Seattle Democratic Socialists of America

SDSA Ecosocialist Caucus Meeting
2019-03-31 15:00 - 16:30 (America/Los_Angeles) | Delridge Branch – Seattle Public Library, 5423 Delridge Way SW, Seattle, WA, 98106
Join us for a series of biweekly meetings where we sharpen our thinking and actions toward a powerful movement to halt climate change and win environmental justice.

Tech Workers Coalition Presents Burn Contract Burn: The Rise of Tech’s Contingent Workforce
2019-03-30 15:00 - 17:30 | Capitol Hill Branch Library, 425 Harvard Ave E, Seattle, WA, 98102, United States
An event for tech vendor employees and contractors
As the tech industry faces unprecedented growth, contracting is becoming the new normal. Companies like Google—where over half the employees are temps, vendors, and contractors—have felt the sting of workers who call contracting a de-facto caste system, defined by precarious working conditions, unequal treatment, and less job security. Tech companies hire contractors to clean offices, drive shuttles, write code, manage teams, do design work, etc. Contractors hired for tech positions often do the same work for wildly different compensation and benefits.
Tech companies claim the rise of contracting is a natural response to a changing workforce, but contracting is an old story of exploitation, whose origins start in our own backyard. What can we learn about the contracting business model and its consequences to workers? How do decades-old decisions lead to growing inequality and enormous tech industry profits? And what can workers do to fight back?

Elect Shaun Scott! Canvass in D4
2019-03-30 10:00 - 14:00 | Cowen Park, 5849 15th Ave NE, Seattle, WA, United States
The next volunteer canvass will be THIS SATURDAY in Ravenna and Roosevelt! See the details below and please RSVP to Corina if you plan to attend!

What: Scott 2019 volunteer door canvass
When: Saturday, March 30th from 10:00am to 2:00pm
Where: Ravenna and Roosevelt – meet at Cowen Park (5849 15th Ave NE – see map below) at 10am and meet back up at Rain City Burgers (6501 Roosevelt Way NE) at 2pm.
Why: Face-to-face conversations with D4 voters are super important and we need your help to talk to our neighbors about the issues we care about.

https://scott2019.com/

M4A Canvass with Snohomish DSA!
2019-03-30 10:00 - 14:00 | Centennial Park, 1129 208th St SE, Bothell, WA, 98021, United States
Join Seattle DSA and Snohomish County DSA as we knock on doors in Bothell as part of DSA’s national Medicare for All campaign!
Washington State Rep. Pramila Jayapal has recently introduced the Medicare for All Act of 2019 and DSA has been at the forefront of the fight to guarantee healthcare as a human right. Our canvasses are exciting opportunities to flex the collective power of DSA’s national membership towards winning Medicare for All—a vital step towards democratic socialism for the American working class. Medicare for All is benefiting from unprecedented popularity, but in order to get our politicians to buck their billionaire donors and side with the majority, we have to threaten them with a mass political movement. Join us to build the movement to win Medicare for All! We start off every canvass with a training session and if you’re new to canvassing, we’ll pair you up with an experienced canvasser. Representative Suzan DelBene has not signed on in support of Medicare for All, so it’s especially important that we canvass in Bothell which is in her district.
If you have any questions, please send an email to sdsa.m4a@gmail.com. See you there!

Seattle DSA Communications Meeting
2019-03-26 19:00 - 21:00 | Pineapple Bar, 2200 5th Ave, Seattle, WA, 98121, United States
The second part of the series is here. We’re picking up on The Hellhole, writing, editing, producing, digital media, and more. If any of this stuff is YOU and/or you want to get to know the world of media and communications stop by and get involved!

Seattle DSA Local Council Virtual Meeting
2019-03-26 19:00 - 21:00 | Eightball Cafe in Everett, 2727 Colby Ave, Everett, WA, United States
The Local Council is the leadership body of Seattle DSA elected every year at our annual convention. This meeting is open only to Seattle DSA members in good standing. For a link to the virtual meeting and an agenda, e-mail info@seattledsa.org.

Immigrant & Refugee Justice Committee Meeting
2019-03-23 12:00 - 14:00 | Capitol Hill Branch Library, 425 Harvard Ave E, Seattle, WA, 98102, United States
Join us as we organize to fight for immigrant and refugee rights in the Puget Sound area!

Medicare for All Canvass
2019-03-23 10:30 - 14:00 | Cherry Street Coffee House, 1223 E Cherry St, Seattle, WA, 98122, United States
Join Seattle DSA as we knock on doors in the Central District as part of DSA’s national Medicare for All campaign!
Washington State Rep. Pramila Jayapal has recently introduced the Medicare for All Act of 2019 and DSA has been at the forefront of the fight to guarantee healthcare as a human right. Our canvasses are exciting opportunities to flex the collective power of DSA’s national membership towards winning Medicare for All—a vital step towards democratic socialism for the American working class. Medicare for All is benefiting from unprecedented popularity, but in order to get our politicians to buck their billionaire donors and side with the majority, we have to threaten them with a mass political movement. Join us to build the movement to win Medicare for All! We start off every canvass with a training session and if you’re new to canvassing, we’ll pair you up with an experienced canvasser.
If you have any questions, please send an email to sdsa.m4a@gmail.com. See you there!

District 4 Meet-up
2019-03-21 18:30 - 20:30 | Urban Luxe Café, 6105A Roosevelt Way NE, Seattle, WA, 98115, United States
Join us for an informal District 4 gathering! We’ll discuss upcoming DSA events and meetings, upcoming neighborhood gatherings and events (DSA and otherwise), and local concerns related to our neighborhood. If time allows, we’ll have an additional discussion topic (TBD). This event is open to DSA members from other districts – or anyone curious about DSA!
D4 hosts these meet-ups on the third Thursday of every month. This month’s gathering will take place at Urban Luxe Café (the same location as last month). There are two steps at the entrance of the café. The bathroom is gender neutral.
Parking: There is some parking on Roosevelt Ave. There are usually a few spots along 9th Avenue NE between Ravenna and NE 65th Street (west of Roosevelt), as well some along NE 63rd Street.

