Events
We Fight Back DC: DSA Contingent
Join DSA chapters across the country as we gather a DSA contingent for the We Fight Back National Day of Action on Monday, January 20th. Meet us at Malcolm X Park and stay tuned for any updates!
Trans/Queer Liberation Bi-weekly Meeting
This is the bi-weekly meeting of Metro DC DSA's Trans/Queer Liberation Campaign. RSVP to receive the Zoom link and join us to discuss ongoing efforts such as Project Sanctuary, our Gender & Name Change Clinics, and more!
Reel and Meal at the New Deal
On Monday, January 20 at 7pm, the Reel and Meal hybrid film series at Greenbelt’s New Deal Cafe presents three short films: Just Another Bombing: Donal and Iona’s Story, about two children whose home was destroyed by the KKK in 1964; and two PBS films illuminating the Project 2025 handbook. In person: 113 Centerway, Greenbelt. RSVP for the virtual screening here.
Organizing to Win: A Practical Introduction
So you've been told to "start organizing." But what does that... actually... mean...
Well, it means a lot. That's why we're hosting this introductory organizing training to learn what the hell this thing is and how you can get started today. All you need is yourself, your strengths, and your hope for a better future.
The past few weeks have been nothing short of surprising, stressful, and scary. A lot of people may be feeling the need to get out there and do something, but might not know where to start. That's why we're here, and why you should join this training designed for anyone who wants to learn the basic steps of community organizing.
On Tuesday, January 21st at 6 PM, we'll take a deep dive into the core principles of community organizing, talk about building people power, and brainstorm ways to move people from inaction to action.
Learn how to activate yourself and people you may know that feel fired up and ready to fight, but don't know what next steps they can take. We promise you'll have a good time, learn a lot, and get your hands on some hope
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One quick note: A reporter from the Washington Post will be attending and reporting on this training. No quotes will be attributed to an individual without express permission from you. If you have questions about this or anything else, please reach out to elyssa@risingorganizers.org.
Debunking the Child Welfare System's “Safety Concerns” by offering Families Real Solutions
As family defenders, we are often looking for solutions outside of the courtroom to keep families intact. How do we change the narrative that mothers involved in this system are neglectful or unable to parent their children safely? The Mother Up Pilot takes on both these questions by creating a solution directly for mothers involved in the child welfare system.
Hear from Melody Webb, Executive Director and Founder of Mother’s Outreach Network (MON), a movement lawyering and advocacy organization that promotes the inclusion and empowerment of Black mothers in the struggle for family preservation by transforming government income and child welfare laws, policies and practices from punitive to uplifting. She and other parents from her program will present on how guaranteed income, direct and concrete payments, directly support families and takes on the false narrative or belief that parents surveilled by the system are dangerous to their children.
Free DC Campaign Orientation
Free DC is setting out to build the cultural and political movement it will take to make DC’s demand for full democratic representation un-ignorable. Learn more at their virtual orientation on January 22 from 6-8pm, including how you can be part of the movement to build power to protect our communities from a hostile administration. Sign up here.
Black Lives Matter in Books for Young Readers
This session, on Wednesday, January 22, 2025 from 6pm to 8pm will introduce educators and families to K-12 children’s books in preparation for Black History Month and Black Lives Matter at School Week of Action. There will be author talks followed by book signing. The event is hosted by Teaching for Change, with cosponsors, at Busboys and Poets (14th & V Streets NW) as part of the monthly Beyond Heroes and Holidays series. Busboys and Poets Books will handle the event book sales and signing. This event is co-sponsored by An Open Book Foundation, Africa Access, and Shout Mouse Press.
Repro Justice Campaign Meeting
Join the Repro Justice campaign as continue planning for a dual fundraiser for both DC’s Abortion Fund and the Middle East Children's Alliance, along with a care kit packing event. We will be going over our campaign, how you can get involved, and more. RSVP for the zoom link!
Social Housing Organizing Meeting
Join the Social Housing Working Group for its biweekly organizing meeting. Learn about its latest activities, what they're planning for the future, and how to get involved.
The Social Housing Working Group seeks to educate Metro DC DSA chapter members and the general public about social housing and to facilitate collective action in support of the passage and implementation of the Green New Deal for Housing Amendment Act.
The legislation proposes to create mixed-income, district-owned housing with market rate units that subsidize a larger number of affordable units. It's a pioneering approach that deepens affordability, invests surplus funds into the creation of more social housing, and locks-in financial sustainability. The bill also includes climate and labor standards and elected tenant boards with oversight over building management.
This event is open to both DSA Members and supporters.
