Seattle Democratic Socialists of America

Housing Collective (El Grupo para Organizar su Edificio) – Online Meeting
2021-03-03 17:30 - 19:00, 2021-04-07 17:30 - 19:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Online (Zoom Call), WA
The Housing Collective is a group of Seattle area tenants who meet every month to learn and teach each other concrete, effective organizing skills to build power at home.
If you’re worried about an eviction, maintenance issues that are going unaddressed, or general mistreatment from your landlord, this meeting is for you.
This month we will be having a presentation about eviction defense.
Can’t make this event but you’d like to discuss how to improve your housing situation? Email the event organizers at housing@seattledsa.org to set up a one-on-one appointment.
Zoom Call Info available upon signing up here.

District 4 Reading Group: The Wretched of the Earth
2021-03-05 18:30 - 20:00 | Online (Zoom Call), WA
Join the District 4 reading group March 5th at 6:30pm to read the classic “The Wretched of the Earth” by Frantz Fanon — https://grattoncourses.files.wordpress.com/2019/12/frantz-fanon-richard-philcox-jean-paul-sartre-homi-k.-bhabha-the-wretched-of-the-earth-grove-press-2011.pdf. We will be reading the first three series of the last chapter “Colonial War and Mental Disorders”, pages 181-216 in Richard Philcox’s translation.
This event is open to DSA members and anyone curious about DSA.
Zoom Details:
https://washington.zoom.us/j/92664693099
Meeting ID: 926 6469 3099

Tenants Rights Town Hall With Community Leaders & State Legislators
2021-03-17 18:30 - 20:30 | Eightball Cafe in Everett, 2727 Colby Ave, Everett, WA, United States
——RSVP HERE——
We will be joined by Sen Jamie Pederson and Reps Frank Chopp and Nicole Macri of the 43rd LD, and Sen Joe Nguyen and Rep Joe Fitzgibbon of the 34th LD
Town Hall hosted by DSA and ENDORSED BY: Tenants Union of WA, Transit Riders Union, King County Equity Now, Be:Seattle, 350 Seattle, Real Change, Share, Wheel, Nickelsville, Social Equity Educators, Hate Free Delridge, Community Acupuncture Project, Alki UCC.
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Over 225,000 households are behind in rent in Washington and facing the threat of eviction if the statewide moratorium is not extended past March 31st. Washington families need Governor Inslee to extend the moratorium, and our state legislators to pass the strongest possible tenant rights protections this month.
That includes passing bills 1236 and 5160, guaranteeing “just cause” eviction protections statewide and banning evictions for back-debt accrued during the moratorium, among other protections. While the Democratic Party controls both legislative houses, unless the party leadership prioritizes the fight for tenant rights – and unless we build strong enough grassroots pressure – there is a big danger that the landlord lobby and Republican obstruction tactics will kill or water down this vital legislation.
Join our coalition for a Tenant Rights Town Hall to demand action from our state legislators, learn about the bills we are backing, and find out how to get involved in the fight for housing justice.
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Seattle DSA believes that, at root, quality stable housing must be treated as a human right, guaranteed to all regardless of ability to pay, not as a commodity sold to the highest bidders. Unless we take the housing industry out of the private marketplace, the drive for profits by the real estate companies will block every effort to guarantee stable affordable housing to all.
Beyond the immediate emergency legislation on the table today, Seattle DSA’s Housing Justice Policy Committee is calling on our elected officials at every level to enact the following policies:
1. No Economic Evictions Until Affordable Housing is Available to All
2. Rapidly Build Enough Affordable Social Housing to Fully Meet Our Needs
3. Immediate Shelter For all – Build 5,000 tiny Homes in Seattle This Year
4. Pass Statewide Rent Control and Lift the Rent Control Ban on Local Governments
This meeting will be held over Zoom. RSVP here for Zoom info.

——RSVP HERE——

District 4 Reading Group: The Wretched of the Earth
2021-03-19 18:30 - 20:00 | Online (Zoom Call), WA
Join the District 4 reading group March 19th at 6:30pm to read the classic “The Wretched of the Earth” by Frantz Fanon — https://grattoncourses.files.wordpress.com/2019/12/frantz-fanon-richard-philcox-jean-paul-sartre-homi-k.-bhabha-the-wretched-of-the-earth-grove-press-2011.pdf. We will be reading the last series of the chapter “Colonial War and Mental Disorders” and the conclusion, pages 216-239 in Richard Philcox’s translation.
This event is open to DSA members and anyone curious about DSA.
Zoom Details:
https://washington.zoom.us/j/93450515302
Meeting ID: 934 5051 5302