Rebel Reading Circle: The Fight Against Fascism in the U.S.A.
2019-03-18 18:30 - 20:00, 2019-03-11 18:30 - 20:00, 2019-03-04 18:30 - 20:00, 2019-02-25 18:30 - 20:00, 2019-02-18 18:30 - 20:00, 2019-02-11 18:30 - 20:00, 2019-02-04 18:30 - 20:00, 2019-01-28 18:30 - 20:00 | New Freeway Hall, 5018 Rainier Ave. S., Seattle
The Fight Against Fascism in the U.S.A.
Lessons From the 1930’s – 40’s
8-week series, beginning January 28
Delve into gripping first-person accounts by anti-fascist organizers from the Great Depression era. The rise of fascism in Europe has been well-documented, but the home-grown Nazi movement it inspired is rarely discussed. This booklet is a compilation by participants who mounted successful campaigns to counter burgeoning fascist movements in New York, Minneapolis and Los Angeles, where they confronted organizations like the German-American Bund and the Silver Shirts, which emerged out of North Carolina, and demagogues like Father Coughlin, an ultra-right Catholic priest. Their stories contain valuable lessons for today’s anti-fascist activists in how we can unite unions, leftists and community organizations to effectively oppose racism, anti-Semitism, misogyny and red-baiting.

Electoral Committee Meeting
2019-03-18 18:00 - 19:30 | Montlake Branch of Seattle Public Library, 2401 24th Ave E, Seattle, WA, 98112, United States
Electoral organizing and discussion of local politics.

Queer & Feminist Caucus Meeting
2019-03-17 15:00 - 17:00 | Cafe Red, 7148 Martin Luther King Jr Way S, Seattle, WA, 98118, United States
Join us at Cafe Red for the next meeting of the Queer & Feminist Caucus. From the previous meeting, we’ll be discussing Wages Against Housework by Silvia Federici, “Sheri Dwight”, a chapter from Inside this Place, Not of It: Narratives from Women’s Prisons, and Bloodchild by Octavia Butler.

SDSA Ecosocialist Caucus Meeting
2019-03-17 13:00 - 15:00 | Southwest Library Branch, 9010 35th Ave SW, Seattle, WA, 98126, United States

Beacon Food Forest Work Party
2019-03-16 10:00 - 14:00 | Beacon Food Forest, 15th Avenue South & South Dakota Street, Seattle, WA, 98108
Get your hands dirty with other Ecosocialists. Check out the permaculture vision at https://beaconfoodforest.org/ . Bring a $2 to $5 donation for an amazing lunch. Family friendly!

Communism ... er, communications workgroup meeting
2019-03-12 19:00 - 21:00 | 5303 Rainier Ave S, hill city taphouse and bottle shop
Do you want to be a part of our communications cavalcade? Show up to our meeting.
Writers, editors, graphic designers, PR people, meme makers, film makers, producers, administrations.
All are welcome, because we handle the comms work for the whole chapter, it’s a great opportunity!
See you then.
Agenda:
• New Projects
• Workflow
• Roles

Seattle Socialist Night School
2019-03-11 19:00 - 21:00 | Seattle Central College, 1701 Broadway, Seattle, WA, 98122, United States
The discussion session for Part 2 of our mini-series on the ABCs of Capitalism meets one week from today! In the previous session, we discussed the basic structures of capitalism and class. For this session, we will be discussing how capitalism influences the state, how the state tends to reinforce the power of capital, and the structural forces involved.
We hope to see you next week!

Session 2: Capitalism and the State
Required* readingThe ABCs of Capitalism: Capitalism and the State
*If you don’t have a copy of the pamphlets, the lecture linked below is an adequate substitute.
Alternative reading
If you can’t get your hands on a copy of the pamphlet in time, this lecture by Vivek Chibber covers much of the same material and should adequately prepare you to take part in the discussion.

Event Info
Monday, March 11, 7–9 PM
Seattle Central College
Broadway-Edison Building, Rm 4151

New Member Orientation
2019-03-09 11:30 - 14:00 | Rainier Beach Branch – Seattle Public Library, 9125 Rainier Ave S, Seattle, WA, 98118, United States
Are you new to the group and interested in learning more about Seattle DSA or socialism in general? If so, this New Member Orientation is for you. We’ll give a brief introduction to Democratic Socialism, an overview of the Seattle DSA, and a summary of the projects Seattle DSA is currently engaged in as well as ways you can get involved.

Medicare for All Canvass
2019-03-09 10:30 - 14:00 | Cherry Street Coffee House, 1223 E Cherry St, Seattle, WA, 98122, United States
Join Seattle DSA as we knock on doors in the Central District as part of DSA’s national Medicare for All campaign! Washington State Rep. Pramila Jayapal has recently introduced the Medicare for All Act of 2019 and DSA has been at the forefront of the fight to guarantee healthcare as a human right. Our canvasses are exciting opportunities to flex the collective power of DSA’s national membership towards winning Medicare for All—a vital step towards democratic socialism for the American working class.
Medicare for All is benefiting from unprecedented popularity, but in order to get our politicians to buck their billionaire donors and side with the majority, we have to threaten them with a mass political movement. Join us on March 9 to build the movement to win Medicare for All!
We start off every canvass with a training session and if you’re new to canvassing, we’ll pair you up with an experienced canvasser.
If you have any questions, please send an email to sdsa.m4a@gmail.com. See you there!

District 4 Reading Group
2019-03-07 18:30 - 20:30 | Wayward Coffee House, 6417 Roosevelt Way NE #104, Seattle, WA, United States
D4 is launching a monthly reading group! These will take place on the first Thursdays of the month. We tentatively settled on following the education group’s rubric. Our first discussion will be on the first piece in Vivek Chibber’s series “ABCs of Capitalism,” named “Understanding Capitalism.”
You can purchase this series here: https://jacobinmag.com/store/product/56
Or listen to a lecture that the author himself gave that covers much the same material: https://www.blubrry.com/thecallradio/38387252/episode-11-vivek-chibber-on-class/
We’ll have some discussion material, but please feel free to bring additional questions or topics for discussions.
We will also have time set aside to discuss and decide on future readings for the group.

