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January 23, 2026 |
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Features |
General Membership Meeting Tomorrow –Brodie LGood morning, comrades! Tomorrow, our General Membership will convene for the first GM of the new year. Your Local Council has been working to bring democratic improvements to our meetings that our growing membership deserves. The agenda is still being set, but we will definitely discuss our chapter budget. We exist in a soulless capitalist system that does not want us to succeed, so we must discuss how we can keep our organization financially stable. We will also discuss much more, so come see us at noon at the Healing Center. Food will be provided! If you want to submit an agenda item for discussion or a resolution for vote, email Local Council at [email protected]. And please RSVP via the OpenSlides email you should be receiving tomorrow. As our chapter grows, we will need more members showing up to meet quorum and officially conduct business. If you know you can’t make it, then please RSVP and let us assign a proxy. You can select someone you want, or we can select someone and they will vote as you determine or mark your vote abstaining. Either way, this allows us to more easily reach that needed quorum and continue our fight.
How Do You Protect Your Light in This World? –Cate RThe day after the State murdered Renee Good, I felt an urge to listen to “This Little Light of Mine.” Over the last ten days, I have returned again and again to Sam Cooke’s 1964 live version. I joined DSA in 2017, after a series of conversations with founding chapter member Kaitlin Marone (now our Regional Organizer) about the Women’s March. I was skeptical of the action as not clever or effective enough. It’s a mistake to focus too much on what we think is correct, rational, and theoretically possible. We give our minds too much credit. I am a member of DSA because of love. I have not survived the past nine years on anger, resentment, or theory. I have survived because of the loving bonds in my life, many of whom come from this chapter. One of our slogans is “Socialism or barbarism.” I say, then, our socialism should not be barbarous. I do not dream of beheadings, pitchforks, or blood. I dream of peace. This past week, the Buddhist monks walking for peace crossed the halfway point between Texas and Washington, D.C. On social media, they say, “Throughout this peaceful journey, we have been blessed to witness so many creative and heartfelt ways people choose to offer their love and support. . . . What matters is not the form the offering takes, but the love and intention behind it. When someone pauses to create something, to bring something, to share something from their heart—this is the true gift. This is devotion made visible. This is peace in action.” How can we bring desperately needed peace in action to our chapter, our city, and our world?
NOPD Proposes Policy That Approves Banned and Biased Surveillance Tech –Eye on SurveillanceNOPD is starting the new year by proposing policies to bypass the existing city ordinance banning characteristic tracking. NOPD’s new draft policy directly violates municipal code 147-2(b), which explicitly bans characteristic tracking. The new draft states, “Members may request or use characteristic tracking systems to immediately locate and detain an individual for which reasonable articulable suspicion exists.” NOPD’s policy aims to fast-track the use of facial recognition for NOPD, erasing the few accountability measures in place for facial recognition requests and processing, and granting NOPD the power to approve facial recognition at their own discretion. NOPD’s draft policy authorizes the use of facial recognition for “reasonable suspicion of imminent serious crime,” a vague definition that can be applied broadly to anyone. In New Orleans, a 2023 Politico analysis found that facial recognition is disproportionately used on Black suspects: 93% of requests. Characteristic tracking enables the tracking of people based on their clothing, accessories, gait, gender, hair color, and other characteristics. In the wrong hands, characteristic tracking can be used to surveil Black and Brown communities, women searching for reproductive healthcare, or objects like a Mexican or Honduran flag. As our chief of police ushers in future collaboration with ICE/CBP, we have to keep in mind that all surveillance technologies available to NOPD will also be available to terrorize our Black and Brown communities. Characteristic tracking and facial recognition are racist surveillance tech that should be banned. Send an email to NOPD and City Council opposing this dangerous policy and saying NO to racist surveillance tech! See the Eye on Surveillance resource guide for City Council emails and sample text. |
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Bulletins |
Data Centers Talk Tonight at PJIJoin Eye on Surveillance and Alliance for Affordable Energy for a groundwork educational session outlining Big Tech’s plans for Louisiana and how they’ll affect our communities. As extreme energy users like Meta set the groundwork for data center expansion in Louisiana, our state is becoming a playground for hyper-scalers. These moves may be framed as economic development opportunities by regional leaders, but their potential impacts include increased surveillance, ecological destabilization, massive water and energy consumption, and skyrocketing bills. Tonight at PJI, 1024 Elysian Fields Av, refreshments at 6, session at 6:30.
DSA Has a Chewbacchus Subkrewe Saturday Night“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!
Direct Service & Health Justice Brake Light Clinic Next MonthOn Saturday, February 21st, Direct Service & Health Justice will be hosting another bi-monthly Brake Light Clinic (location TBD). We will be joined by volunteers from Below Sea Level Aid. Shake off the post-Mardi Gras malaise and help your neighbors, hand out food, rep DSA, and even learn a valuable skill or two. Join our next Direct Service meeting via Google Meet on January 27, or message us in the Discord to learn more!
Poli-Ed Reading GroupThe Reading Group meets Sunday, February 15, from 5:00 pm - 6:30 pm, at the Healing Center #258. Our current reading series focuses on Palestine. We are currently reading Arab-Israeli Eco-Normalization by Manal Shqair.
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 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 25Chapter Orientation
Monday, January 26East Jefferson Neighborhood Social Lakeview Neighborhood Social Local Council Meeting
Tuesday, January 27Direct Service & Health Justice Meeting Gentilly Neighborhood Social CPR, Narcan & Stop the Bleed Training Wednesday, January 28French Quarter Neighborhood Social
Thursday, January 29Bywater Neighborhood Social Lower Garden District Neighborhood Social
Friday, January 30🌹 🌹 🌹
Saturday, January 31🌹 🌹 🌹
Sunday, February 1Coffee with Comrades Stop the Bleed Training Political Education Committee Planning Meeting Chapter Orientation
Down the RoadFebruary 3 Rank & File Project Meeting |
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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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