March for ‘Life” Counter Protest
Metro DC DSA’s Bodily Autonomy Working Group will be counter protesting the March for ‘Life’ on Friday, January 24th, at 12PM outside the Supreme Court. This anti-abortion group does not speak for the majority of Americans, who believe abortion access is non-negotiable and that women deserve the right to choose what happens to their bodies.
We will not go back, and together we will make our voices heard to defend reproductive rights. Turn your frustration into action, and stand strong for abortion access.
To get involved further please RSVP - and download signal and join our signal chat, which is at the bottom of the RSVP page. Additionally, if you have any questions, please email bawg@mdcdsa.org and check out our linktree: http://linktr.ee/bawg_mdccdsa
SOS Anti-Eviction Canvas
Join comrades in this anti-eviction canvas! Come out and inform tenants facing eviction of their rights in court, how to get a lawyer, and to see if they're interested in organizing their building. Tenants we speak to are twice as likely to go to court and fight their eviction, so every volunteer can make a big impact.
We’ll meet at the L'Enfant Plaza Metro station on the D street exit between 6th and 7th above the escalators (if the weather is bad, we'll be downstairs just before the turnstiles). At 1:30 PM we’ll have a short training to explain why these canvasses are necessary, how to talk to tenants about their upcoming eviction suits, and how to fill in walk-sheets. We’ll then hand out walk-sheets and set you up with a partner — if you’ve never done this before, we’ll try to set you up with a veteran who can show you the ropes!
If you have a car, please drive it down to the meeting spot! Cars are helpful for getting canvassers to metro-inaccessible areas. (Parking near L’Enfant Plaza is a bit tricky, but doable!) If you’re interested in our work but can’t canvass, reach out to tenants@mdcdsa.org to learn about other ways to get involved.
We Power DC 101
Join We Power DC at Sudhouse for our first event of the year: We Power DC 101! This is the perfect event for anyone who is interested in learning about our campaign, or just wants to know more about the injustices of Pepco, and learn about the public power alternative.
Did you know that almost 25% of Pepco customers in DC are in utility debt? Or that Pepco cheated residents out of payments for community solar, and had to pay a settlement of $57 million for polluting the Anacostia River? We’re sick of this profit-driven utility screwing over the people of DC, and that’s why we’re fighting to put control of our energy utility where it belongs: in the hands of the people of DC.
We Power organizers will provide a brief presentation on the current state of energy distribution in DC, the grave ills that Pepco and the investor owned utility model have wrought on working class people, and We Power DC’s campaign for municipalization. Following the presentation, we’ll be hanging out for drinks and a chat.
Our campaign has a very exciting year ahead: we’ll be wheat pasting, publishing a white paper, hosting political education events, and most exciting of all, canvassing for public power. There’s never been a better time to get involved!
Pack, Party, Palestine!
Join us for a night of mutual aid as we pack 1,000 Care Kits to distribute across DC with EC4DC. 100% of the proceeds from the tickets (minus tax) will be donated half to DC's Abortion Fund (DCAF), and half to the Middle East Children’s Alliance (MECA). Each care kit contains a dose of Plan B, condoms, our zines, and pregnancy tests. After our care kit packing party, we will have a DJ set from 8-10pm to finish off our night with DJ B1te Back! Come see why there ain’t no party like a mutual aid party!
Additionally, As You Are. DC will be creating a special cocktail for the event, the proceeds of which will be donated to DCAF and MECA!
Hosted by the Bodily Autonomy Working Group of Metro DC DSA. If you’re unable to purchase a ticket for any reason and would like to attend, please reach out to us at bawg@mdcdsa.org and we will waive your ticket fee and add you to the list.
Check out our linktree to learn more about us or get invovled! linktr.ee/bawg_mdcdsa
If you have any questions, please reach out at bawg@mdcdsa.org
Stop Fueling Genocide: The BDS Campaign Against Chevron and Our Role in the DMV
As a major contributor to the global climate crisis, Chevron has devastated indigenous communities throughout the world. This year the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement has called for an escalation in consumer boycott and divestment campaigns against Chevron for its role in the genocide of the Palestinian people.
Chevron operates the two largest natural gas fields in Israel, and has announced plans to invest another $429 million in the Leviathan gas field. By bringing Israel billions of dollars in investment, Chevron fuels the occupation of Palestine and denies Palestinian people sovereignty over their natural resources. Campaigns around the country have arisen to mobilize people of conscience against this polluting ally of Zionist colonialism, including here in the Metro DC area.