Socialist Night School: Labor Lessons from the South w/Michael Goldfield
2021-03-29 18:00 - 20:00 | Online (Zoom Call), WA
Socialist Night School is an open course that provides a chance to develop our politics together, regardless of background knowledge or whether you’ve attended a class before. New members and lifelong socialists, all are welcome! To sign up for our mailing list or to find out more, e-mail us at SeaNightSchool [at] gmail . com
—> RSVP here! <—
Amazon, Bessemer, and Alabama Exceptionalism: Labor Lessons from the South
w/Michael Goldfield, author of The Southern Key
​Nearly six thousand Amazon warehouse workers in Bessemer, Alabama are currently voting on whether to unionize. If successful, they’ll be the first unionized Amazon workers in the United States.
​How did this effort come about? What makes Alabama such a unique backdrop for this historic effort? And what can previous efforts like Operation Dixie teach us about the challenges of labor organizing in the South?
​Join us and special guest lecturer Michael Goldfield, author of The Southern Key: Race, Class, and Radicalism in the 1930s and 1940s as we discuss these topics and more! This event will be a comprised of a short lecture followed by small breakout sessions. Check out the readings and join us!
​Readings:

The Alabama Amazon Union Drive Could Be the Most Important Labor Fight in the South in Decades​ (interview w/Michael Goldfield)
​Excerpt from “The Failure of Labor Unionism in the US South”​, Cody R. Melcher & Michael Goldfield​​

No Charity for Cops rally (part 2!)
2021-03-30 15:00 - 18:30 | Westlake Park, 401 Pine St, Seattle, WA, 98101, United States
The Seattle Foundation has contributed $870,000 to the Seattle Police Foundation in the past 20 years through community grants and donor-advised funds. Since August, Divest SPD has been pushing for them to divest from police, make amends for the harm done, and invest more in the community. On Tuesday, March 30, we’ll be delivering a sign on letter with hundreds (thousands?) of signatures to their offices and holding a rally to show them that there’s a growing number of people watching them that agree there should be NO CHARITY FOR COPS! This is a critical moment in our campaign and we’re counting on you to be there and invite folks you know to this event!
* Unfortunately, our ASL interpreters cancelled at the last minute. We are very sorry that we can not make this event accessible in this way as we’d previously advertised. *
Details:

This is a SOCIALLY DISTANCED + MASKED EVENT. We’ll have masks and hand sanitizer on hand.
Letter delivery will take place at 3:30pm, rally starts at 4pm.
This is a CELEBRATION! Bring noisemakers / party hats / etc.! We’ll bring the food + drinks.

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More information about where the Seattle Foundation’s money is going:

Donations given to the Seattle Police Foundation (the nonprofit arm of the Seattle Police Department) cover costs like police dogs, riot gear, and training in violent crowd control techniques used to suppress recent demonstrations for Black lives.
In the past two years, only an average of 6% of community grants and less than 2% of donor-advised grants went to Black-led organizations.
The Seattle Foundation has appointed a committee to help them revise their policies around racial equity, but have not committed to any specific actions yet — a broad show of support is needed right now to make sure these demands are met. The demands listed in this letter are aligned with both community calls to stop funding violent policing as well as demands from leaders in the nonprofit sector to increase investments into BIPOC community-based organizations.
Organizations, donors, and community members, please SIGN ON TO THIS LETTER and join us in our call to the Seattle Foundation to immediately divest from police, make amends for the harm done, and invest more in the community!

District 4 Reading Group: Caliban and the Witch
2021-04-10 13:00 - 14:30 | Online (Zoom Call), WA
Join the District 4 reading group April 10th at 1:00 pm to read “Caliban and the Witch” by Silvia Federici — https://libcom.org/library/caliban-witch-silvia-federici. We will be reading up until the section Liberty and Social Division on page 28.
This event is open to DSA members and anyone curious about DSA.
Zoom Details:
https://washington.zoom.us/j/93119975752
Meeting ID: 931 1997 5752

District 4 Reading Group: Caliban and the Witch
2021-04-24 16:30 - 18:00 | Online (Zoom Call), WA
Join the District 4 reading group April 24th at 4:30 pm to read “Caliban and the Witch” by Silvia Federici — https://libcom.org/library/caliban-witch-silvia-federici. We will be reading the rest of Chapter 1 pg 28-60.
This event is open to DSA members and anyone curious about DSA.
Zoom Details:
https://washington.zoom.us/j/94394817135
Meeting ID: 943 9481 7135

District 4 Reading Group: Caliban and the Witch
2021-05-08 16:30 - 18:00 | Online (Zoom Call), WA
Join the District 4 reading group April 24th at 4:30 pm to read “Caliban and the Witch” by Silvia Federici — https://libcom.org/library/caliban-witch-silvia-federici. We will be reading the start of Chapter 2 pg 61-82.
This event is open to DSA members and anyone curious about DSA.
Zoom Details:
https://washington.zoom.us/j/92026742449
Meeting ID: 920 2674 2449