LGBTQ Community Tenant Rights Bootcamp
2019-03-06 18:00 - 20:00 | The WildRose Bar, 1021 E Pike St, Seattle, WA, 98122, United States
Hey renter! Do you know your rights? Do you have questions about your rental situation? Come learn, ask questions, and find out how to organize around tenants rights!
What are Tenant Rights Bootcamps?
They are a neighborhood-by-neighborhood series teaching renters how to assert their rights, to find solutions to various issues, and to make change in their community.
At this Bootcamp we will discuss and focus on issues faced by LGBTQ renters, but we will also cover tenant rights for all Seattle renters. All are welcome!
Upcoming Bootcamps and more info at: seattletenantbootcamps.org

Kirkland/Woodinville Socialism 101
2019-03-03 15:00 - 17:00 | Kingsgate Library, 12315 NE 143rd S, Kirkland, WA, 98034, United States
Curious about socialism? Join us and we’ll talk about what exactly it means to be a democratic socialist, why America needs leftists, not just “progressives,” and why DSA is the place to be if you want to change the rules of the game.
Click here to download the flyer.

Free to everyone | Snacks provided

Ecosocialist Caucus Meeting
2019-03-03 13:00 - 15:00 | Capitol Hill Branch Library, 425 Harvard Ave E, Seattle, WA, 98102, United States
Join us as we continue to decide what we want our Seattle DSA ecosocialist caucus to be.

March Jacobin Reading Group Discussion
2019-03-02 11:00 - 13:00 | Capitol Hill branch of Seattle Public Library, 2nd floor meeting room, 425 Harvard Ave E, Seattle, WA, 98102, United States
We will discuss the following articles:
Modern Monetary Theory Isn’t Helping – Doug Henwood
https://www.jacobinmag.com/2019/02/modern-monetary-theory-isnt-helping
Henwood’s critique of MMT.

You Can Have Brandeis or You Can Have Debs – Shawn Gude
https://jacobinmag.com/2019/02/you-can-have-brandeis-or-you-can-have-debs
An examination of Sanders and Warren in the context of early-20th century political figures.
Please read the articles in advance, if possible.

Rent Control Day 2019
2019-02-27 12:30 - 17:30 | WA State Labor, 906 Columbia St SW, Olympia, WA, 98501, United States
Join hundreds of tenants and renters as they rally for rent control and no less.
Organized by Tenants Union of Washington State, South Park Information and Resource Center, Tacoma Tenants Organizing Committee, Washington Community Action Network, Bellingham Tenants Union, Spokane Area Tenants Union, Be:Seattle and more.
12:30 – 2 pm Registration/Pick up t-shirt/coffee
WA State Labor Council
906 Columbia St SW, Olympia, WA 98501
2-3 pm Rally
Washington State Capitol Steps
416 Sid Snyder Ave SW, Olympia, WA 98501
3-5:30 pm Tenant Party – Tamales and Snacks
WA State Labor Council
906 Columbia St SW, Olympia, WA 98501

For more info, visit RentControlDay.org

Seattle DSA Local Council Meeting
2019-02-26 18:30 - 19:30, 2019-02-09 12:00 - 14:00 | Eightball Cafe in Everett, 2727 Colby Ave, Everett, WA, United States
The Local Council is the leadership body of Seattle DSA elected every year at our annual convention.
This meeting is open only to Seattle DSA members in good standing.
For location information and agenda, e-mail info@seattledsa.org.

DATE CHANGE: Seattle Socialist Night School: The ABCs of Capitalism
2019-02-25 19:00 - 21:00 | Seattle Central College, 1701 Broadway, Seattle, WA, 98122, United States
The required reading is the first pamphlet of the ABC’s of Capitalism, the topic is “Understanding Capitalism”. For questions or to get on the mailing list, email seanightschool@gmail.com.

Seattle Central College,
Broadway-Edison Bldg Rm4104
Broadway-Edison has All Gender restrooms on the third floor.

Watch Party for Bernie CNN Town Hall
2019-02-25 17:00 - 19:00 | 4214 South Raymond St, 4214 South Raymond Street, Seattle, WA, United States
Come join fellow Bernie supporters and democratic socialists to watch the first town hall of Bernie Sanders’ 2020 presidential campaign!
In the two years since the Democrats sabotaged Bernie’s 2016 presidential campaign which helped elect Donald Trump, huge numbers of energized young people and workers have participated in massive protests to defend working and marginalized people. Powerful teachers’ strikes have successfully pushed back corporate attacks on educators and public education. Millions of people have marched against climate change, misogyny, and the cruel treatment of refugees at the border. Activists successfully fought corporate behemoths like Amazon to prevent them from displacing neighbors and co-workers.
Now millions of people are gravitating to the 2020 Sanders campaign as the best hope to defeat Trump. Socialist ideas have gone mainstream and Bernie is the most popular politician in the country with a real shot at winning!
This is an unofficial event put on by DSA members. Everyone is welcome and we will have food, drinks, and discussion about how we can build the Bernie campaign and the socialist movement!

Labor Committee Meeting
2019-02-24 13:00 - 15:00 | 201 5th Ave N, 201 5th Ave N, Seattle, WA, 98109, United States
Discussion meeting to help shape the organizational structure and 2019 political priorities of our Seattle Labor Branch.
RSVP Here

Immigration Justice Meeting
2019-02-24 13:00 - 15:00 | Southwest Library Branch, 9010 35th Ave SW, Seattle, WA, 98126, United States
Come join us for a caucus meeting! We’re discussing our work with the bond fund, court support and accompaniment, community education, and internal organizing. New faces welcome!

Black and Pink Prisoner Letter Writing Party
2019-02-23 13:00 - 16:00 | Eightball Cafe in Everett, 2727 Colby Ave, Everett, WA, United States
Come to a letter-writing party to connect with incarcerated persons in Washington and beyond. If you’ve ever considered establishing a pen pal relationship, then come and find someone to write to! If you’re on the fence, then writing a card to someone is a pressure-free way of letting someone know they are not forgotten and not alone in the fight for freedom and prison abolition.
Cards, stamps, and writing materials will be provided for you.
Who is Black & Pink?
Black & Pink is an open family of LGBTQ prisoners and “free world” allies who support each other. Our work toward the abolition of the prison industrial complex is rooted in the experience of currently and formerly incarcerated people.
Why do I want to write to someone in prison?
It’s really important that we all take some time to ask ourselves what we want to get out of this pen pal friendship. It is absolutely okay to not have a complete answer, but it is good to ask yourself what your motivations are. We all carry our own assumptions and need to continuously challenge them. Ask yourself what assumptions you might have about people who are incarcerated and how that might impact the way you write.
Why are we doing this?
Both DSA and Black and Pink are prison abolitionists. Full stop. No one should be locked in a cage and we believe it is critical to support those on the inside. We know that even LGBTQ in the free world are among the most marginalized and it’s even worse when state violence and oppression is added to the equation. Going further – prisoners are often exploited for their labor for profit in private prisons, and LGBTQ prisoners are routinely targeted for abuse.