Come to the “Stop Fueling Genocide” Socialist Night School and campaign launch to learn more about the BDS campaign targeting Chevron, as well as Chevron’s pattern of environmental destruction throughout the Global South. Hear from our speakers on BDS campaigns from the past and present in a conversational setting, and learn how to plug into DMV area Palestine solidarity organizing.
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This hybrid event is open to both DSA Members and supporters. The in-person event will be at the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library. Those who wish to attend virtually can RSVP and will be provided with a Zoom registration link on the next page, under "Instructions From Your Host."
"Nephew: A Memoir in 4-Part Harmony" with M.K. Asante
Join us for a celebration of the legendary James Baldwin at a special edition of LIT Lounge Live at the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library.
Hosted by Publisher and Television Host Mocha Ochoa, this program will feature an in-depth conversation with acclaimed author, filmmaker, educator, and professor MK Asante. Together, they will delve into Baldwin's enduring legacy, his profound impact on literature and activism, and how his work inspires new generations of writers and thinkers. Asante's book Nephew: A Memoir in 4 Part Harmony is a nod to Baldwin, whose The Fire Next Time was written as a letter to his nephew.
Program Highlights
Exploration of Baldwin's Life and Work: Professor MK Asante and Mocha Ochoa will discuss Baldwin's most influential works, including The Fire Next Time. They will explore the roots of racism and the possibility of change through Baldwin's passionately argued essays on religion, justice, and the Black experience in America.
MK Asante's Perspective: As an author whose work often echoes the themes Baldwin championed, MK will share his connection to Baldwin's writings and how Baldwin has influenced his creative journey, particularly in Nephew: A Memoir in 4 Part Harmony.
Interactive Audience Q&A: Be an active part of the conversation! Viewers can participate in a live Q&A session, asking MK Asante and Mocha Ochoa their burning questions about Baldwin's legacy and its relevance today. This is your chance to engage with the speakers and contribute to the discussion.
Tell Chevron: Stop Fueling Genocide | Divest from Israel
Tell Chevron to divest from Israel!
Join for hot drinks, dialogue, and art outside Chevron Government's Affairs Office the day before the company's quarterly earnings are announced.
Chevron has a range of assets in Israel: it operates and partially owns the largest Israeli natural gas fields, Tamar and Leviathan, located in the eastern Mediterranean sea; it also operates and partially owns the East Mediterranean Gas Pipeline, which runs from Israel to Egypt, off the shores of the Gaza Strip. In 2022, Chevron made an estimated $1.5 billion in revenue from Tamar and Leviathan gas sales and the Isreali state received $462 million in tax revenue. Chevron entered the Israeli market in 2020, with the acquisition of Noble Energy. It can choose to sell off this investment at any time.
This event is part of a week of action with the national campaign to tell Chevron: stop fueling genocide.
More background: afsc.org/BoycottChevron
Send a letter to the Chevron CEO: https://actionnetwork.org/letters/boycottchevron
Black in Blues - An Evening with Imani Perry
A conversation with Imani Perry and Clint Smith for Perry's new book Black in Blues.
Join the Library and Loyalty Bookstores for an in-person event with Imani Perry and Clint Smith for Black in Blues! This event will take place at DCPL's MLK Library, on the 1st floor.
This event is free to attend, but registration is required—please stay tuned for the registration link. Books will be available for sale and signing at the event.
ABOUT THE BOOK
A surprising and beautiful meditation on the color blue—and its fascinating role in Black history and culture—from National Book Award winner Imani Perry
Throughout history, the concept of Blackness has been remarkably intertwined with another color: blue. In daily life, it is evoked in countless ways. Blue skies and blue water offer hope for that which lies beyond the current conditions. But blue is also the color of deep melancholy and heartache, echoing Louis Armstrong’s question, “What did I do to be so Black and blue?” In this book, celebrated author Imani Perry uses the world’s favorite color as a springboard for a riveting emotional, cultural, and spiritual journey—an examination of race and Blackness that transcends politics or ideology.
Perry traces both blue and Blackness from their earliest roots to their many embodiments of contemporary culture, drawing deeply from her own life as well as art and history: The dyed indigo cloths of West Africa that were traded for human life in the 16th century. The mixture of awe and aversion in the old-fashioned characterization of dark-skinned people as “Blue Black.” The fundamentally American art form of blues music, sitting at the crossroads of pain and pleasure. The blue flowers Perry plants to honor a loved one gone too soon.
Poignant, spellbinding, and utterly original, Black in Blues is a brilliant new work that could only have come from the mind of one of our greatest writers and thinkers. Attuned to the harrowing and the sublime aspects of the human experience, it is every bit as vivid, rich, and striking as blue itself.