Socialist Night School
2021-05-10 18:00 - 19:30 | Online (Zoom Call), WA
Socialist Night School is an open course that provides a chance to develop our politics together, regardless of background knowledge or whether you’ve attended a class before. New members and lifelong socialists, all are welcome! To sign up for our mailing list or to find out more, e-mail us at SeaNightSchool [at] gmail . com

–> RSVP here! <–
Topic:
Cuba’s New Socialism: Economic Development in the 21st Century
Recommended reading:
Camila Piñeiro Harnecker, “Cuba’s New Socialism: Different Visions Shaping Current Changes”​
Description:
Since 2005, Cuba’s economy has been radically transforming its economy toward worker co-operatives. Over 500 co-ops have been created since the policy implementation began in 2011. Their strategy offers lessons for us as we consider and think about different kinds of socialist policies.
How did this economic transition come about? What do the early results say about the strategy? And, what could a co-op driven economic policy look like?
Join us for a Q&A on Cuba’s 21st century economy with a special guest speaker! You don’t need to be an expert on Cuba or socialism to join us. Check out our recommended reading ahead of this meeting to learn more.

District 4 Reading Group: Caliban and the Witch
2021-05-15 16:30 - 18:00 | Online (Zoom Call), WA
Join the District 4 reading group April 24th at 4:30 pm to read “Caliban and the Witch” by Silvia Federici — https://libcom.org/library/caliban-witch-silvia-federici. We will be reading the start of Chapter 2 pg 61-91.
This event is open to DSA members and anyone curious about DSA.
Zoom Details:
https://washington.zoom.us/j/92223147165
Meeting ID: 922 2314 7165

Building Tenant Power & Taking on the Real Estate Lobby: Lessons from New York State’s Housing Justice Movement
2021-05-26 18:00 - 19:30 | Eightball Cafe in Everett, 2727 Colby Ave, Everett, WA, United States
Join Seattle Democratic Socialists of America and Be:Seattle in conversation with Cea Weaver of Housing Justice For All to discuss the movement behind New York’s historic wins for tenant rights in 2019.
In the last 5 years, Housing Justice for All, a statewide coalition of 100 grassroots organizations, tenants, and homeless New Yorkers, created a movement that has shocked New York’s powerful real estate lobby and is shifting the power balance at the state capital. As Washington State ends its legislative session, New York’s housing justice movement is a lesson on creating coalitions with the power to demand sweeping tenant protections that extends beyond each legislative session.
Cea Weaver is a housing organizer, community advocate, and urban planner in New York City. She currently coordinates Housing Justice for All, a statewide coalition of over 100 organizations that represent tenants and homeless New Yorkers in Albany. She coordinated the 2019 campaign to strengthen and expand tenants’ rights across the State and in 2020 worked to win an eviction moratorium during the COVID-19 pandemic. She has worked in affordable housing policy and planning in NYC for over a decade.
Bridget McGuire is a Brooklyn-based artist, educator, and tenant organizer with NYC DSA.
RSVP HERE

District 4 Reading Group: Caliban and the Witch
2021-05-29 14:00 - 15:30 | Online (Zoom Call), WA
Join the District 4 reading group April 24th at 4:30 pm to read “Caliban and the Witch” by Silvia Federici — https://libcom.org/library/caliban-witch-silvia-federici. We will be reading the rest of Chapter 2 pg 92-115.
This event is open to DSA members and anyone curious about DSA.
Zoom Details:
https://washington.zoom.us/j/92223147165
Meeting ID: 922 2314 7165

District 3 Movie Night: 5 Broken Cameras
2021-05-30 18:30 - 21:00 | Eightball Cafe in Everett, 2727 Colby Ave, Everett, WA, United States
Join District 3 comrades for our monthly movie night!
This month we’ll be watching 5 Broken Cameras, a first-hand account of protests in Bil’in, a West Bank village affected by the Israeli West Bank barrier.
When his fourth son, Gibreel, is born in 2005, self-taught cameraman Emad Burnat, a Palestinian villager, gets his first camera. At the same time in his village of Bil’in, the Israelis begin bulldozing village olive groves to build a barrier to separate Bil’in from the Jewish settlement Modi’in Illit. The barrier’s route cuts off 60% of Bil’in farmland and the villagers resist this seizure of more of their land by the settlers.
Burnat films the army and police beating and arresting villagers and activists who come to support them. Settlers destroy Palestinian olive trees and attack Burnat when he tries to film them. The army raids the village in the middle of the night to arrest children. He, his friends, and brothers are arrested or shot; some are killed. Each camera used to document these events is shot or smashed.
We’ll watch the film together and have a discussion afterward.
Zoom link: https://dsausa.zoom.us/j/95209258862
Stream link: https://sdsa-owncast.ddns.net/