Location details for this event will be disclosed closer to the event.

District 4 Meet-up
2019-02-21 18:30 - 20:30 | Urban Luxe Café, 6105A Roosevelt Way NE, Seattle, WA, 98115, United States
Join us for an informal District 4 gathering! We’ll discuss upcoming DSA events and opportunities to get involved in DSA working groups and initiatives, local concerns related to our neighborhood, and upcoming neighborhood events & campaigns (DSA and otherwise). If time allows, we’ll have a discussion topic – followed by a chance for general discussion & idea sharing. This event is open to DSA members from other districts – or anyone curious about DSA!
This gathering will take place at Urban Luxe Café (please note this is a different location than our prior gathering). D4 hosts these meet-ups on the third Thursday of every month.

National Nurses Improved Medicare for All Barnstorm
2019-02-20 18:00 - 20:30 | Eightball Cafe in Everett, 2727 Colby Ave, Everett, WA, United States
Community event. See https://www.facebook.com/events/367111927397148/ to confirm details!

Medicare for All Committee Meeting
2019-02-19 19:00 - 20:30 | Cafe Solstice (Capitol Hill), 925 E Thomas St, Seattle, WA, 98102, United States
Join us for the first Medicare for All Committee meeting of 2019!

Labor Committee Meeting
2019-02-17 13:00 - 15:00 | 201 5th Ave N, 201 5th Ave N, Seattle, WA, 98109, United States
What are the Labor Committee’s priorities in 2019?
This meeting is getting our education program moving along, getting someone to be the co-chair, and setting the Labor Committee’s priorities in the coming election year.
Come one, come all!

Queer and Feminist Caucus Meeting
2019-02-17 13:00 - 15:00 | Douglass-Truth Library, 2300 E Yesler Way, Seattle, WA 98122, USA, 2300 E Yesler Way, Seattle, WA, 98122, United States
Join us at the Queer and Feminist Caucus meeting–come with ideas about what we can read together (articles! books! even movies!) and what actions we can take to fight patriarchy and capitalism in Seattle and beyond. If you prefer to hang back and listen, or just want to meet people and chat about how these issues effect your life, we’d love to see you! Newcomers welcome.

Ecosocialist Caucus Meeting
2019-02-17 13:00 - 14:00 | Beacon Hill Branch – Seattle Public Library, 2821 Beacon Ave S, Seattle, WA, 98144, United States
Seattle needs its socialists to show up for ecological justice! The Pacific Northwest has a strong history as a locus of both left politics and ecological activism. So… Let our powers combine! We’ll work to strengthen the bonds between these strands of the movement, building a unified coalition with a compelling vision for a just and livable future: ecosocialism.

What is an ecosocialist caucus, you ask? That’s what we’ll be coming together to figure out! There is a large body of theoretical work already available on the subject of ecosocialism. We may form study groups to explore this theory together or begin to articulate our own vision for ecological socialism. As a caucus, we might work to center the struggle for ecological justice within Seattle DSA. We might also work to further the socialist perspective within the broader environmental and climate justice movement, forming action alliances with other organizations in the region. Much of existing ecosocialist theory is also feminist, radically democratic, anti-colonial, and often oriented toward degrowth or steady-state economics. As a caucus, we will have the space to discuss and debate these values and build our vision for an ecosocialist future together.

Electoral Meeting
2019-02-14 18:00 - 19:30 | Columbia Branch – Seattle Public Library, 4721 Rainier Ave S, Seattle, 98118, United States
Next meeting of the Electoral Committee!

North King County Socialism 101
2019-02-13 18:30 - 20:00 | Shoreline Library, 345 NE 175th St, Shoreline, WA, 98155, United States
Curious about socialism? Join us and we’ll talk about what exactly it means to be a democratic socialist, why America needs leftists, not just “progressives,” and why DSA is the place to be if you want to change the rules of the game.

*Cancelled* Ecosocialist Caucus Meeting
2019-02-09 16:00 - 17:30 | Capitol Hill Branch Library, 425 Harvard Ave E, Seattle, WA, 98102, United States

CANCELLED New Member Orientation
2019-02-09 14:30 - 16:30 | Douglass-Truth Branch – Seattle Public Library, 2300 E Yesler Way, Seattle, WA, United States
Stay safe in the snow and look for future oppotunity to learn more about Seattle DSA and socialism in general. New Member Orientations are for you. We’ll give a brief introduction to Democratic Socialism, an overview of the Seattle DSA, and a summary of the projects Seattle DSA is currently engaged in as well as ways you can get involved.

AC&DC Organizing Committee Meeting
2019-02-03 13:00 - 14:30 | Douglass-Truth Branch – Seattle Public Library, 2300 E Yesler Way, Seattle, WA, United States
Our schools face a funding crisis. Many schools only have nurses 1-2 days/week, and now even more big cuts are coming unless something changes. Meanwhile, Washington State has the #1 regressive taxes of any state in the country.
Families and educators are pushed out of school districts, while we have some of the richest people in the world living in our state who go virtually untaxed. This needs to change.
AC&DC Organizing
Against Cuts & Displacement of Communities!
Contact ACDCWashington@gmail.com for more information.

February Jacobin Reading Group Discussion
2019-02-02 11:00 - 13:00 | Capitol Hill branch of Seattle Public Library, 425 Harvard Ave E, Seattle, WA, 98102, United States
This month we’re continuing our tour of the current capitalist moment with the following article:
“Why Shadow Banking Is Bigger Than Ever” by Daniela Gabor takes a look at the continuing shadow banking revolution
“Devil in the Details” is a quick primer on the key financial terms of the moment (including “shadow banking”)
We’ll be at the Capitol Hill branch this month.
If you need access to the material, leave a comment and we’ll get in touch (or otherwise feel free to reach).

SDSA Political Education Working Group Monthly Meeting
2019-01-31 18:30 - 19:30 | Seattle, United States
Monthly meeting of the SDSA Political Education Working Group. If you’re interested in working on member political education efforts, come on by!