Courtwatch DC Training
Courtwatch DC is a growing DC-based program that provides the space and training for the community to observe local court proceedings in the District of Columbia and document our city’s policies in action and to hold judicial actors accountable for injustice in the court system.
Courtwatch DC is powered by Harriet’s Wildest Dreams, with support from the ACLU-DC, DC Justice Lab, and DC IWOC and was founded and led by formerly incarcerated Black women.
Courtwatching is a form of mutual aid. Inspired by Courtwatch PG, we strive to ensure that our community of Courtwatchers is multigenerational, multiracial, anti-racist, and moving towards an abolitionist future.
Black Studies Book Club
The MLK Black Studies Book Club meets every first Saturday of the month to explore, engage, and discuss books from and relating to the Black radical tradition.
We will be reading classics from authors such as Martin Luther King JR., Malcolm X, WEB Dubois, James Baldwin, Audrey Lorde, as well as lesser known and contemporary works. Our scope will not be limited to the U.S. but will encompass an array of authors across the African diaspora and will challenge our conceptions of what Blackness is and what constitutes Black struggle as a whole. Please email MLK Library's Adult Services department at adultservices.dcpl@dc.gov to inquire about meetings and to be placed on the listserv.
Co-op Academy 2025 Leaders Cohort Orientation Breakfast
Registration for this year's Co-op Academy Leaders cohort will take place in person at our 2025 Leaders Cohort Orientation Breakfast. If you are interested in learning more or registering for this year's cohort, sign up to attend our orientation breakfast by February 3rd. See orientation details below.
Co-op Academy 2025 Leaders Cohort Orientation Breakfast
Topic: Co-op Academy 2025 Overview & DC's Cooperative Legacy
Date: February 8, 2025
Time: 10:00 am - 11:30 am
Location: 3232 Georgia Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20010
Seats are limited so reserve your spot today!
Courtwatch DC Training
Courtwatch DC is a growing DC-based program that provides the space and training for the community to observe local court proceedings in the District of Columbia and document our city’s policies in action and to hold judicial actors accountable for injustice in the court system.
Courtwatch DC is powered by Harriet’s Wildest Dreams, with support from the ACLU-DC, DC Justice Lab, and DC IWOC and was founded and led by formerly incarcerated Black women.
Courtwatching is a form of mutual aid. Inspired by Courtwatch PG, we strive to ensure that our community of Courtwatchers is multigenerational, multiracial, anti-racist, and moving towards an abolitionist future.
Homegrown Strategies: Managing Danger and Fear through Collective Power
Are you interested in taking action against the threats of the Trump Administration but fearful of what that might mean?
Join this dynamic, interactive workshop from seasoned activists and we’ll help you address your fears, mitigate potential risks, and gain tools to create safer, more effective movements. We’ll talk about how to check our fears against reality, how to prevent our nervous systems from taking over, and how to build community to fortify our movements and ourselves against potential attacks.
Accessibility: Training will take place in the Assembly Room of the Friends Meeting of Washington which is accessible for wheelchair users. There are wheelchair accessible restrooms as well as an all-gender restroom.
COVID: We ask that participants mask while indoors at the training. Snacks and drinks will be provided as well as a space outdoors to eat and drink them.
If there are other ways that we can make this training accessible for you, please email us at info@homegrownrev.com. We can't promise anything, but we will try, and the sooner you let us know, the more likely we'll be able to help.
*Ticket prices are on a sliding scale. If you have questions about the pricing, want to attend but can't afford the price, or want to pay for your ticket in some other way, email us at info@homegrownrev.com.
The Road Ahead: Organizing Through a Second Trump Term
As we brace for the beginning of a second Trump term, leftists in the DMV and around the country are organizing protests and actions in the coming weeks to show solidarity with one another and all people who will be harmed by his fascist platform.
But what happens after the marches end? How do we make sure that we maintain the energy we see during inauguration weekend over the next four years and beyond?
In between the mass mobilizations over Inauguration weekend, join the Democratic Socialists of America and Movement Infrastructure Project on Sunday, January 19 to talk more about what this moment means, to hear about long term organizing projects you can get involved with in DC or nationally, and to hang out with other leftists and socialists. Whether you’re interested in tenant organizing, in organizing your workplace, in protecting the right to bodily autonomy, or just meeting new people, there will be something for you! We will start by 2:15 at the latest, so please make sure to be on time!
2:00-3:00: Hear from guest speakers and some group discussion
3:00-5:30: Workshops and time to hang out!
After you RSVP, you will be sent the location.
A Time To March: People's March
On January 18th, everyday people will gather in DC and across the nation to defend our freedoms and send a clear message!
We all march for different reasons, but we march for the same cause: to defend our rights and our future.