District 4 Reading Group: Caliban and the Witch
2021-06-12 14:00 - 15:30 | Online (Zoom Call), WA
Join the District 4 reading group June 12th at 2:00 pm to read “Caliban and the Witch” by Silvia Federici — https://libcom.org/library/caliban-witch-silvia-federici. We will be reading Chapter 3 pg 133-155.
This event is open to DSA members and anyone curious about DSA.
Zoom Details:
https://washington.zoom.us/j/92223147165
Meeting ID: 922 2314 7165

Socialist Night School
2021-06-14 18:00 - 20:00 | Online (Zoom Call), WA
Socialist Night School is an open course that provides a chance to develop our politics together, regardless of background knowledge or whether you’ve attended a class before. New members and lifelong socialists, all are welcome! To sign up for our mailing list or to find out more, e-mail us at SeaNightSchool [at] gmail . com

—> RSVP here! <—
Required readings:

“How Capital Strikes Yanked Barack Obama’s Presidency to the Right” – Tarun Banerjee, Michael Schwartz, Kevin Young (2020)
Levers of Power, Chapter 4 – Selected Excerpts (2020)

Optional reading:

“A Short Postmortem of Seattle’s Head Tax Repeal” – Paul Alexander (2018)

Description:

The power of workers to strike and win concessions from capitalists is familiar to many socialists. What’s less familiar is how elites use capital strikes – threats to move jobs overseas, replace workers with robots, or simply withhold their investment – to earn concessions of their own. When this happens, politicians have little recourse to fight back.
But powerful movements have defeated capital strikes before. What would it take to do this again?
This month, we’ll be reading excerpts from Levers of Power, a new book by Tarun Banerjee, Michael Schwartz, and Kevin Young. We’ll examine how both the Obama and Trump administrations bowed to the threat of capital strikes, and learn about how a powerful Civil Rights Movement beat capitalists at their own game: not just by appealing to lawmakers, but by taking on business itself.
Join us Monday, June 14th at 6PM on Zoom! A guest speaker will give a short lecture based on the assigned readings, followed by breakout sessions and a large group discussion. DSA members from around the country are welcome to come learn with us. See you then!

District 3 Movie Night: Power to Heal
2021-07-02 18:30 - 21:30 | Eightball Cafe in Everett, 2727 Colby Ave, Everett, WA, United States
Join District 3 comrades for our monthly movie night!
This month we’ll be watching Power to Heal, a documentary about the fight for Medicare and the desegregation of the US hospital system.
We’ll watch the film together and have a discussion afterward.
Zoom link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83076099147
Stream link: https://sdsa-owncast.ddns.net/

District 4 Reading Group: Caliban and the Witch
2021-07-03 16:00 - 17:30 | Virtual, WA, United States
Join the District 4 reading group Saturday 7/3 at 4:00 pm to continue with the book “Caliban and the Witch” by Silvia Federici — https://libcom.org/library/caliban-witch-silvia-federici. We will be reading Chapter 4 “The Great Witch-Hunt in Europe” (UPDATED).
This event is open to DSA members and anyone curious about DSA. If you are catching up, don’t worry. The book is amazing, focusing Marxist thought on misogyny and racist colonialism in the transition to capitalism in Europe, and the discussion is relevant and wide ranging.
Zoom link https://washington.zoom.us/j/92223147165 .

District 4 Reading Group: Caliban and the Witch
2021-07-29 18:30 - 20:00 | Online (Zoom Call), WA
Join the District 4 reading group July 29th at 6:30 pm to read “Caliban and the Witch” by Silvia Federici — https://libcom.org/library/caliban-witch-silvia-federici. We will be reading the last Chapter “Colonization and Christianization”.
This event is open to DSA members and anyone curious about DSA.
Zoom Details:
https://washington.zoom.us/j/92223147165
Meeting ID: 922 2314 7165

District 4 Reading Group: Orientalism
2021-08-12 18:30 - 20:30 | Online (Zoom Call), WA
Join the District 4 reading group August 12th at 6:30 pm to read “Orientalism” by Edward Said. We will be reading the Introduction. Here’s a pdf of the Intro and Chapter 1 https://sites.evergreen.edu/politicalshakespeares/wp-content/uploads/sites/33/2014/12/Said_full.pdf
This event is open to DSA members and anyone curious about DSA.
Zoom Details:
https://washington.zoom.us/j/98196028905
Meeting ID: 981 9602 8905

Seattle DSA Socialist Night School
2021-09-20 18:00 - 19:30 | Eightball Cafe in Everett, 2727 Colby Ave, Everett, WA, United States
-> RSVP here! <-
Topic for September
The US War in Afghanistan: The Early Years
Event Description
On August 31st, the US military officially withdrew from Afghanistan, marking an end to America’s longest war. As the 20th anniversary of the US invasion draws near, it’s worth looking back at the early years of this destructive conflict.

