Moved to Debate

MOTION TO call to question, seconded - passed - clear majority

STRAW POLL - Clear unfavorability

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

ADJOURNED