If you believe that decisions about your body should remain yours, that books belong in libraries, not on bonfires, that healthcare is a right, not a privilege for the wealthy; if you want to end mass incarceration, if you want a cease fire and a end to imperialism, if you believe in the power of free speech and protest to sustain democracy; or if you want an economy that works for the people who power it—then you are welcome to march with HWD and our partners.
No matter what they try, we will continue to choose solidarity, safety, Freedom and each other. The Power Is In The People!
People’s March is asking attendees to adhere to the following COVID Guidelines: Take a rapid COVID test within 72 hours of the start of the march. DO NOT ATTEND if you test positive for COVID or are feeling unwell within 72 hours of the march. Even if it’s not COVID, we encourage you to stay home and rest. KN95 or N95 masks are ENCOURAGED. We encourage all attendees to mask while traveling, stay home if feeling ill or if exposed to someone who tested positive for COVID within the week before the march, and test before and after travel.
KICKOFF: MCPHERSON SQUARE 10AM
IF YOU DON'T WANT TO RALLY, YOU CAN MEET US AT THE LINCOLN MEMORIAL AT NOON.
DCGIC January Info & Training Session
Join us for our first event of the year next Thursday, January 16th at 5pm via Zoom for an information and training session! All are welcome to join our gathering, including community members who wish to deepen their involvement in our advocacy agenda and organizing efforts.
At our January meeting, expect a packed agenda. It will include:
Remarks about the power of regular and unconditional cash payments from My Sister's Place Executive Director Mercedes Lemp;
A preview of the 2025 agenda of the DC Guaranteed Income Coalition; and
A mini information and orientation session for prospective volunteers.
Featured pilot: My Sister’s Place RISE Trust Guaranteed Income Pilot
The January meeting will spotlight the pioneering guaranteed income work of My Sister's Place (MSP). Executive Director Mercedes Lemp will discuss MSP's RISE Trust guaranteed income pilot, which is a program focused on domestic violence survivors. Read more here.
Repro Justice Campaign Meeting
Join the Repro Justice campaign as continue planning for a dual fundraiser for both DC’s Abortion Fund and the Middle East Children’s Alliance, along with a care kit packing event. We will be going over our campaign, how you can get involved, and more. RSVP for the zoom link!
The Healing of Organized Remembering: The Struggle to Teach Truth
On Monday, January 13, 2025, Teaching for Black Lives co-editor Jesse Hagopian and Rethinking Schools executive director Cierra Kaler-Jones will discuss Hagopian’s latest book, Teach Truth: The Struggle for Antiracist Education and the campaign to fight back against bans on books and education.
Jesse Hagopian teaches Ethnic Studies and is the co-adviser to the Black Student Union at Garfield High School in Seattle. He is an editor for Rethinking Schools, the co-editor of Teaching for Black Lives, editor of More Than a Score: The New Uprising Against High-Stakes Testing, and on the leadership team of the Zinn Education Project.
ASL interpretation provided.
Resource Exchange: Black Lives Matter at School Week of Action
All preK-12th grade D.C. area educators are invited to participate in a resource exchange in preparation for the eighth annual D.C. Area Black Lives Matter at School Week of Action (Feb 3-7, 2025). This event will be held in person at the African American Civil War Museum.
During this time, we will be reminded of the 13 guiding principles and national demands, along with the Year of Purpose, as well as review and share resources for lessons and activities for uplifting Black Lives Matter at School during the Week of Action and beyond. Participants will network with peers from the DC metro area during community-building activities like trivia and share outs about past ways folks have engaged in the Week of Action. Educators will work in grade level groups to develop classroom resources. Everyone will leave with a free book of their choice from our selection of elementary and YA books related to the 13 Black Lives Matter principles and Black history. Snacks and coffee will be provided.
Materials to bring: You're encouraged to bring a device (laptop, iPad, etc.) to best engage in planning and collaboration for this meeting. Snacks and coffee will be provided.
Educators can prepare for the Week of Action by participating in this collaborative meeting, and by attending DCAESJ's Black Lives Matter at School Curriculum Fair (Jan 25, 2025).
Trans/Queer Liberation Bi-weekly Meeting
This is the bi-weekly meeting of Metro DC DSA's Trans/Queer Liberation Campaign. RSVP to receive the Zoom link and join us to discuss ongoing efforts such as Project Sanctuary, our Gender & Name Change Clinics, and more!
Bits of Joy & Toys
Join us for the 8th Annual Bits of Joy & Toy event, a celebration of fun, community, and giving! This special day will be filled with activities for the whole family, including free haircuts and a variety of children's toys. You can help spread joy by donating toys, which can be delivered to Martha's Table.