Socialists into City Hall!
2019-01-29 18:00 - 20:00 | Washington Hall, 153 14th Ave, Seattle, WA, 98122, United States
How Can We Build the Movement in the 2019 Elections?
Shaun Scott – DSA Member & DSA-Endorsed 2019 Candidate for D4
Councilmember Kshama Sawant – Socialist Alternative Member & 2019 Candidate for D3
Come hear them make the case for how to build the movement with their campaigns.
Jeff Bezos has a vision for Seattle: backroom deals that get Amazon and other big corporations out of shouldering any of the burden of running this city. His vision means not only desperately underfunded programs, but further increases in regressive sales taxes, high car registration fees, and property taxes that bleed working class Seattlites dry. Socialists have a different idea of what Seattle should look like. How can working class people use the 2019 Seattle City Council elections to build grassroots movements to tax big business and fight for basic needs like publicly owned housing and world class, free mass transit? How can we build support for fundamental socialist change? Come hear what strategies socialist candidates are putting forward to build our movement in 2019!

Electoral Committee Meeting
2019-01-28 18:00 - 19:30 | Montlake Branch of Seattle Public Library, 2401 24th Ave E, Seattle, WA, 98112, United States
Are you interested in Seattle DSA’s electoral work and what a socialist electoral strategy looks like in Seattle? Come and join Seattle DSA for a meeting of our Electoral Committee!

Seattle DSA Annual Convention
2019-01-27 13:30 - 16:30 | Washington Hall, 153 14th Ave, Seattle, WA, 98122, United States
Child watch available from skilled providers! Bring the family! Members will consider and vote on proposed bylaws amendments and resolutions regarding the future of the chapter, and will elect members to the Local Council who will take office thirty days following.

Queer & Feminist Caucus Meeting
2019-01-26 15:00 - 16:30 | Cafe Red, 7148 Martin Luther King Jr Way S, Seattle, WA, 98118, United States
What is Socialist Feminism in the 21st century?
Let’s get together and talk about what Socialist Feminism can look like in the 21st century, what we want this caucus to be in 2019, and maybe get our reading group revved up again!

Seattle DSA Local Council Meeting
2019-01-22 18:30 - 19:30, 2019-01-12 12:00 - 14:00, 2018-12-08 12:00 - 14:00, 2018-11-27 18:30 - 19:30, 2018-11-10 12:00 - 14:00, 2018-10-23 18:30 - 19:30

ML King Jr. Day March and Rallies
2019-01-21 09:30 - 15:00 | Garfield High School, 500 23rd Ave, Seattle, WA, 98122, United States
Look for Seattle DSA table starting at 9:30, and gather on grassy hill diagonal from Ezell’s Chicken starting at 12 to join Seattle DSA contingent for the march downtown.
Workshops and Seattle DSA Tabling at Garfield High School
9:30 – 10:50 a.m.
Rally in Garfield High School Gymnasium
11 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
March to Downtown with Seattle DSA Contingent
12:30 – 1:30 p.m.
Rally at Westlake 4th & Pine to include our own Shaun Scott, City Council Candidate
1:30 – 2:45 p.m.
Meetup Location for the March is grassy hill diagonally across from Ezell’s Chicken (see below)

Immigration Justice Committee Meeting
2019-01-20 13:00 - 14:30 | Rainier Beach Branch – Seattle Public Library, 9125 Rainier Ave S, Seattle, WA, 98118, United States
Seattle DSA Immigrant Justice Committee Meeting will meet at the Rainier Beach Public Library to help plan and organize actions and events related to the on-going immigration and refugee crisis. New members highly encouraged to attend.

Black and Pink - Seattle Tacoma presents The Gentleman Bank Robber
2019-01-19 18:00 - 21:00 | The Pipsqueak Gallery, 173 16th Ave, Seattle, WA, 98122, United States
Join Black and Pink – Seattle Tacoma for a screening of The Gentleman Bank Robber. A Documentary about rita bo brown and The George Jackson Brigade.
Suggested donation for $5-$20 for rita bo brown
Trailer: https://vimeo.com/241204522
Description: The story of rita bo brown, a working-class butch from rural Oregon, an anti-authoritarian, anti-capitalist, ex-prisoner and member of the militant, underground George Jackson Brigade, active in the 1970s in the Pacific Northwest.
Pipsqueak is wheelchair accessible and has a single stall, gender-neutral, ADA-compliant bathroom.

Issaquah Socialism 101
2019-01-19 15:00 - 17:00 | Issaquah Library, 10 West Sunset Way, Issaquah, WA, 98027, United States
Curious about socialism? Join us and we’ll talk about what exactly it means to be a democratic socialist, why America needs leftists, not just “progressives,” and why DSA is the place to be if you want to change the rules of the game.
Free to everyone | Snacks provided

Beacon Food Forest Work Party
2019-01-19 10:00 - 14:00 | Beacon Food Forest, 15th Avenue South & South Dakota Street, Seattle, WA, 98108
Join members of the Ecosocialist Caucus for a work party at the Beacon Food Forest!
This is a great opportunity to build friendship and solidarity with our neighbors while building Phase II of the public food forest that’s been an inspiration for communities around the world!
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“The goal of the Beacon Food Forest is to design, plant and grow an edible urban forest garden that inspires our community to gather together, grow our own food and rehabilitate our local ecosystem.
Join us to improve public health by regenerating our public land into an edible forest ecosystem. We work to reduce agricultural climate impact, improve our local food security, provide educational opportunities, and celebrate growing food for the benefit of all species.” – Beacon Food Forest Website
—–
All ages and abilities are welcome. Most parts of Beacon Food Forest are accessible (Some paved areas, some small-gravel paths, some mulched paths and inclines.) Lunch will be offered.
Questions? Email: SDSAeco@gmail.com.

January Jacobin Reading Group Discussion
2019-01-05 11:00 - 13:00 | Fremont Branch – Seattle Public Library, 731 N 35th St, Seattle, WA, United States
For our first meeting of 2019, we’re going to talk about economics! We’ll be reading the following articles:

“The Minsky Millennium” by Mike Beggs is about work of the influential economist Hyman Minsky

“Economics for the Socialist Autodidact” also by Mike Beggs is an economics reading list that is a good jumping off point for a discussion about our favorite economics texts

We’ll be in the meeting room of the Fremont branch of the Seattle Public Library.

Electoral Meeting
2018-12-17 18:30 - 20:00 | new, 4214 University Way NE, Seattle, WA, 98105, United States
Next meeting of the Electoral Committee
Cafe Allegro – upstairs meeting room – U district – 6:30 PM – Electoral organizing and discussion of local politics.

