May Day Solidarity Rally: workers plan DC rally against oligarchs and billionaires; Socialists holding two-day electoral organizing training; Chapter Program Commission holding first meeting, DSA member input requested
This is the weekly newsletter of the Metro DC Democratic Socialists of America (MDC DSA), which is
produced by local members of the chapter's Publications Working Group. The Weekly Update publishes every
Friday at 9am. Want to fight fascism from the heart of empire? Join DSA and fight to build socialism!
Paid for by Metro DC DSA (mdcdsa.org). Not authorized by any candidate or committee.
UP FRONT
May Day Solidarity Rally: workers plan DC rally against oligarchs and billionaires — Thursday, May 1 from 5 to 8pm
Across the district, from transit workers, to restaurant employees, to federal civil servants, the working people who keep the District running are rising. Workers are demanding a country that puts families over billionaires, public schools over private profits, healthcare over hedge funds, and housing over slumlords. The tyrannical Trump and his cult of oligarchs are engineering a vicious race to the bottom — they want to erase workers’ rights, bust unions, steal wages, slash benefits, and seize ordinary people’s power. If successful, their project will descend this country, and perhaps the world, into ruin.
This May Day, workers in DC are planning to rally against this mad crusade. A solidarity rally will convene at Freedom Plaza on Thursday, May 1 from 5 – 8pm, with the ambition to unite tenants, workers, students, and the people of DC in common struggle. The rally is endorsed by a growing list of the local left — Metro DC DSA, the Federal Unionists Network, SEIU Local 500 & 1199, UNITE HERE Local 25 & 23, Washington Teachers Union, Nonprofit Professional Employees Union, the Washington Baltimore News Guild, IWW, Jobs with Justice, and more. Stay up to date on the planning of this event here. Organizations can sign on here.
The local front is wide. Federal workers are battling layoffs and illegal incursions from DOGE, Musk, and a cabal of technocratic cultists. Unions are defending their members from ICE raids. Restaurant workers at the STARR restaurant are fighting for union recognition in the face of outright union busting tactics, as the wider service sector prepares a defense of Initiative 82 against corporate meddling. On university campuses, students and faculty face outright political repression. All the while, the people of DC are defending their sovereignty against the threat of Republican takeover. If tackled collectively, the goals of a united working class will not be defeated. The ambition is not to show solidarity for just one day, but to build labor power across the district — in every shop floor, school, restaurant, and federal building. Sign up for May Day notices here.
Socialists holding two-day electoral organizing training — THIS WEEKEND, April 26 to 27
As old political powers wither, new opportunities for the political left to seize power will emerge in our region. Metro DC DSA has achieved a number of successful maneuvers in political gambits launched over the last decade. The left can and must go further, and Metro DC DSA’s Political Engagement Committee is plotting out that course.
DSA members interested in contesting political power and broadening the bench of socialist political power are invited to join the following two sessions happening this weekend:
Saturday, April 26 from 2:30 to 5:30pm at Petworth Neighborhood Library — Electoral Organizing 101. This 101 training is designed for members interested in collectively outlining the chapter’s electoral strategy for realizing our broader political vision.
Sunday, April 27 from 1:30 to 4:30pm at Shepherd Park (Juanita E. Thornton) Neighborhood Library — Electoral Organizing Deep Dive for members interested in helping coordinate campaigns in 2025 and 2026.
These events are excellent touchpoints for socialists, progressives, and anti-capitalists interested in developing a winning electoral strategy for DSA. To find more information and register for either training, RSVP for day one and/or day two.
Chapter Program Commission holding first meeting, DSA member input requested — Saturday, April 26 from 2 to 3pm
At Metro DC DSA’s last convention, the chapter voted formally to establish a two-year political program for the chapter, to be developed by a standing Program Development Commission (PDC). The PDC, which is made up of 13 chapter members, has already settled the delivery workflow and conceptualization of the project, and is now embarking on wider member outreach. This will be used to develop the PDC’s analysis and program proposal to the chapter.
The PDC is planning its first listening session this Saturday, April 26 from 2 to 3pm at Southwest Library (900 Wesley Pl SW). All DSA members, regardless of activity and level of involvement, are invited to attend in person or online. RSVP for the PDC listening session here.