Social Housing Organizing Meeting
Join the Social Housing Working Group for its biweekly organizing meeting. Learn about its latest activities, what they're planning for the future, and how to get involved.
The Social Housing Working Group seeks to educate Metro DC DSA chapter members and the general public about social housing and to facilitate collective action in support of the passage and implementation of the Green New Deal for Housing Amendment Act.
The legislation proposes to create mixed-income, district-owned housing with market rate units that subsidize a larger number of affordable units. It's a pioneering approach that deepens affordability, invests surplus funds into the creation of more social housing, and locks-in financial sustainability. The bill also includes climate and labor standards and elected tenant boards with oversight over building management.
Root Causes of Armed Conflict in the Philippines with ICHRP and DSA
Join Metro DC Democratic Socialists of America and the International Coalition for Human Rights in the Philippines (ICHRP) to learn about and discuss the roots of the civil war in the Philippines! Why has a peasant guerilla army persisted in armed struggle for more than 50 years despite successive “total war” strategies of US puppet governments to crush it? How does US backed counter-insurgency against the Left create a state of de-facto martial law in the Philippines? Why has the Philippines remained under US domination for more than a century? How can we defend human rights in the Philippines under assault by the US-Marcos regime? These questions and more we will answer together in December.
Don’t know much about the Philippines? No worries! First time discussing the civil war? No issue! All are welcome to come and learn more to build a solidarity movement for the Philippines.
A Demand for Clemency 3-day Vigil
PRESIDENT BIDEN, THE TIME IS NOW!
Formerly incarcerated women are coming from around the country to stand in a three-day vigil at the White House to send a message to President Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris that the job is not done. We need clemency for women in the federal prison system who have already served a lifetime in prison and deserve to come home. Let clemency be the tool it was meant for, to make just and sensible corrections. Free women like Michelle West, Lazara Ordaz, and Roberta Bell who have surpassed 30 years of incarceration.
Enough is enough. #FreeHer
Why Did We Stop Singing
Hosted by Makia Green
Songs have always been the heartbeat of our movements—they bring us together, lift us up, and remind us what we’re fighting for. Let’s bring that energy back. In partnership with Momentum Community, We Defend DC and many others join us on December 15th from 4–6 PM to reflect on the history of movement songs and create new ones for today’s struggles. Whether you love to sing, write, or want to be part of something bigger, this space is for you.
Save your spot now, and let’s make something powerful happen.
Labor Organizing School
Come learn about union organizing from experienced union organizers at our last school of the year!
Lunch provided.
Abolition Solidarity Social
Join the MDCDSA NOVA Abolition Working Group (and the rest of the Abolition Working Group) on Saturday, Dec. 14th from 3-5pm for a cozy winter Solidarity Social! We will be raising money for the Free Them All VA commissary fund and writing letters to incarcerated folks while enjoying cozy drinks!
Folks can sign up with letters for liberation to get matched with a long-term incarcerated pen pal. There are several opportunities for orientation before the social. If you can’t make a longer-term commitment, we will connect you with folks who would appreciate a one-off holiday letter as well. We will supply paper, envelopes and stamps for all writers!
Free Them All VA is a coalition amplifying the demands of folks organizing in VA migrant detention centers, jails & prisons. Their Liberation Fund supports incarcerated people and their families with legal costs, bonds, and commissary funds.
Saturday, Dec. 14th from 3-5pm at Detour Coffee, 946 N Jackson St, Arlington, VA.
Masks encouraged and provided. Event will take place outdoors, weather permitting.
SOS Anti-Eviction Canvas December 2024
Join comrades in this anti-eviction canvas! Come out and inform tenants facing eviction of their rights in court, how to get a lawyer, and to see if they're interested in organizing their building. Tenants we speak to are twice as likely to go to court and fight their eviction, so every volunteer can make a big impact.
We’ll meet at the L'Enfant Plaza Metro station on the D street exit between 6th and 7th above the escalators (if the weather is bad, we'll be downstairs just before the turnstiles). At 1:30 PM we’ll have a short training to explain why these canvasses are necessary, how to talk to tenants about their upcoming eviction suits, and how to fill in walk-sheets. We’ll then hand out walk-sheets and set you up with a partner — if you’ve never done this before, we’ll try to set you up with a veteran who can show you the ropes!
If you have a car, please drive it down to the meeting spot! Cars are helpful for getting canvassers to metro-inaccessible areas. (Parking near L’Enfant Plaza is a bit tricky, but doable!) If you’re interested in our work but can’t canvass, reach out to tenants@mdcdsa.org to learn about other ways to get involved.