Why did the US invade Afghanistan? What powers did Congress grant the Bush Administration in the War on Terror? Who benefitted from the war in Afghanistan—and at what cost to Afghans?
Joining us to tackle these questions and more is John Feffer, co-director of Foreign Policy in Focus at the Institute for Policy Studies and author of Splinterlands (Haymarket Books, 2016.)
This event will consist of a short lecture followed by a Q&A session. DSA members around the country are welcome to join us!

District 4 Reading Group: Orientalism
2021-09-23 18:30 - 20:00 | Ravenna Brewing, 5408 26th ave NE, Seattle, WA, 98105, United States
Join the District 4 reading group at Ravenna Brewing on September 23rd 6:30 pm to read “Orientalism” by Edward Said. We will be reading the Introduction. Here’s a pdf of the Intro and Chapter 1 https://sites.evergreen.edu/politicalshakespeares/wp-content/uploads/sites/33/2014/12/Said_full.pdf
This event is open to DSA members and anyone curious about DSA.

District 4 Reading Group: Orientalism
2021-10-07 18:30 - 20:30 | Ravenna Brewing, 5408 26th ave NE, Seattle, WA, 98105, United States
Join the District 4 reading group at Ravenna Brewing on October 7th 6:30 pm to read “Orientalism” by Edward Said. We will be reading the first two sections of Chapter 1 (“Knowing the Oriental” and “Imaginative Geography and Its Representations: Orientalizing the Oriental”).
This event is open to DSA members and anyone curious about DSA.

District 4 Reading Group: Orientalism
2021-10-28 18:30 - 20:00 | Magnuson Cafe & Brewery, 7801 62nd Ave NE, Seattle, 98115
Join the District 4 reading group at Magnuson Brewery on October 28th 6:30 pm to discuss “Orientalism” by Edward Said. The reading is the last two sections of Chapter 1 (“Projects” and “Crisis”).
This event is open to DSA members and anyone curious about DSA.

District 4 Reading Group: Orientalism
2021-11-11 18:30 - 20:00 | Don Lucho’s Pisco Bar, 7919 Roosevelt Way NE, Seattle, WA, 98115, United States
Join the District 4 reading group at Magnuson Brewery on November 11th at 6:30 pm to discuss “Orientalism” by Edward Said. The reading is Chapter 2 “Orientalist Structures and Restructures”.
This event is open to DSA members and anyone curious about DSA.

Seattle Socialist educators meeting and happy hour
2021-12-17 17:00 - 19:00 | Chuck’s Hop Shop (Central District), 2001 E Union St, Seattle, WA, 98122, United States
Meet up with other socialist teachers and educators, and discuss organizing strategy!

RSVP Here: https://actionnetwork.org/events/seattle-socialist-educators-meeting-and-happy-hour/

Seattle MLK Rally and Black Lives Matter Week of Action
2022-01-17 11:00 - 14:00 | Eightball Cafe in Everett, 2727 Colby Ave, Everett, WA, United States
Every year Seattle DSA members turn out and sometimes support organizing the MLK Jr. Coalition’s Rally and March on MLK Day.
Rally begins at Garfield at 11am!
Check out more information for the Rally here: https://www.seattlemlkcoalition.org/
As a part of this week, Black Lives Matter at School organizers including the NAACP Youth Council, WAESN, and SEA Union Educators will be hosting a variety of events and workshops. NOTICE: Some are cancelled due to COVID.
To march with other DSA members, we recommend wearing a red shirt, and finding the banner before the 12:30 march starts, on the hill south of the main entrance, kitty corner to Ezell’s chicken.

D4/D5/Ecosocialism Reading Group
2022-05-05 18:30 - 20:00 | Online (Zoom Call), WA
On Thursday, May 5 at 6:30 pm we will be reading the last five sections/essays of “For a Libertarian Communism”: “The French Revolution De-Jacobinized“, “Two Indictments of Communism“, “May, a Continuity, a Renewal” “Self-Management in Revolutionary Spain, 1936–1937“, and “Libertarian Communism, the Only Real Communism“. These are a collection of writings by the French revolutionary activist and historian Daniel Guerin (1904-1988), published in English for the first time in 2017. The articles explore a synthesis between Marxism and anarchism.

Here’s the link to the entire text: https://theanarchistlibrary.org/library/daniel-guerin-for-a-libertarian-communism

Zoom link for the meeting: https://washington.zoom.us/j/91708325322

New members are always welcome! Join us! This is a political education series to sharpen our thinking and communication skills in our organizing for democratic socialism. Many areas of practice will be addressed and tied into the struggle to create an Ecosocialist society.

