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January 16, 2026 |
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Features |
No More Secret Police, No More Surveillance State —Aaron ZBorder Patrol and ICE have occupied Minneapolis, where they’re terrorizing hospital visitors, throwing flashbangs at cars full of kids, and dining at a Mexican restaurant and arresting their hosts after. But ICE still has a year-round presence in New Orleans, currently operating out of their St Rose field office next to the airport. As they have for years, they continue roaming the region, faces covered and cars unmarked, boosting their ongoing Catahoula Crunch operation up to 560 arrests so far. We are being surveilled by faceless and unaccountable secret police. Jonathan Ross, the ICE agent who killed Renee Good, told his neighbors he was a botanist. In Minneapolis, ICE agents used their surveillance databases to photograph observer Judy Levy’s license plate, then walk up to her and say, “Hello Judith. How are you today?” then drive to her home address as she followed. When we give law enforcement surveillance tools and data, they stalk their ex-girlfriends and intimidate anyone trying to hold them accountable. We need to dismantle the structures that have allowed this. ICE partners with local law enforcement through their 287(g) Program, so officers in the Gretna, Hammond, and Kenner police departments, along with the Louisiana State Police, feed people into the ICE detention machinery. Upon dropping the department’s longstanding consent decree, NOPD Superintendent Kirkpatrick pledged to “fully cooperate with the Attorney General’s Office” to revise the department’s immigration policies. The city that secretly contracted with Palantir to spy on us and that lied about using facial recognition surveillance now wants to set up a $740,000 drone surveillance program in the Quarter. We’ve been working hard to create the mutual aid networks that shelter and feed our communities. While Episcopalian clergy in New Hampshire are writing their wills and pledging to put their bodies on the line for us, our public officials and neighborhood associations are pushing to blanket us in the very spy networks that the government will use to harass and intimidate us for doing our work. There is no freedom in a surveillance state. We must continue to fight it at every turn.
DSA Weekend: Hang Out and Plan Out —Brodie LThis weekend, DSA is excited to have our regional coordinator Kaitlin visiting. Everyone is invited to our hang out tonight at 6pm at Miel Brewery to get to know her and of course spend time with your favorite neighborhood socialists. It is not often we have an opportunity to just enjoy each other's company as a chapter without the pressures of the work or trying to hit goals, so come enjoy a delicious slushie and eat from one of two food trucks. Waska Latin Pop Up for Colombian-inspired street food and Buggin' Out Boils inaugurating crawfish season will be present for your hunger needs. Miel has non-alcoholic beverages and is family-friendly. Saturday at 3pm will be our plan out. Kaitlin will lead a workshop on organizing a mass movement. DSA is not focused around one single issue, nor do we have a prescriptive leadership body. We’ll talk about our fundamentals and vision of change in our city. This workshop is for all members, whether you’ve been with DSA in New Orleans its entire history or are a brand new member, this is a workshop for you to get a clearer understanding of our work and our role advocating for change in this city we love. I hope to see you all at both events, but especially the workshop where we can really get into what our work means and what we can do to win the future! |
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Bulletins |
Fork & Knife Club Fills Fridges, and a Brake Light Clinic Next MonthLast Saturday, Direct Service & Health Justice’s Fork & Knife Club, in partnership with the Southeast Dignity Not Detention Coalition, held a food distribution event at the Healing Center. More than 20 volunteers showed up to make sandwiches and plate 160+ meals, which we distributed to community fridges across the city. Donated groceries were provided to SEDND for their network of families in need. In February, we’ll be hosting another bi-monthly Brake Light Clinic on Saturday the 21st (location TBD). Come out and help your neighbors, hand out food, rep DSA, and even learn a valuable skill or two. Join our next Direct Service meeting on January 27, or message us in the Discord to learn more!
Poli-Ed Reading Group Meets SundayThe Reading Group meets Sunday, from 5:00 pm - 6:30 pm, at the Healing Center #258. Our current reading series focuses on Palestine. This Sunday, we’ll discuss The Gender of Fossil Fuels by Shira Pinhas, Spatial and Temporal Climate Change Vulnerability Assessment in West Bank, Palestine by Sandy Alawna & Xavier Garcia, and Gas & Oil in Palestine by Marketline (copies available at the office).
12 Mile Limit Trivia Night Fundraiser on WednesdayOur comrades at the wonderful neighborhood bar the 12 Mile Limit are graciously hosting a fundraiser for DSA on their regular trivia night. Buy an Old Fashioned that night and part of the purchase price will be donated to DSA! It is vitally important we support the businesses that support us and our mission for a more equitable New Orleans. We hope to see many of you there!
Next General Membership Meeting January 24Next Saturday, our General Membership will convene for the first GM of the new year. We will vote on a chapter budget as well as discuss other political issues, January 24 at noon at the Healing Center. If you want to submit an agenda item for discussion or a resolution for vote, email Local Council at [email protected].
Join DSA’s Chewbacchus Subkrewe“Eat the rich!” was last year’s chant. This year, “We’ll BeHeading Into the Future” with a laser guillotine and disembodied Monopoly Man heads. Join thousands along the parade route on St Claude and through the Marigny and the Quarter to enjoy an evening of carnival. If you’re interested in joining our marching subkrewe, get your Chewbacchus dues ASAP and head to the Chewbacchus channel on Discord to get your costume & throws ready!
Red Cup Rebellion: Historic Starbucks Strike Sweeping the NationStarbucks Workers United (SBWU) baristas continue their nationwide strike against unfair labor practices. That strike includes our local unionized Starbucks in River Ridge. Please support our striking baristas here and across the country by boycotting Starbucks donating to the workers’ solidarity fund. Baristas have been fighting for over two years for a fair contract. As participants in a wage market system, every worker has a stake in seeing the SBWU fight to the end.
Meet Comrades in Your Neighborhood CircleOrganizing is about trust, and trust gets built by showing up again and again and getting to know your neighbors. Neighborhood circles are how we connect with comrades where we live, work, or otherwise spend our time. We’re using them to host gatherings, plan events, and organize around issues in our neighborhoods. Click here to join yours today! Neighborhood circles are for members only and follow the chapter's code of conduct and guidelines for respectful discussion. |
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Community Calendar |
Friday, January 16Social with Regional Coordinator Kaitlin M
Saturday, January 17Northshore Neighborhood Social Building a Mass Working Class Revolution
Sunday, January 18Poli-Ed Reading Group
Monday, January 19Critical Mass MLK Community Ride
Tuesday, January 20🌹 🌹 🌹
Wednesday, January 21Trivia Night with DSA
Thursday, January 22🌹 🌹 🌹
Friday, January 23Queer Soc Meeting Big Tech’s AI War on Louisiana with KD Minor
Saturday, January 24New Orleans DSA General Meeting Chewbacchus: DSA Krewe "We'll BeHeading Into the Future"
Sunday, January 25DSA Comms Meeting Chapter Orientation
Down the RoadJanuary 26 East Jefferson Neighborhood Social |
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Solidarity Means Action is the weekly newsletter of the New Orleans Democratic Socialists of America. Subscribe for updates every Friday at 8:00 am Central. |
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