Homegrown Strategies: Fun and Effective Action Planning
Have you ever wanted to make a change in your community, city, country, or the world but gotten stuck wondering how? Are you excited about taking action and making a difference, but feel intimidated by coming up with a strategy for change? Wondering how to get the attention of elected officials or other powerful people, but need some support and inspiration? Then come join us for this interactive training that will teach you how to think strategically when you want to make a difference. We’ll include case studies from our decades of experience, and a simulation we’ll work through together.
We Power DC December Happy Hour!
Join We Power DC for our final happy hour of the year on Friday, December 13th at 6:00 pm at Sonny's!
Talk with us about Pepco's latest dirty deed (with the help of our industry-captured Public Services Commission): securing a $123 million rate hike over the next 2 years, yanked from the pockets of our poor and working class neighbors. For more information on Pepco's greed, see We Power DC's press release on the rate hike approval.
It's a great time to talk about how to fight back over a beer! (Hint: the answer is public power!)
Defiende DC - reunión en español
En esta reunión, discutiremos cómo podemos fortalecer nuestra comunidad y asegurarnos de que todos estemos preparados para cualquier desafío que pueda surgir con la administración presidencial entrante. Será una oportunidad para aprender, compartir ideas y conectarnos con otras personas que están comprometidas con la defensa de nuestros derechos y nuestra seguridad.
¡Su participación es esencial para garantizar que DC sea un lugar más fuerte y seguro para todos!
Break the bonds of genocide webinar
It’s time to break the bonds of apartheid and genocide! U.S. investments in Israel Bonds have funded decades of occupation and military aggression against the Palestinian people. These financial instruments prop up a system of genocide and apartheid—and it’s our responsibility to disrupt it.
By organizing for cities, counties, states, and institutions like unions to divest from Israel Bonds, we can strike at the heart of the financial machinery that fuels oppression. Together, we’ll explore the power of collective resistance and strategic divestment campaigns that have the potential to shake the foundations of apartheid’s economic support. Join us to learn about the campaign's objectives, strategies, and the broader implications of divesting from Israel Bonds!
Join us to learn how to support existing campaigns and start your own! This webinar, the final in USCPR’s Community Divestment Series, will feature speakers from the South Florida Break the Bonds campaign & national network and UAW Labor for Palestine’s Divest from Israel Bonds campaign.
Join us, and get inspired by and plug into Break the Bonds campaigning!
Organizing to Win: A Practical Introduction
So you've been told to "start organizing." But what does that... actually... mean...
Well, it means a lot. That's why we're hosting this introductory organizing training to learn what the hell this thing is and how you can get started today. All you need is yourself, your strengths, and your hope for a better future.
The past few weeks have been nothing short of surprising, stressful, and scary. A lot of people may be feeling the need to get out there and do something, but might not know where to start. That's why we're here, and why you should join this training designed for anyone who wants to learn the basic steps of community organizing.
On Wednesday, December 11 at 7 PM ET, we'll take a deep dive into the core principles of community organizing, talk about building people power, and brainstorm ways to move people from inaction to action.
Learn how to activate yourself and people you may know that feel fired up and ready to fight, but don't know what next steps they can take. We promise you'll have a good time, learn a lot, and get your hands on some hope.
Socialism 101 | Socialist Night School
THIS WAS PREVIOUSLY LISTED AS BEING AT SHAW LIBRARY. IT IS TAKING PLACE AT MOUNT PLEASANT LIBRARY.
In our next Socialist Night School. we’ll tackle the question of socialism. We'll discuss:
What is capitalism?
What is socialism?
How do we get there?
Why does your involvement matter?
While everyone is welcome, this session is designed for newer members, interested non-members, and those who are relatively new to socialism. The session will be led by Socialist Night School organizer and Political Education co-steward David Kaib.
Trans/Queer Liberation Bi-weekly Meeting
This is the bi-weekly meeting of Metro DC DSA's Trans/Queer Liberation Campaign. RSVP to receive the Zoom link and join us to discuss ongoing efforts such as Project Sanctuary, our Gender & Name Change Clinics, and more!
HOLIDAY FUNDRAISER HAND-MADE POTTERY SALE
Join us this Saturday and Sunday to view and shop unique, functional pieces of pottery made by long-time JVP-DC Metro chapter member Martin Karcher, while supporting the work of US and Palestinian-based organizations dedicated to the movement for justice and liberation for Palestinians. The exhibition and sale will be open from 12–5pm on Saturday and Sunday.
