East Bay DSA 

Steering Committee Meeting Agenda

January 17th, 2021

2-4 pm

Introductions/Opening Statements 

Allie started the meeting at 2:05p.m.

Approval of Agenda

1. Consent Agenda

• Resolution to Reimburse Molly S. for AHS Campaign Expenses
• Resolution to appoint Jess B. and Neder G.S. co-chairs of EBDSA's Electoral Committee
• Resolution to Endorse the APTP “Reclaim MLK’s Radical Legacy” car caravan & the anti far-right coalition action car caravan

The consent agenda passes by affirmation

Committee Reports 

1. Finance 

• Bank balance at almost $18,000
• Mask build has raised about $550 for fundraising towards masks

1. Recording Secretary’s Report

• Email has been quiet
• No email resolutions passed since GM

Discussion items

1. Local Convention in May

• How do we navigate the issue of priorities and the one or two big campaigns we go all in on?
• Through political education and democratic nature of our chapter on where there is cohesion to act on certain issues
• Going to have to figure out how we are doing not only a steering committee election but also a delegate convention
• With delegate election we can tap former SC to do back end data (OPA Vote)
• Not a clear path for new members to get oriented in chapter and pathway to leadership
• Pathway to leadership, needs to be political education, various how to’s (how to run for committee chair, etc)
• COW - AJ, Allie, Matt, Rex, Will, Hasan to plan Convention timeline. Should get a meeting in the next week or so

1. Inauguration Response

• Will is now chairing the meeting
• Do we have a national comms strategy?
• Monitoring activity at the Capitol
• California Single Payer campaign to get Newsom waiver, and strategy around our campaigns to agitate
• Comms team is being rebooted

5 min break 

New Business 

1. Resolution Creating a People’s Transit Alliance Subcommittee
2. Grievance Update (motion for closed session) [Allie]

CONSENT AGENDA

Resolution to Reimburse Molly S. for AHS Campaign Expenses

Submitted by Lindsey M.

Whereas East Bay DSA participated in 2020 strike support efforts with the workers of the Alameda Health System and member Molly S. was key leader in the chapter’s campaign,

Whereas Molly S. spent personal funds in the amount of $380 on art supplies for member-made posters and picket signs for chapter members to help visualize and amplify East Bay DSA’s socialist messaging and support of the worker’s during the strike,

Whereas it was understood at the time of purchase by Molly S. that SEIU 1021 would potentially be able to reimburse her for the art supplies and picket signs, and as such she did not ask for chapter reimbursement at the time of purchase,

Whereas the union was ultimately unable to reimburse Molly S. for the art supply/picket sign purchase,

Whereas the East Bay DSA Treasurer is not permitted to authorize member reimbursements in excess of $200 without Steering Committee approval,

Therefore be it resolved that East Bay DSA reimburse member Molly S. in the amount of $380 for art supply costs for member-made posters and picket signs for the 2020 AHS Strike Campaign.

Resolution to appoint Jess B. and Neder G.S. co-chairs of EBDSA's Electoral Committee

Submitted by Lindsey M., Jess B., and Neder G.S.

Whereas East Bay DSA’s general membership passed a Class Struggle Elections priority resolution at the 2020 Convention, which tasks the chapter with creating an “Electoral Committee...that is capable of and empowered to identify strategic races, prepare our own candidates to run for office, do key research, communications, fundraising, and field work, and create a more rigorous endorsements process;”

Whereas, cohering and building a committee capable of achieving the mandate described above in advance of the next electoral cycle will require considerable time and effort, research and planning, and leadership development;

Whereas Lindsey M. is the current chair of the Electoral Committee, Miguel B. has stepped back from the Electoral Committee for the time being, and Jess B. and Neder G.S. have shown dedication to and leadership in the project of rebuilding the Electoral Committee, and have as such been acting as interim/unofficial co-chairs;

Therefore be it resolved that Miguel B. will step down as co-chair of the committee and Jess B., Neder G.S. and Lindsey M. will serve as co-chairs for the next six months, at which point there is to be a leadership election within the committee;

Be it further resolved that the Electoral Committee chairs are tasked with recruiting and developing new members to the committee based on their participation in chapter electoral campaigns and the endorsements process over the last election cycle.

Resolution to Endorse the APTP “Reclaim MLK’s Radical Legacy” car caravan & the anti far-right coalition action car caravan

Submitted by AJ A.