BRIEFS
SOS launching defense of DC Tenant Opportunity to Purchase Act (TOPA) canvass — Saturday, April 26 at 1pm
Mayor Muriel Bowser’s proposed RENTAL Act would further decimate the rights guaranteed to Washingtonians by the Tenant Opportunity to Purchase Act (TOPA), stripping these rights from huge swaths of tenants in both new developments and covenanted affordable housing throughout the District. Stomp Out Slumlords is organizing to defeat this attack on tenants’ rights and save TOPA. SOS will be launching a canvass out of Columbia Heights on Saturday April 26 at 1 pm to talk to tenants about fighting back and organizing against these attacks on TOPA. The group will meet at the Calverton Apartments in Lanier Heights, just off 16th St NW and about a 10-minute walk from the Columbia Heights metro. Following the canvass, SOS will host an afternoon potluck/cookout to get together and enjoy the spring weather.
Ecosocialists planning H Street wheatpasting expedition — Saturday, April 26 at 1pm
Join We Power DC on Saturday, April 26 at 1pm to put up posters around NoMa and H St. Help us spread the word on the excesses of Pepco and the public power alternative, and tap into that latent anger against our greedy utilities. Materials and training will be provided. The expedition is expected to go on even in the case of inclement weather, but receive updates on the event by RSVPing here.
Know Your Labor Rights: Fighting back against ICE in the workplace — Sunday, April 27 from 1 to 3pm
An attack on undocumented workers is an attack on all workers. Join us for a training organized by labor experts to help protect yourself on the job and to be an ally to undocumented coworkers & neighbors. RSVP here. This is part of a continuing series of “Know Your Labor Rights” workshops hosted by experienced labor lawyers and veteran organizers across the metro DC area.
Socialists planning singalong and jam session at 7DrumCity — Wednesday, April 30 at 7pm
Metro DC DSA proudly presents “The Socialist Singalong and Jam Session” at 7DrumCity at The Pocket on Wednesday, April 30 from 7 to 10:30pm. This is a free, participatory event to perform and learn about the role music has played in the labor movement, to educate about historical working-class struggles, and to build camaraderie among working-class people by providing an outlet for musical expression and collaboration. All abilities, instruments, and persons welcome — a backline of drums, keys, amps, and mics will be provided, but musicians can also bring their own instruments. Here is a list of potential songs to play, and participants are welcome to perform their own music as well, as time allows. DSA members with Slack access can also reach out in #political-education for more information.Socialists in Prince George’s County are aiming to strengthen communications and develop a robust left-wing information center in the county, and the branch needs member involvement. Initial meeting is this Saturday, April 19, 7 – 8pm on Zoom. PG members and guests can sign up here to help plan wider outreach to the working class in the Prince George’s County news desert.
Cinema & Class Struggle: Labor FilmFest Hits AFI Silver
Metro DC DSA is a co-sponsor of the Labor Heritage Foundation’s month-long Labor FilmFest this May. Don’t miss out on a dozen powerful films about workers and their stories— including LILLY, NINE TO FIVE and STRIKE—screening at the AFI Silver Theatre at the 25th edition of the annual festival. The screenings will reveal powerful storytelling that honors the dignity, struggle, and spirit of working people. Click here for films, trailers, and tickets. The Labor Working Group has been given a limited number of FREE TICKETS which will be distributed to DSA members who attend labor actions in the coming weeks.
DSA National Convention updates — local convention meeting, national cross-caucus call, national proposals, and more …
DSA’s National Convention is coming up. This summer, hundreds of DSA members from across the US will be converging in Chicago to consider and vote on national resolutions, national bylaw changes, updates to the national platform, and National Political Committee leadership. The chapter will soon be opening up nominations to fill the 46 delegates apportioned to the chapter for convention.
There is a lot of activity occurring in preparation for the Convention. Two upcoming events can help both experienced, new, and returning members make sense of the quickly evolving national deliberation:
On April 27, caucuses across national DSA are coming together for a wider political forum on uniting to resist Trump’s regime. The forum is taking place on Zoom from 5 – 7pm (sign up here) and is being hosted by the Reform & Revolution Caucus. The event will feature speakers from Bread & Roses, Groundwork, Libertarian Socialist Caucus, Marxist Unity Group, Red Star, and Socialist Majority Caucus.
On May 3, Metro DC DSA is planning a local political discussion at Petworth Library (2 – 4pm) to talk through DSA’s structure, disclose information about convention itself, and spark discussion on how DSA ought to develop. Whether you are a seasoned convention delegate or totally new member, your input is welcome. Early RSVP is requested; this will be a hybrid event.