Immigrant and Refugee Justice Committee Meeting, 1-3, West Seattle Library
2018-12-16 13:00 - 15:00 | West Seattle Library, 2306 42nd Ave SW, Seattle, WA, 98116, United States
Come join us from 1 to 3 at the West Seattle Library as we check in on our fundraising and education efforts, report back from meetings with our coalition partners, and discuss how to build a flexible, sustainable justice movement! Newcomers welcome!

Medicare for All: M4A & Sanders 2020 - A Conversation with Seattle DSA's Medicare For All Campaign
2018-12-15 14:30 - 16:30 | Seattle Labor Temple, 2800 1st Ave #140, Seattle, WA, 98121, United States
In the last year, Medicare For All has seen an unprecedented surge in popularity and is increasingly becoming a litmus test for Democratic candidates. What does this mean for DSA? And how could the presidential candidacy of Bernie Sanders help us build support for Medicare For All? Join a panel of students, nurses, and organizers from Seattle DSA’s M4A campaign as they discuss strategies for carrying Medicare For All’s momentum into 2019 and beyond. Q&A to follow. RSVP here: https://goo.gl/forms/Rs0HYMqnsurpdQ2f2
Thank you!

New Member Orientation
2018-12-15 13:00 - 15:30 | Columbia Branch – Seattle Public Library, 4721 Rainier Ave S, Seattle, 98118, United States
Are you new to the group and interested in learning more about Seattle DSA or socialism in general? If so, this New Member Orientation is for you. We’ll give a brief introduction to Democratic Socialism, an overview of the Seattle DSA, and a summary of the projects Seattle DSA is currently engaged in as well as ways you can get involved.

Click here for a copy of the new member handbook.

Pioneer Square Art Walk with Queer and Feminist Caucus
2018-12-06 18:00 - 20:00 | Eightball Cafe in Everett, 2727 Colby Ave, Everett, WA, United States
Come join the Queer and Feminist Caucus for a low-key social! We’ll be meeting at Pioneer Square Station at 6, at the intersection of James and 3rd, and then checking out the new art shows and open studios as part of the monthly free Pioneer Square Art Walk/taking the opportunity to check in with each other. Newcomers welcome!

South King County Roller Skating Social and Winter Coat Drive
2018-12-01 22:00 - 2018-12-02 01:00 | Southgate Roller Rink, 9646 17th Ave SW, Seattle, WA, 98106, United States
FULLY AUTOMATED QUEER SPACE COMMUNISM ON SKATES
South King County DSA is pleased to invite you to a Roller Skating Social/Winter Coat Drive at the Southgate Roller Rink on December 1st, 10 pm – 1 am.
Bring a new/gently used winter coat for our neighbors in need! Come enjoy open skate with your comrades! Don’t have a spare coat? COME ANYWAY!
Admission/Skates: $10
Need help with admission? LET US KNOW! Email dsasouthkingcounty@gmail.com
Need a ride/can give a ride? LET US KNOW! Email dsasouthkingcounty@gmail.com
Artwork Credit by ProSymbols, Bieutuong Nam, Collectif Intro per Creative Commons License

December Jacobin Reading Group Discussion
2018-12-01 11:00 - 13:00 | Montlake Branch of The Seattle Public Library, 2401 24th Ave E, Seattle, WA 98112, USA, 2401 24th Ave E, Seattle, WA, 98112, United States
Join us for an extra special reading group featuring Seattle’s own Andrej Markovčič to discuss his recent article for Jacobin.com, “No More Health Care Half-Fixes” (https://www.jacobinmag.com/2018/10/medicare-for-all-pramila-jayapal-bill)
We will also discuss “Every Child Needs the Good Enough State” by Catherine Liu (https://www.jacobinmag.com/2018/08/every-child-needs-the-good-enough-state/)

Electoral Committee Meeting
2018-11-27 18:00 - 19:30, 2018-11-12 18:00 - 19:30 | Ballard Branch Library, 5614 22nd Ave NW, Seattle, WA, 98107, United States

Revolution in the Air/Building Power on the Ground
2018-11-26 19:00 | Third Place Books, 5041 Wilson Ave S, Seattle, WA, 98118, United States
Presented by Third Place Books
Join three activist/authors for a probing discussion of the 1960’s upsurge against war and racism, the successes and failures of radical activism in the 1970s and 1980s – and what lessons can be drawn for today’s era of Donald Trump. Featuring:
Max Elbaum, author of Revolution in the Air: Sixties Radicals Turn to Lenin Mao and Che, re-released as part of Verso Books’ “1968 Series” with a new foreword by #BlackLivesMatter co-founder Alicia Garza. “An incisive and critical history of the Other New Left” – the radicals who brought class struggle and Third World liberation to the forefront, looked to the world for allies, and tried their best to work through the dynamics of race and class.” – Robin D.G. Kelley, author of Freedom Dreams: The Black Radical Imagination.
Cindy Domingo, co-editor of A Time to Rise: Collective Memoirs of the Union of Democratic Filipinos (KDP).
Michael Withey, author of Summary Execution: The Seattle Assassinations of Silme Domingo and Gene Viernes

Cinepraxis: Salt of the Earth
2018-11-25 17:00 - 20:00 | Grand Illusion Cinema, 101 NE 50th St, Seattle, WA, United States
Salt of the Earth, produced by the International Union of Mine, Mill and Smelter Workers, Local 890, in conjunction with many blacklisted Hollywood actors and crew members at the time is inspired but not based on the 1951 Empire Zinc Company strike. The film centers feminist social and economic themes. It is the only firm every blacklisted in the United States.
The presentation will be followed by a Labor Union panel discussion with Logan Swan (Ironworkers Local 86), Shaun Scott (Campaign Workers Guild), and Sharon Crowley (UAW 4121 member and organizer). Donation recommended.

District 1 and SKC groups social & bond fundraiser!
2018-11-18 18:00 - 21:00 | Proletariat Pizza, 9622 16th Ave SW, Ste A, Seattle, WA, 98106, United States
Join us on Nov 18 at Proletariat Pizza in White Center! D1 and SKC groups are co-hosting a social and bond fundraiser. Great pizza and great comrades await!