Whereas For seven years running, the APTP Reclaim MLK event has been the only MLK March in the city of Oakland and brings together thousands of people across race, class and political ideology with a commitment to build a just and equitable Oakland that Dr. King would be proud of,

Whereas the demands of the action align with (but are not limited to) the demands of the Defund OPD campaign to:

-  Cut OPD’s allocation from the general fund by 50%

-  Redirect funds to invest in housing, jobs, youth programs, restorative justice, mental health workers and other services that actually keep us safe

-  Discontinue unauthorized overtime by OPD

-  An immediate response to the violence in our streets that is NOT rooted in the carceral state.

Whereas this action will be held on Monday January 18th from 12p.m. to 4p.m., starting at the port of oakland and ending at the Eastmont Mall,

Whereas In the aftermath of the riot at the capitol, the far right is planning actions across the country in the days leading up to the inauguration. It's critical that the left organize to demonstrate how isolated the far right really is,

Whereas Socialist Alternative and other coalition groups (La Voz) will also be leading a small speaking program and car caravan called “Stop Trumpism and the Far Right”  starting at the Laney baseball field that will meet up with the larger APTP rally beginning at 11a.m.,

 Whereas Socialist Alternative has asked our chapter to sign on as as a co-host/sponsor of the event, as well as having a speaker representing the chapter for a small speech,

 Therefore it be resolved our Chapter signs on as a co-host of the facebook event and find a speaker for the “Stop Trumpism and the Far Right” rally,

 Therefore it be further resolved that our chapter send an email and/or spoke blast to let our membership know that these events are happening and that we plan to have an organized contingent present at these events,

NEW BUSINESS

Resolution Creating a People’s Transit Alliance Subcommittee

Submitted by Katy S.S., Nick R., Jess B.

Whereas in 2020 East Bay DSA endorsed, and successfully led a campaign to elect Jovanka Beckles, who ran at the request of ATU 192 for a seat on the board of AC Transit; 

Whereas Jovanka’s electoral platform centered on public transit as a right for all to be provided by the government, fare-free, zero emission transit, the protection of workers’ rights, and racial justice;

Whereas a committee that can conduct transit policy research is important to Jovanka as a class struggle elected official, and to the movement of which she is a part, so as to organize mass support to grow the movement to win her proposals on the AC Transit Board;

Whereas Jovanka’s electoral team was comprised of almost entirely of East Bay DSA members, many of whom are committed to continuing the fight to implement Jovanka’s electoral platform;

Whereas our 2020-21 Priorities Resolution includes a plank on “Transit for the People: From Jovanka for AC Transit to a Green New Deal” which states that our chapter shall “work for the key goals articulated in Jovanka’s campaign” and “[b]uild a replicable model of Electoral Campaign to Ongoing Organizing;” 

Whereas our chapter will be breaking ground in learning how to support Jovanka and leverage her seat to advance socialism;

Whereas it would be beneficial to our chapter to share with the Electoral Committee how we relate to Jovanka and her seat, and to learn from other electoral activists how they are relating to the endorsed electeds they campaigned for;

Whereas the Jovanka campaign worked with union members, elected union leaders, the Sunrise Movement, and other allies to elect Jovanka;

Whereas the PTA and the Green New Deal for Transit Subcommittee held a joint meeting and conducted a straw poll, and it was jointly agreed that both groups should be separate and not merge at this time;

Therefore be it resolved that the People’s Transit Alliance (“PTA”) is formed as a subcommittee of the Electoral Committee;

Be it further resolved that the PTA will work to win Jovanka’s platform through conducting research to turn her platform into concrete policy, creating media, organizing workers and riders to take action, and attending agency board meetings, among other tactics; 

Be it further resolved that the PTA will work to invite to the PTA: union members, Sunrise members, and other key allies in the fight for transit equity and a socialist transit system;

Be it further resolved that due to the sensitive nature of our work with Jovanka, the PTA will be invite-only, with entry points for chapter members and allies to get involved;

Be it further resolved that the initial co-chairs shall be Katy S.S. and Nick R;

Be it further resolved that the PTA may coordinate with the Green New Deal Transportation Subcommittee on work that overlaps;

Be it further resolved that the initial budget for the PTA will be $500 for the year, with additional funding requests to be made to the Steering Committee as appropriate, for expenses which may include a website, posters at bus stops, and flyers at actions.

Katy SS motivated the resolution

Vote on Resolution to Create PTA Subcommittee passes unanimously 

Allie is now chairing the meeting

The committee voted to move into executive session

The meeting was adjourned at 3:59 p.m.