D4/D5/Ecosocialism Reading Group
2022-06-09 18:30 - 20:00 | Online (Zoom Call), WA
On Thursday, June 9 we will be reading Contradictions of Capital and Care by Nancy Fraser link here https://newleftreview.org/issues/ii100/articles/nancy-fraser-contradictions-of-capital-and-care. The article makes the connection between acute crises of care (‘time poverty’, ‘family-work balance’, and ‘social depletion’) and the systemic social-reproductive contradictions of financialized capitalism.
Zoom link for the meeting: https://washington.zoom.us/j/91708325322
New members are always welcome! Join us! Many areas of practice will be addressed and tied into the struggle to create an Ecosocialist society.

D4/D5/Ecosocialism Reading Group
2022-06-23 18:30 - 20:00 | 2000 NE 58th St, Ravenna Park Picnic Shelter #1, 2000 NE 58th St, Seattle, 98105
On Thursday, June 23, we will be reading Feminism for the 99% by Cinzia Arruzza, Tithi Bhattacharya, and Nancy Fraser. This manifesto makes a simple but powerful case: feminism shouldn’t start—or stop—with the drive to have women represented at the top of their professions. It must focus on those at the bottom, and fight for the world they deserve. And that means targeting capitalism. Feminism must be anti-capitalist, eco-socialist and antiracist.
Check the Slack channel for a PDF of the book, check it out of the Seattle Public Library, or order the book at https://www.versobooks.com/books/2924-feminism-for-the-99
This meeting will be held in-person for the first time in this reading group’s history! We’ll be meeting at Ravenna Park.

D4/D5/Ecosocialism Reading Group
2022-07-21 18:30 - 20:00 | 2000 NE 58th St, Ravenna Park Picnic Shelter #1, 2000 NE 58th St, Seattle, 98105
Join northeast Seattle comrades to talk about the article “Thoughts on How to Withstand the Neoconfederate/Neofascist Power Grab” by Kali Akuno, link here https://systemchangenotclimatechange.org/article/kali-akuno-withstand-neoconfederate-power/. Location is near Shelter #1 east of 20th Ave in Ravenna Park. All are welcome.

3rd Discussion on Hiring SDSA Staff
2022-09-08 19:00 - 21:00 | Eightball Cafe in Everett, 2727 Colby Ave, Everett, WA, United States
Please join Seattle DSA for a 3rd discussion on the proposal for our chapter to hire 2 part-time organizers. The proposal is for the organizers to help with 3 priorities:

Strengthen DSA’s public and media communications (including trying to develop a Seattle Socialist publication)
Make it easier for members and supporters to plug into our activist campaigns
Get DSA better organized

This resolution has been discussed at 2-3 chapter meetings, Local Council meetings, and individual discussions. The resolution has been improved after hearing criticism and feedback, and now it will be discussed and debated at this meeting on Thursday, September 8. The resolution will then be discussed and debated again at the General Membership Meeting the following Tuesday, September 13 at 7 pm. Then the chapter will vote over email (Opavote).
Please RSVP here to get the Zoom link for this discussion on hiring staff.
Please read or re-read the resolution: Strengthening Our Chapter’s Capacity by Hiring Staff
We also wrote these answers to questions about staff that came up at the last GMM.
If the resolution and these answers do not answer any questions you may have, feel free to submit a question here. The staff resolution authors would love to hear suggestions or amendments to improve the resolution, and we will try to get back to you in writing or verbally at a meeting.

Organizing Within Racial Capitalism
2022-09-14 17:00 - 19:30 | Member’s Home text number above for address, Seattle, WA, United States
Join Seattle DSA comrades in viewing an event from DSA’s National Political Education Committee, in collaboration with comrades in the national Afrosocialists and Socialists of Color Caucus. This session is part two of an educational series, and will focus on what racial capitalism means for our work, and how race and class impact people’s role in the struggle.
We will gather at a comrade’s home in the University District, where we will observe social distancing with ample ventilation, drinks and snacks, and where we will be able to discuss together. Direct message Sue H in the Seattle DSA Slack for address and please bring a mask. OR, you can zoom in on your own by registering here. The national on-line event begins at 5:00 but arrive as early as 4:30 to watch it together and stay a bit to discuss after it ends.

National DSA Meeting on the Railroad Betrayal: Off the Rails
2023-02-05 14:00 - 16:00 | Volunteer Park- Amphitheater, 1139-1157 Volunteer Park Rd, Seattle, WA, 98102, United States
Join us on Sunday, February 5th, at 2:00 pm PT to hear perspectives from rail workers on the vote by Congress to force them to accept a contract agreement, and a discussion between representatives from DSA leadership. We’ll reflect on why things happened the way they did, as well as reflections on what DSA did, what DSA could have done, and what was unchangeable. As we head into the new year, we’ll discuss our vision on how we bring together our labor and electoral strategy, particularly in the context of future fights in 2023. We’ll seek to put the political moment in context to shine a light on the paths ahead for our labor organizing.