Immigrant and Refugee Justice Meeting
2018-11-18 13:00 - 14:00 | Beacon Hill Branch – Seattle Public Library, 2821 Beacon Ave S, Seattle, WA, 98144, United States
In this meeting, we’ll have report backs from meetings with our coalition partners (and explainers about what’s going on for newer comrades!), talk about how the fundraising/educational campaign is going, what’s going on at the border, and about what concrete steps we can take as an organization to be agile and ready for the unexpected.

South King County Worker & Tenant Listening Campaign ?
2018-11-17 11:00 - 14:00, 2018-11-03 11:00 - 14:00 | Old Top Foods parking lot (north end), 26015 104th Ave SE, Kent, WA, 98030, United States
Join your DSA comrades as we knock doors to build power and solidarity with workers and tenants in South King County (SKC).

This Saturday, we will meet at 11 a.m. in the old Top Foods parking lot (north end). After a brief training, we will finish knocking the doors of an adjacent apartment complex. We wrap up as late as 2-2:30 p.m.

Sign up here, and we can keep you updated!

You do not need to have any previous door knocking experience – the training will get you up to speed and you will head out with a partner!

TLDR
What – Door knocking in South King County
When – 11 a.m. on Saturday, October 6th, October 20th, November 3rd, and November 17th
Where – Old Top Foods parking lot, 26015 104th Ave SE, Kent, WA 98030

Why in SKC? Thousands of low-wage warehouse, manufacturing, and service workers drive the economy benefiting multinational corporations, and produce ⅛ of the state’s GDP. Meanwhile, wages remain low while the rents are some of the most rapidly increasing in the county. There is a richly diverse and varied demographic in this area, but currently, the working class is plagued by divisions along race, gender, ethnicity, nationality, sexuality and ability.

What is a listening campaign? Getting out and talking to our neighbors! – Seeking out and actively listening to people’s stories is the lifeblood of building true solidarity. Engaging in conversations about the issues people face is dialogical: folks at the door explore issues confronting them in their daily life, and we begin to understand shared concerns by articulating some of our own concerns. Importantly, at the doors we will not attempt to get our SKC neighbors to sign onto an already fully formulated project (mobilize), but instead invite them into the process of building something together. Our aims are threefold: 1) to understand the issues and oppressions that impact folks, 2) build the will to change these things for the betterment of people’s lives, and 3) build trust and community between previously disconnected SKC neighbors and workers, of which we are a part.

For what purpose? It is our goal to build a class-for-itself, and a working class that has democratic control over its own culture, institutions, and workplaces. In essence, we are interested in producing a new working class formation within South King County that fights, despite its differences, for the interests of the class, and for the humanity of the self and the others that compose that body.

Medicare for All Canvassing ?
2018-11-17 11:00 - 14:00, 2018-10-27 11:00 - 14:00 | Le’s Deli and Bakery, 4219 S Othello St, Seattle, WA, 98118, United States
Seattle DSA is out knocking on doors as part of DSA’s national Medicare for All campaign. You can learn more at the national campaign website here: https://medicareforall.dsausa.org.
Our regular canvassing scheduling is every other Saturday at 11am in the neighborhoods around the Othello light rail station. We start from Le’s Deli and Bakery and wrap up between 1:30-2pm. Sign up now and we’ll keep you updated!
We start off every canvass with a training and we always go out in pairs. So even if you’ve never canvassed before we’ll have you up to speed in no time! If you have any questions email us at sdsa.m4a@gmail.com.

Canvass for Sarah Smith for Congress! ?
2018-11-04 13:00 - 17:00, 2018-10-28 13:00 - 17:00, 2018-10-21 13:00 - 17:00 | Sarah Smith Campaign HQ, 3250 Airport Way S, Seattle, 98134, United States
Come canvass for Seattle DSA’s endorsed candidate for WA’s 9th District and help send a third socialist to Congress! Show up at Sarah’s campaign office at 3250 Airport Way South #324 with your smartphone fully charged, some comfortable shoes, and rain gear if it looks like it’ll rain. Sarah’s staff will get you set up with their e-canvasser and go over the basics of canvassing if this is your first time. Don’t forget to bring your official DSA gear. Drinks, food, and camaraderie afterward.

Jacobin Reading Group Discussion
2018-11-03 11:00 - 13:00 | Montlake Branch of The Seattle Public Library, 2401 24th Ave E, Seattle, WA 98112, USA, 2401 24th Ave E, Seattle, WA, 98112, United States
This month we will be reading the following articles from Issue 30 of Jacobin:
“Rational Actors” by Jenny Brown
(https://jacobinmag.com/2018/08/rational-actors/)
Interviews with US women about why they decided to have or not have children
“A Blueprint for Universal Childhood” by Megan Erickson
(https://jacobinmag.com/2018/08/a-blueprint-for-universal-childhood/)
A better world for childcare is possible
A few announcements
* Apparently street parking is forbidden around the Montlake library during the UW game. However, the library itself does provide limited parking
* If you need access an article, message me

Education Working Group Meeting
2018-10-30 18:30 - 19:30 | Seattle, United States
Monthly Education Working Group meeting at Cafe Solstice in Capitol Hill

Socialist Social Hour with National DSA Director Maria Svart
2018-10-29 19:00 - 21:00 | Big Time Brewery & Alehouse, 4133 University Way NE, Seattle, WA, 98105, United States
Let’s join longtime National DSA Director Maria Svart for a casual gathering at Big Time Brewery to talk about building working class power and our socialist movement. All members are welcome to come!

SDSA Queer & Feminist Caucus presents: How to Survive a Plague
2018-10-28 19:30 - 22:00 | Northwest Film Forum, 1515 12th Ave, Seattle, WA, 98122, United States
Seattle DSA is proud to present a screening of How to Survive A Plague in partnership with the Northwest Film Forum this Sunday, October 28th at 7:30pm! This film is being screened 2 months earlier than anticipated in part due to the brutal and cruel attacks that our non-binary friends are facing from the White House and DOJ. Government sanctioned attacks on some of the most marginalized members of our community are nothing new, as highlighted in the film. We hope to provide some solidarity to the trans and queer community, and a glimpse into how the AIDS community organized and fought back. We look forward to seeing you there!
Tickets will be $12 and donations are encouraged; we are currently seeking to partner with a local gender and/or queer rights/justice oriented organization for the proceeds to go to, and to co-host if there is interest.
In the dark days of 1987, America was six years into the AIDS epidemic, a crisis that was still largely being ignored both by government officials and health organizations — until the sudden emergence of the activist group ACT UP in Greenwich Village, New York, largely made up of HIV-positive participants who refused to die without a fight. Along with TAG (Treatment Action Group), and emboldened by the power of rebellion, they took on the challenges that public officials had ignored, raising awareness of the disease through a series of dramatic protests. More remarkably, they became recognized experts in virology, biology, and pharmaceutical chemistry. How to Survive a Plague is a 2012 American documentary that follows these activists and organizers in the face of enormous obstacles and government-sponsored genocide.

