Steering Committee Minutes: December 13th 2020
East Bay DSA
Steering Committee Meeting Agenda
December 13th, 2020
2-5 pm
Zoom link
Steering Committee Agenda
Introductions/Opening Statements
Matt started the meeting at 2:05
Chairs Allie L and Matt S., and Vice Chair Will S. were in attendance. The Recording Secretary (AJ A.) was present and taking notes. Also in attendance was Treasurer Lindsey M., Communications Secretary Rex LC, Annika B., Carlos O., Miguel B., Benny Z., Luci R., Luke T.
Approval of Agenda
- Consent Agenda
The consent agenda passed unanimously
Committee Reports
- Finance
- About $17,000 in the bank
- Projected expenses through December approximately $2000-2500
- Recording Secretary’s Report
- No new resolutions passed since GM
- Emails from new members trying to get connected with Chapter work, need to find way to help MEC with engaging new members
Discussion items
- GM Amendments Process
- CA DSA Update
- Motivated by Will
- Renee to run as representative for our chapter
- Proportional representation is proposed method of representation for CA DSA. 100-150 members.
- Oakland Budget & Comms
- Motivated by Luci
- Want a website as detailed in Oakland budget similar to the https://buffywicks.money/
- Matt spoke to idea of now having people in office to use majority as a political issue to build skill sets into budgetary similar to Chicago DSA (Red Star Bulletin)
- HGOs Update
- Fully up and running
- In need of one HGO and Steward
5 min break
Political Discussion
Allie led the discussion on EBDSA Year in Review
- Year in Review
- What went well this year? Where does EBDSA need to improve?
- How did the pandemic affect our organizing? What has been successful in responding, and where do we still need to improve?
- We managed to rack up a lot of wins in the midst of a chaotic year. AHS strike, Save Richmond Libraries, Bernie Campaign, etc.
- One problem we have witnessed is an erosion of activist layer of EBDSA, we need to find ways to engage and to activists.
- Cohering the idea of the chapter was kind of all over the place this year (ie scattered).
- We’ve done a good job uniting the chapter, but haven't been able to successfully do this for a long term project.
- Encouraging that the Hayward
- We didn't have an existing electoral committee able to handle everything thrown our way this year.
- SC ran on expanding beyond our regular base, how are we relating to that
- Want to think about how we can do more focused political education? We have seen a drop off in Night School attendance due to other committees doing their own pol ed.
- Where do we go next?
- How do we build an effective statewide structure and statewide campaigns?
- How do we build durable organization across EBDSA’s local territory?
- How do we prioritize effectively as a chapter?
- How can we continue developing new leaders in our chapter?
- How can we begin developing long-term strategy as a chapter?
- We need to start setting up a framework for a long term plan similar to Chicago DSA “Four Year plan”.
- Area that we need to build a more sophisticated plan and campaign is with a campaign like Defund Police.
- Before we engage in a campaign, vote on the priorities and concurrently assess the work that we are doing, is this worthwhile? What did we accomplish?
New Business
Matt S. is now chairing the meeting
Resolution to Produce Masks
Submitted by Joe C. and Max M.
Cosigners: Genean Wrisley, Brian Bartz, Lucas Meier, Joseph Ferrera, Abrar Abidi, Hillary Chen
Whereas the COVID-19 pandemic will intensify over the coming months, with the recently surpassed death toll of 250,000 potentially doubling by March [1].
Whereas the U.S. continues to experience PPE shortages, especially of high filtration-efficiency masks [2].
Whereas high filtration-efficiency masks are the best protection against the virus [3]. However, most people only have access to surgical masks, cloth masks, bandanas, or neck gaiters, which are poor filters of aerosolized particles.
Whereas we have a recipe to produce high filtration-efficiency masks.
Whereas the Common Humanity Collective has offered to donate all consumable mask-making materials.
Whereas Hayward Community Coalition members and North Bay DSA members have expressed interest in in-person builds, offering a way to collaborate with other orgs and chapters.
Whereas distributing masks presents an opportunity to save lives, organize new and/or paper members into DSA, spread DSA’s message, and build relationships in the community.
Therefore, be it resolved, East Bay DSA will schedule virtual or in-person mask builds.
Therefore, be it resolved, East Bay DSA will contact members via phone and email in order to distribute masks to members.
Therefore, be it resolved, East Bay DSA will continue to fundraise for tools (staplers, papercutters, folding tables, etc).
Therefore, be it resolved, East Bay DSA will try to work with Classroom Justice Campaign, Carroll Fife, Jovanka Beckles and other endorsed campaigns/projects to distribute.
[2] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7531934/
- Max M motivated the resolution
- 9-2 Call to question to end debate passes.
- Vote is 5-5-1 (Lindsey M., Miguel B., Annika B., Will S. Luke T vote NO. AJ A., Allie L., Luci R., Benny Z., and Carlos O. vote YES. Rex LC abstains.)Matt S. as chair breaks the tie with a YES, the resolution passes
Meeting was adjourned at 4:34 pm
CONSENT AGENDA
Resolution to Fund EBDSA M4A Political Education Event
Submitted by Luke T, Eric V, and Raha
Whereas the EBDSA campaign to win single payer made political education a key tactic,
Whereas the EBDSA campaign to win single payer is planning a discussion and screening of Power to Heal with the RSC on 12/17,
Whereas screening Power to Heal costs $274.38
Therefore be it resolved that the chair of the single payer campaign committee be reimbursed $274.38 to reserve a screening for our chapter.