REGISTER NOW to get the Zoom link
For context, here is the 2nd letter Seattle DSA’s Local Council sent to the DSA National Political Committee about this: https://seattledsa.org/2022/12/letter-to-dsa-national-political-committee-about-railroad-town-hall/
We are allotting 30 minutes for DSA audience members to speak, priority will be given to chapter leaders and labor leaders. Please review the DSA Labor code of conduct before participating.

Socialist Educators Happy Hour
2024-08-09 18:00 - 20:00, 2024-08-23 18:00 - 20:00 | Chuck’s Hop Shop (Central District), 2001 E Union St, Seattle, WA, 98122, United States
Educators from all over (Seattle, Renton, Highline, etc…) get together, chat politics, & share about struggles in their union. All union activists and socialists are welcome to attend!
Seattle Public Schools recently announced plans to close 20 Elementary schools starting in the 2025 school year. In one of the richest cities in the US, home to billionaires and some of the most profitable corporations in the world, this is an unacceptable and unconscionable attack on public education and our communities.

Join us for a discussion on how to fight back! RSVP here.

How to Stop School Closures? From Seattle's 2009 School Closures to the 2024 Cuts
2024-09-05 18:00 - 19:30 | Beacon Hill Library, 2821 Beacon Ave S #5813, Seattle, WA, 98144, United States
How to Stop School Closures?
The Fight to Stop Closures in Seattle From 2009 to 2024

Thursday, September 5, 6pm
Hybrid meeting: At the Beacon Hill Library – and Online
Seattle DSA’s Working Group SOS – Save Our Schools invites you to our meeting with speakers from the Social Equality Educators, the rank-and-file caucus at that time in Seattle’s Education Association, who fought against school closures in Seattle in 2009 that were almost all reversed, to help us draw some conclusions for our effort to stop the planned school closures in 2024. The plan to close 20 out of 70 elementary schools in Seattle for the school year 2025/26 is the largest attack on public education in the nation since the school closures in Chicago 2013.
We will also offer updates on the school district plans in 2024 – and how we plan to fight back.

RSVP

Native American Resistance in the Northwest: Tributes in Film
2024-11-21 19:00 | New Freeway Hall 5018 Rainier Ave S., Seattle, 5018 Rainier Ave S., Seattle, WA, United States
Be inspired by courageous fights of Puget Sound area tribes for survival and sovereignty as shown in two powerful documentaries.

Back to the River, a 40-minute film, features historic footage and recent interviews with leaders and participants in the “Fish Wars” along the banks of the Nisqually and Puyallup Rivers. The defiance of Indigenous men, women and children ultimately affirmed that U.S. and state governments must abide by treaty promises.
Also featured: We’re Still Here, an 8-minute interview of Cecile Hansen, who at the time was chairperson of the Duwamish Tribe. Seattle sits upon the territory of the Duwamish people, but they are still deprived of federal recognition and resources as a tribe.

$2-4 door donation. Light snacks at 6:30pm for a donation.
Thursday, November 21, 7:00pm
New Freeway Hall, 5018 Rainier Ave S., Seattle
On #7 bus line. Near Columbia City Light rail station.
Facebook Event Link

Hosted by Radical Women
Point of Contact: Organizer Gina P.

New Labor Organizers Training
2025-02-02 11:00 - 13:00 | Capitol Hill Branch Library, 425 Harvard Ave E, Seattle, WA, 98102, United States
Have you ever

Wanted more rights at work?
Wanted to fight back against the corporate class?
Been thinking “I need a union,” but don’t know how to make it happen?

This workshop will teach you what you need to get started at your workplace!
This is intended for people at currently non-union workplaces who want to take the first steps toward organizing, whether you want to join an existing union, form a new one, or organizing demands of your boss without a union at all.
Our experienced labor organizers will teach you how to have an organizing conversation and how to form your Organizing Committee.
When we organize, we win!
RSVP on Action Network

Accessibility Resolution Info Session
2025-03-11 12:00 - 13:00, 2025-03-15 14:00 | WA
Learn more about the Accessibility Resolution that will be voted on at the annual Chapter Convention on March 22nd.
RSVP here for the zoom link.

New Labor Organizers Training
2025-03-30 14:30 - 16:30 | Capitol Hill Branch Library, 425 Harvard Ave E, Seattle, WA, 98102, United States
Have you ever…

Wanted more rights at work?
Wanted to fight back against the corporate class?
Been thinking “I need a union,” but don’t know how to make it happen?