New Member Orientation ????
2018-10-27 14:00 - 15:30 | Capitol Hill Branch Library, 425 Harvard Ave E, Seattle, WA, 98102, United States
Are you new to the group and interested in learning more about Seattle DSA or socialism in general? If so, this New Member Orientation is for you. We’ll give a brief introduction to Democratic Socialism, an overview of the Seattle DSA, and a summary of the projects Seattle DSA is currently engaged in as well as ways you can get involved.
Seattle DSA New Member Handbook

Seattle Housing Justice: Tenant Canvass ?
2018-10-21 14:00 - 16:00, 2018-10-20 14:00 - 16:00, 2018-10-16 17:30 - 19:30 | Freeway Park, 700 Seneca St, Seattle, WA, 98101, United States
Come door-knocking with the Housing Justice subcommittee!
We will be visiting some apartment buildings where major code violations have taken place to talk to tenants and get their stories.
Don’t worry if you’ve never canvassed before. We will have a short training and you will be paired up with a more experienced canvasser.
The Housing Justice subcommittee believes that as Seattle is going through a housing crisis of unprecedented severity, it’s the task of socialists to help renters organize and exercise their collective power against landlords.
Email firsthilltenants@gmail.com for more information.

Eastside Medicare for All Canvass
2018-10-20 11:00 - 14:00 | Bellevue City-Crossroad Park, 16140 NE 8th St, Bellevue, WA, 98008, United States
Eastside DSAers are out knocking on doors as part of DSA’s national Medicare for All campaign. We start off every canvass with a training and we always go out in pairs. So even if you’ve never canvassed before we’ll have you up to speed in no time! If you have any questions contact us at eastsidedsa@gmail.com. If you want to join, please sign up here.

South King County Worker & Tenant Listening Campaign ?
2018-10-20 11:00 - 14:00 | Kent Public Library, 212 2nd Ave N, Kent, WA, 98032, United States
Join your DSA comrades as we knock doors to build power and solidarity with workers and tenants in South King County (SKC).
We meet at 11 a.m. at the Kent Public Library every other Saturday. After a brief training, finding a door knocking buddy, and stocking up on snacks, we head out to different neighborhoods in SKC. We wrap up between 2-2:30 p.m. and will have food, drink, and comradely camaraderie afterward!
Sign up here, and we can keep you updated!
You do not need to have any previous door knocking experience – the training will get you up to speed and you will head out with a partner!
What is a listening campaign? Getting out and talking to our neighbors! Seeking out and actively listening to people’s stories is the lifeblood of building true solidarity. Engaging in conversations about the issues people face is dialogical: folks at the door explore issues confronting them in their daily life, and we begin to understand shared concerns by articulating some of our own. Importantly, at the doors we will not attempt to get our SKC neighbors to sign onto an already fully formulated project (mobilize), but instead invite them into the process of building something together. Our aims are threefold: 1) to understand the issues and oppressions that impact folks, 2) build the will to change these things for the betterment of people’s lives, and 3) build trust and community between previously disconnected SKC neighbors and workers, of which we are a part.
Why in South King County? Thousands of low-wage warehouse, manufacturing, and service workers drive the economy benefiting multinational corporations, and produce ⅛ of the state’s GDP. Meanwhile, wages remain low while the rents are some of the most rapidly increasing in the county. There is a richly diverse and varied demographic in this area, but currently, the working class is plagued by divisions along race, gender, ethnicity, nationality, sexuality and ability.
For what purpose? It is our goal to build a class-for-itself, and a working class that has democratic control over its own culture, institutions, and workplaces. In essence, we are interested in producing a new working class formation within South King County that fights, despite its differences, for the interests of the class and for the humanity of all.

Religion & Socialism Caucus Meeting
2018-10-18 19:00 - 20:30 | Seattle, United States
The SDSA Religion & Socialism caucus is relaunching this year with new coordination. Join us for a visioning session to think together about our role as people of faith and partisans of democratic socialism in this city.

UW YDSA Inaugural Meeting ?
2018-10-16 19:00 - 20:00 | Husky Union Building (HUB) at University of Washington, 4001 E Stevens Way NE, Seattle, WA, 98195, United States
In HUB 214, join UW’s YDSA for our first meeting of the year! We’ll be introducing YDSA and talking about what we want to do this year.

Immigrant and Refugee Justice Committee Meeting / Reunión del Comité de Justicia para Inmigrantes y Refugiados
2018-10-14 15:00 - 16:00 | Seattle Public Library-University Branch, 5009 Roosevelt Way NE, Seattle, WA, 98105, United States
Join Seattle DSA members for the next meeting of the Immigrant and Refugee Justice Committee!
This committee is working to:

Develop grassroots public campaigns to stand in solidarity with immigrant-led organizations fighting for an end to immigrant detention in our communities;
Define and coordinate on-the-ground organizing strategies to hold our elected officials accountable to their commitments to immigrant rights;
Defend immigrants from attacks by US-backed terrorist paramilitary organizations operating in our communities (ICE);
Offer concrete, small actions that all DSA members can participate in, which will assist immigrants and refugees carry on dignified lives in Seattle.

¡Únete a los miembros de Seattle DSA para nuestra reunión del Comité de Justicia para Inmigrantes y Refugiados!
Este comité se está trabajando para:

Desarrollar campañas públicas de base para solidarizarse con las organizaciones dirigidas por inmigrantes que luchan por el fin de la detención de inmigrantes en nuestras comunidades;
Definir y coordinar estrategias de organización sobre el terreno para responsabilizar a nuestros funcionarios electos por sus obligaciones de los derechos inmigrantes;
Defender a los inmigrantes de los ataques de organizaciones paramilitares terroristas respaldadas por los Estados Unidos que operan en nuestras comunidades (ICE);
Ofrezcar acciones concretas y pequeñas en las que todos los miembros de Seattle DSA puedan participar, cuyas ayudarán a los inmigrantes y refugiados a vivir con la dignidad en Seattle.