Resolution and national bylaw amendment proposals are currently being submitted by democratic socialists across the US — members can find convention proposals, discussion boards, and platform proposals on the DSA Discussion Board’s Convention Hub. More information about convention proposals can also be found on the DSA website. Members of Metro DC DSA with Slack access can visit the #2025-national-convention channel to engage in debate, discussion, and solicitation surrounding the convention.
Individual MDC chapter members in support of using the Hare/STV method to elect delegates have been circulating this petition for consideration. Although alternative voting systems are allowed for consideration by the chapter, Article VI, Section 3 of the National DSA Constitution clarifies the modes by which adoption of the Hare system (STV) can be approved by the chapter, which includes a petition from ten percent (10%) of the chapter.
Palestine Solidarity Walking Tour and Protest planned for Saturday, May 17 from 12 to 3pm
MDC DSA’s Internationalism Working Group has set a date for its Palestine Solidarity Walking Tour, which will explore sites connected to US imperialism, corporate greed, and the ongoing genocide against Palestinians. The walking tour will be led by MDC DSA’s Internationalism Working Group in partnership with Jewish Voice for Peace-DC Metro, Palestinian Youth Movement-DMV, and more. The sites will cover the links between dark money and political repression, oil, and Israeli apartheid. The walking tour and protest will connect attendees to organizing efforts in the DMV to support boycott, divestment, and sanctions against Israel and to end the genocide.
Note: this walking tour will include protest efforts along the route. This walking tour and protest will have marshals assessing the situation and any risks.
Green, union-built housing for all: Ecosocialists planning Social Housing canvassing this spring
As the corporate class continues to destroy our planet and the price of living in the District keeps rising, DC’s working class is demanding a solution. That is why the Metro DC DSA has organized a series of eight canvasses every Sunday until May 25. Canvassers are collecting mass signatures to encourage the DC Council to create a Department of Social Housing to specifically fund and administer mixed-income public housing, where market rate units subsidize the affordable and deeply affordable units they live in. Interested comrades can sign up to canvass here.
Sign-ups open for socialist summer reading groups
The Political Education Working Group is excited to host 12 different reading and discussion groups for Summer 2025 — sign up for socialist reading groups today. The chapter’s reading groups provide an opportunity to learn in a group setting, and help members develop their organizing and knowledge alongside comrades. Topics range from a viewing and discussion group for the Andor TV series; two groups reading fiction books connected to Palestine and anti-fascist organizing; and groups connected to chapter campaigns on Abolition, Social Housing, Internationalism; and much more. Among them is the New Magazine Essays Discussion Club, which is getting an early start by meeting at Potter’s House on Monday, April 28 at 6:30pm to discuss three essays from the latest issue ofProtean. Find out more about each group here, and sign up for the reading groups here.
Want to stay updated? MDC DSA members are encouraged to join our all-member Slack for real-time info on working group and campaign events, convo, and inspiration. Email [email protected] with your most recent DSA dues receipt to get Slack access. Weekly Updates like the one you are reading are scheduled and emailed on Fridays; current and past Updates are on the web here. Not subscribed? DSA member or not, sign up to get the Update here. The MDC Dispatch is the chapter’s new video news series, published on the first and third Sunday of each month. Subscribe to our YouTube channel and submit your Update or Dispatch suggestions or DMV scandal tips to our tip line.
The Washington Socialist, published since the 1970s, offers in-depth analytical/opinion articles on a quarterly schedule; the Spring 2025 quarterly issue now leads the queue. Check out our indexed and searchable archive to see what we write — and what you can write. Anyone, MDC DSA member or not, interested in contributing to the Washington Socialist can email submissions or questions to [email protected].
DMV LEFT COMMUNITY BULLETIN
Community Safety Fair | DC Justice Lab, April 26
Every year, DC Justice Lab brings together a cohort of directly impacted residents to reimagine what justice and safety can look like in our city, culminating in a Community Safety Fair — a free, public event where participants present their ideas to community members, advocates, and local decision-makers. Drop by the MLK Library on Saturday, April 26, between 1 and 4pm to hear these community-rooted policy proposals. More info here.