Day With(Out) Art
Day With(out) Art is held each year as an international day of action and awareness in response to the AIDS crisis. Founded in 1989 by a group of artists, more than 800 arts organizations, museums and galleries throughout the U.S. participated in the first iteration by shrouding artworks and replacing them with information about HIV and safer sex, locking their doors or dimming their lights, and producing exhibitions, programs, readings, memorials, rituals, and performances.
This year, Experience a variety of activities and tours centered at the National Portrait Gallery; along G Street NW; and at the MLK Library.
The Native American History of Washington DC with Dr. Lione
An evening with Dr. Armand Lione on his book "Native American History of Washington D.C." in honor of Native American History Month.
Join DC Public Library, in partnership with Loyalty Bookstores, for an exciting conversation with Dr. Armand Lione on his book Native American History of Washington D.C.
Register for your seat to attend and the chance to get a copy of Native American History of Washington D.C. courtesy of The DC Public Library Foundation.
Courtwatch DC Training
Courtwatch DC is a growing DC-based program that provides the space and training for the community to observe local court proceedings in the District of Columbia and document our city’s policies in action and to hold judicial actors accountable for injustice in the court system.
Courtwatch DC is powered by Harriet’s Wildest Dreams, with support from the ACLU-DC, DC Justice Lab, and DC IWOC and was founded and led by formerly incarcerated Black women.
Courtwatching is a form of mutual aid. Inspired by Courtwatch PG, we strive to ensure that our community of Courtwatchers is multigenerational, multiracial, anti-racist, and moving towards an abolitionist future.
People v. Profit: Film about rent stabilization law in Prince George’s County and how it was won
The Monday, November 18 Reel & Meal film follows the affordable housing struggle in Prince George’s. People v. Profit is a 2024 documentary made by/with Councilmember Krystal Oriadha, who was a leader in the fight to secure control over landlord greed in the county’s law. Trailer is here. Film starts 7pm at the New Deal Cafe, 113 Centerway, Greenbelt, MD 20770; for remote attendance sign up here.
DC Walking Tour: A History of Police Violence
The Tour will explore downtown DC sites of historical and recent police violence and includes an incredible chorus of speakers:
Afeni Evans | DC Organizer
Alec Karakatsanis | Founder, Civil Rights Corps
Derecka Purnell | Author of Becoming Abolitionists
Qiana Johnson | Co-conductor, Harriet's Wildest Dreams
Vendedores Unidos | Coalition of street vendors
What does “safety” mean in a city where selling food, being unhoused, wearing a mask during a pandemic, or protesting police violence or genocide are met with violence from the very group that many believe is supposed to keep us safe? Join us to learn about the harm police cause, from the harassment and criminalization of youth, street vendors, unhoused folks, and protesters, to the point-blank execution of DC community members. The walking tour will explore how police, prisons, and carceral logic are used to put forward an idea of “safety” that in practice only makes life even harder for DC residents with the least access to resources. We will also dive into alternative visions for the abolition of police and prisons, to build the city we deserve where we keep ourselves and our neighbors truly safe.
The tour will visit 3 sites around the downtown DC area. The tour will meet in the center of Black Lives Matter Plaza (815 Black Lives Matter Plz NW, Washington, DC) at 1:00 p.m., and the tour will adjourn at 3:45 p.m. in downtown DC after ~ 1 mile of walking - followed by a happy hour afterward at a Penn Quarter Sports Tavern (includes outside seating).
We will provide weather dependent hot chocolate and hand warmers, snacks, and water on the tour.
The Walking Tour is hosted by Metro DC DSA’s Political Education Working Group and DC & NOVA Abolition Working Groups.
SOS Anti-Eviction Canvas November 2024
Join comrades in this anti-eviction canvas! Come out and inform tenants facing eviction of their rights in court, how to get a lawyer, and to see if they're interested in organizing their building. Tenants we speak to are twice as likely to go to court and fight their eviction, so every volunteer can make a big impact.
We’ll meet at the L'Enfant Plaza Metro station on the D street exit between 6th and 7th above the escalators (if the weather is bad, we'll be downstairs just before the turnstiles). At 1:30 PM we’ll have a short training to explain why these canvasses are necessary, how to talk to tenants about their upcoming eviction suits, and how to fill in walk-sheets. We’ll then hand out walk-sheets and set you up with a partner — if you’ve never done this before, we’ll try to set you up with a veteran who can show you the ropes!
If you have a car, please drive it down to the meeting spot! Cars are helpful for getting canvassers to metro-inaccessible areas. (Parking near L’Enfant Plaza is a bit tricky, but doable!) If you’re interested in our work but can’t canvass, reach out to tenants@mdcdsa.org to learn about other ways to get involved.