This workshop will teach you what you need to get started at your workplace!
This is intended for people at currently non-union workplaces who want to take the first steps toward organizing, whether you want to join an existing union, form a new one, or organizing demands of your boss without a union at all.
Our experienced labor organizers will teach you how to have an organizing conversation and how to form your Organizing Committee.
When we organize, we win!
RSVP on Action Network

Socialist Night School: Fascism and the American Right
2025-05-10 12:00 - 14:00 | https://seattledsa.org/event/socialist-night-school-fascism-and-the-american-right-2/
Come join us for an online-only version of Seattle DSA Socialist Night School’s session on Fascism and the American Right.
We’ll be using materials from DSA’s National Political Education Committee, going over Trump and Fascism, by Jerry Harris, Carl Davidson, Bill Fletcher Jr., & Paul Harris along with the video Building Rank & File Power to Fight Fascism by Bill Fletcher, Jr. We hope you get a chance to come by!
Zoom link will be provided upon RSVPing to the event on Action Network.

Socialist Night School: Capitalism and Socialism
2025-06-11 19:00 - 21:00 | New Freeway Hall, 5018 Rainier Ave. S, Seattle, WA
Join us for the next course of the Socialist Night School as we discuss and contrast capitalism and socialism!
We will be discussing two readings this time:

An excerpt from “Understanding Capitalism” by Vivek Chibber as part of a DSA’s National Political Education Committee (NPEC) module:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1CTxMynZZYMrtbf30mR8o23vWUQCBFYOh/view
The Jacobin article “What is Democratic Socialism?” by Neal Meyer:
https://jacobin.com/2018/07/democratic-socialism-bernie-sanders-social-democracy-alexandria-ocasio-cortez

Readings are not required to participate but it is strongly encouraged to help make for more generative discussion in the breakout groups.
One further reminder that the next in-person Socialist Night School will again be at New Freeway Hall (5018 Rainier Ave S) in Columbia City from 7pm to 9pm.
See you then!
Make sure to RSVP on Action Network!

Socialist Day School Online: Capitalism and Socialism
2025-06-22 13:00 - 15:00 | https://seattledsa.org/event/socialist-day-school-online-capitalism-and-socialism/
Join us for the next course of the Socialist Day School as we discuss and contrast capitalism and socialism!
We will be discussing two readings this time:

An excerpt from “Understanding Capitalism” by Vivek Chibber as part of a DSA’s National Political Education Committee (NPEC) module:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1CTxMynZZYMrtbf30mR8o23vWUQCBFYOh/view
The Jacobin article “What is Democratic Socialism?” by Neal Meyer:
https://jacobin.com/2018/07/democratic-socialism-bernie-sanders-social-democracy-alexandria-ocasio-cortez

Readings are not required to participate but it is strongly encouraged to help make for more generative discussion in the breakout groups.
See you then!
Make sure to RSVP on Action Network to get the link.

Socialist Night School: Capitalism and Militarism
2025-07-30 19:00 - 21:00 | New Freeway Hall, 5018 Rainier Ave. S, Seattle, WA
Join us for the next course of the Socialist Night School as we discuss how capitalism relates to militarism!
We will be discussing two readings this time:

An excerpt from Consequences of Capitalism by Noam Chomsky and Marv Waterstone:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1BOIbCxCkM41RgAFoi4vJ_Ba1gIB8259Y1NdBwOJapoo/edit?usp=sharing
The TomDispatch article “Dropping the MIC” by David Vine and Theresa Arriola:
https://tomdispatch.com/the-military-industrial-complex-is-killing-us-all/

Readings are not required to participate but it is strongly encouraged to help make for more generative discussion in the breakout groups.
The Socialist Night School will again be at New Freeway Hall (5018 Rainier Ave S) in Columbia City from 7pm to 9pm.
See you then!
Make sure to RSVP on Action Network!

Socialist Day School: Online: Capitalism & Militarism
2025-08-24 13:00 - 15:00 | WA

Socialist Night School (Online) - Race and Capitalism
2025-09-30 19:00 - 21:00 | Zoom

Socialist Night School - Fascism and the American Right
2025-11-20 18:00 - 20:00 | Allen Auditorium, Allen Library, 4000 15th Avenue NE, Seattle, WA, 98105, United States
Come join Seattle DSA and YDSA at UW’s Allen Auditorium from 6:00pm to 8:00pm on November 20th for our next session of Socialist Night School! Our topic will be: Fascism and the American Right. What role has fascism played in U.S. history, and what can WE do to fight it in the present and the future?
We’ll be discussing a short article on Trump and American Fascism, by Jerry Harris, Carl Davidson, Bill Fletcher Jr., & Paul Harris, along with a video interview with Bill Fletcher Jr. about Building Rank & File Power to Fight Fascism. Reading the article and watching the video beforehand really helps deepen our discussions, but you’re more than welcome to join us whether you do the readings or not!