Building Community Power, Growing Community Wealth | Democratize NOVA
Democratizing NOVA (DNOVA) is a community-university partnership focused on exploring radical, community democracy and solidarity economics in the same vein as Cooperation Jackson, Cooperation Milwaukee, and other worker-led initiatives. All are invited to their 2025 summit, Building Community Power, Growing Community Wealth on Saturday, April 26 and Sunday, April 27 at George Mason University. RSVP to the summit here.
Solidarity City at Columbus Circle
Solidarity City is a month-long organizing event in the heart of Washington, DC, taking place at Columbus Circle starting on April 20. Nicknamed “Muskville,” this in-person organizing space will provide support for displaced workers and demonstrate mutual aid, as well as provide political education and organizing for collective action. Join daily programming, including supportive services for fired federal workers and other community members, trainings, political education, performances, and more. Attend, volunteer, propose programming, or otherwise get involved here.
Across Maryland, families are still being torn apart by a broken immigration system — and Kilmar Armando Abrego Garcia’s story is one we can’t ignore. Kilmar is a father, union worker, and valued member of our community who was illegally deported by ICE despite a standing court order. Now, he’s imprisoned in El Salvador while his wife and three children remain in Maryland.
ESSENTIAL PERSPECTIVES are articles and opinion pieces of interest to DMV leftists but not, generally, appearing
in local media. They should have links without paywalls. Readers are invited to submit candidates at our tip
line.
Return of the robber barons
“Donald Trump’s tariff policy has thrown markets into turmoil among his allies and enemies alike. This anarchy reflects the fact that his major aim was not really tariff policy, but simply to cut income taxes on the wealthy, by replacing them with tariffs as the main source of government revenue. Extracting economic concessions from other countries is part of his justification for this tax shift as offering a nationalistic benefit for the United States. His cover story, and perhaps even his belief, is that tariffs by themselves can revive American industry. But he has no plans to deal with the problems that caused America’s deindustrialization in the first place.” From the Democracy Collaborative
Shawn Fain: We Need a Political Movement for Workers
The UAW’s Shawn Fain on tariffs: “We’ve seen some reckless and chaotic activity on trade from this administration, and there’s a lot of fear of disruption. But what we have to remember is that disruption is not new to factory workers in this country — disruption is what we’ve been living with for thirty years under a free-trade disaster. It doesn’t mean we support reckless random tariffs. I don’t believe that’s the answer to all this. But there is a reason for tariffs, and it’s also a mistake to just defend the status quo, especially when it comes to free trade.” Portside
Bandung’s Ghosts
Third Worldism is widely regarded today as an anachronistic relic of the Cold War, its political vision remembered primarily for its status of non-alignment [balancing] between the Western and Soviet blocs, rather than for its emphasis on anti-colonial solidarity and building a new global order free from hierarchy and domination. Even the term “Third World” itself has largely fallen out of favor. But perhaps we shouldn’t be quite so quick to consign the Third World to the dustbin of history. All it takes is a cursory glance at the daily headlines to plainly see that even today in 2025, on the 70th anniversary of the Bandung Conference, the issues identified at the conference — the threat of conflict between nuclear-armed superpowers, continued colonial and neocolonial exploitation and violence, an international economic system designed to benefit wealthy nations at the expense of poor ones — still persist, often in even more malevolent form. Protean magazine; tx our comrade Dan Singer’s “5 Lefty Links”
Troops can now detain, search people on newly minted military land on the southern border
A 60-foot-wide zone of New Mexico land that runs along the U.S. border with Mexico has been deemed part of Fort Huachuca, Ariz., to allow troops to begin arresting people for trespassing on military territory — an escalation of the authority given active-duty service members deployed to the region to deter illegal activity. Stars & Stripes
This is the weekly newsletter of the Metro DC Democratic Socialists of America (MDC DSA), which is produced by
local members of the chapter's Publications working group. The Weekly Update publishes every Friday at
9am.
Paid for by Metro DC DSA (mdcdsa.org). Not authorized by any candidate or committee.
Thinking about it, but want to get this email Update every Friday? SIGN UP
HERE
The flame of thought, the magnificence of art, the wonder of discovery, and the audacity of invention
all belong to revolutionary periods when humanity, tired of its chains, shatters them and stops inebriated to
breathe the breeze of a vast and free horizon. - Virgilia D'Andrea
Sent via ActionNetwork.org.
To update your email address, change your name or address, or to stop receiving emails from Metro DC DSA, please click here.
