Table of Contents

Summary        3

2018 Leadership        4

What is Democratic Socialism?        5

Treasury        6

Visioning Survey        8

Campaign: Paid Sick Days        9

Electoral        10

Committees        12

Committee Spotlight: Education        13

Hitting the Streets        15

What About Fun?        17

Lessons Learned        18

Now What?        19

Summary

The Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) is a grassroots, member-led organization whose goal is to build a mass socialist movement. Southern Maine DSA (SMDSA) was incorporated in 2017 and includes DSA members who live and/or work in Maine’s First Congressional District. According to our bylaws, DSA members who live and/or work in Maine’s Second Congressional District are also members by default of SMDSA until a chapter is formed in their area.

2018 was a year of rapid growth for DSA both nationally and in Maine. National membership grew from 32,000 to 55,000, with the number of local chapters increasing from 40 to 181. 2018 also saw the first two DSA members elected to the United States House of Representatives: Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (NY-14) and Rashida Tlaib (MI-13).

In Maine, we started the year with roughly 120 dues-paying members in Cumberland and York Counties, growing to roughly 180 by mid-year. In July, we petitioned National for a complete list of dues-paying members in all of Maine and began outreach to these members for the purpose of organizing statewide. We had roughly 300 members statewide in July, with over 360 by the end of the year.

As a result, we formed an Eastern branch on October 15th covering Penobscot County and a Midcoast branch on November 12th covering Lincoln, Knox, Sagadahoc, and Waldo Counties. To form a branch, five (5) or more dues-paying members need to sign and submit a petition, which then needs to be approved by a majority vote of the chapter at a regular membership meeting. This provides dues-paying members autonomy to organize and form their own groups in ways that make sense for them - in this instance, in remote locations of Maine.

Several members even had new children in 2018; Hearty welcomes to Arne, Bernie, Noam, and Theo!

2018 Leadership

We believe in democracy from below. As such, our chapter leadership consists of and is elected by its dues-paying members. Our members elect a new leadership body each year at our January Membership Meeting. This body consists of four (4) Officers and a number of At-Large Members decided annually. For 2018, our officers included a Chair, Vice Chair, Secretary, Treasurer. The number of At-Large Members was reduced from seven (7) to five (5).

Leadership duties include acting as a liaison with National DSA and other chapters, formulating strategic plans, tracking progress on committee work, setting general membership meeting agendas, and overseeing the routine business of the chapter. The Chair oversees the leadership body, with the Vice Chair fulfilling these duties in the Chair’s absence. The Secretary is responsible for the correspondence and non-financial records of the chapter, while the Treasurer is responsible for the financial records and activity of the chapter. The At-Large Members fulfill duties as assigned and/or taken on.

At the January 8th Annual Meeting, members elected Chair Meg R, Vice Chair Mikayla D, Secretary Kate S, Treasurer Seth B, and At-Large Members Mike D, Rusty F, Cynthia H, Jai K, and Pat M. The April 9th Membership Meeting saw Jon T elected to an At-Large position vacated by Rusty F. The May 14th Membership Meeting saw Crow N elected to the vacated Treasurer position and Corey B elected to an At-Large position vacated by Cynthia H.

Ahead of the 2019 Annual Meeting, members voted to continue with five (5) At-Large Members. Members also voted to amend our bylaws to change from a Chair and a Vice Chair to two (2) Co-Chairs in an attempt to flatten hierarchy, reduce concentrations of power and/or responsibility, mitigate the risk of burnout, and provide leadership experience to more members. They also voted to amend our bylaws to change the name of our leadership body from “Executive Board” to “Steering Committee” in an attempt to better communicate that this body is one of facilitation and administration, not power or top-down direction.

What is Democratic Socialism?

Democratic Socialism is a defined political and economic system, centering on democratic control and ownership of our economies and communities, but what it means in practice and how we get there is unique to everyone. We reserve a few minutes at our monthly membership meetings for a member to speak on what democratic socialism is to them. We share our stories to learn from each other and build a shared vision. Some members provide their speech in writing to be hosted on our website’s blog. Find a sample of these entries below.

“We need observable, measurable actions. History shows us that we have to be active in meaningful ways if there is to be change. We have to be organized, we have to be equitable, and we have to show up.” - Corey B

“I learned about... the Civil Rights workers, killed in the 1960’s: black and white comrades, martyrs for a better America. It became clear to me that the working class, white and black, had the same class enemy.” - Ken B

“There are lots of ways to taxonomize what “kind” of socialist you are, and there will always be some people who will pass judgement on who is or is not a “real” socialist. But in the end I feel like we are all really seeking fairness.” - Mike D

“I realized that in life, these weren’t hardships that I was facing by chance, luck, or omen. These are all features of a capitalist economy… It’s self-preservation to identify the blockades put in one’s own path. It’s something else entirely to break those blockades down.” - Jon T

“I’m involved with DSA in the hope that someday, working together toward a more just, classless society, we can help people shed their false consciousness, their economic insecurity and hate, so they can reclaim their lives. This is a rescue mission motivated by love and understanding.” - Todd B

Treasury

Our finances are in good shape as we steadily bring in more money than we spend on average. Fundraising events outside of individual donations and merchandise sales continues to be based on the initiative of individual members. Organizational spending remains largely operational, though an effort was made to empower members to think creatively about how we might be able to use our funds. We have also worked to modernize our finances by opening a Square account to create an online store and accept credit card and contactless payments in person. Some financial matters of note include:

• Annual membership dues sharing received from National DSA (+$452.20)
• Establishment of the Stanley Pozdziak Memorial Scholarship ($500 set aside)
• Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Dinner table sponsorship (-$1,000, individual attendees reimbursed SMDSA roughly half of this cost)
• Labor Day Breakfast table sponsorship (-$175)
• Button maker purchase (-$389.95)
• Youth in Recovery table sponsorship (-$50)
• Solidarity Harvest donation (-$300)

* Income reported in 2017 includes balance carried over from 2016, and Expenses only include those beginning in August

Visioning Survey

In February we mailed out Valentine’s cards to all members and non-member attendees inviting them to attend our visioning session at the February 12th membership meeting. We asked attendees to shout out what they wanted to see in a socialist Utopia while we wrote down each of the 68 responses. Each attendee got five (5) sticky notes on which to write their names and “voted” for which suggestions they wished to work towards by sticking them next to the idea. The ideas were combined into categories and ranked according to the votes they received. The following categories were created, with the votes received listed in parentheticals:

1. Labor Issues (30)
2. Clean Elections/Transparency  (29)
3. Health Care (27)
4. Anti-Imperialism (22)
5. Economic Justice (22)
6. Justice System Reform (19)
7. Infrastructure (17)
8. Foreign Policy (14)
9. Education (11)
10. Social Equality (7)
11. Housing Justice (6)
12. Environment & Science (5)

With this information, the Steering Committee was able to focus our chapter’s work around initiatives and proposals that related to what the members themselves voted for, providing direct democratic control over the issues on which we decided to focus. When new items came before the Steering Committee, one of the first questions we asked was how it fit into our visioning survey.

Campaign: Paid Sick Days

Our work on a Portland Earned Paid Sick Days referendum grew out of the Visioning Survey as a member-led initiative. The initial exploratory committee was formed with Krys B leading it.  At the June 18th general meeting our members voted to endorse the campaign and join the Keep Portland Healthy coalition as a strategic partner, along with Southern Maine Workers’ Center and the Maine Women's Lobby.

The coalition planned a Labor Day march and rally following the Southern Maine Labor Council’s annual Labor Day breakfast to mark the one-year anniversary of the campaign. Jon T spoke at the rally on behalf of SMDSA:

“DSA stands with the working class. We believe that freedom and dignity only exist when we control the systems in which we participate - our homes, our communities, and our workplaces. This ordinance directly impacts the control we have in all three. It’s a small ask for the city and for employers, but for workers to have the time and autonomy to take care of our own health, the health of our families, and the health of our communities would be huge.”

In late summer we filmed a video highlighting the importance of paid sick days to Portland workers. In October, we organized a letter-writing event at Arcadia National Bar where we wrote letters in support of the ordinance to members of Portland City Council’s Health and Human Services (HHS) Committee. Over the next several weeks, we wrote letters to the editor in preparation for the committee’s vote, however the Oxford Street Shelter crisis took priority for the committee, and they again pushed the ordinance to the back burner.

In November the HHS committee met and red-lined several key aspects of the ordinance with Councillor Brian Batson leading the call for a two-tiered system, which left many workers at small businesses behind. In December, Krys B transferred leadership of the campaign to Aaron B. Shortly thereafter, when Batson did not respond to our efforts to discuss these cuts, we organized a canvass in his district to speak directly with his constituents, collecting over 160 postcards in support of EPSD and delivering them to Batson at the District 3 annual meeting. Many SMDSA members and allies attended and spoke in support of the campaign at that event.

We also produced a short cartoon for social media, illustrating the impact of the cuts on service sector workers and public health. In early January, 2019, we learned that Batson had withdrawn his support for the two-tiered system. On January 8th, we turned out 50 supporters to the HHS Committee Public Hearing and succeeded in getting the committee to support 40 hours for all workers, regardless of size of business. The ordinance will now be assigned a fiscal note and sent on to the full Council.  

Electoral

Electoral work is one of the many tactics that we can use to improve material conditions of our neighbors. Levers of power are more easily pulled toward justice when those pulling them are representing the working class rather than the owner class.

This year, candidates seeking our endorsement applied by completing a questionnaire on our website. Our Endorsement Committee reviewed the applications, interviewed the candidates, then made recommendations on which to endorse. Our members had the final say by voting on whether to endorse each candidate. At the August 20th membership meeting, members voted to change the endorsement threshold from a majority vote to two-thirds (2/3).

In many places, residents can also petition their government to call a vote on a specific issue. Maine has seen extensive use of this process recently, including resident-led initiatives for ranked choice voting, marijuana legalization, rent control, and minimum wage increases. This approach circumvents elected representatives and addresses residents’ demands in a far more direct manner. Several groups working on policy sought our endorsement this year by coming before the chapter membership. Members again voted on whether to endorse.

2018 Endorsements

• Yarmouth Tenant Rights: Yarmouth Councilor April Humphrey, Yarmouth Tenants’ Association, and volunteers, put forth a referendum to establish a Rental Housing Advisory Committee and require 75 days’ notice for rent increases. After a close recount, the referendum passed with 2,423 “Yes” votes (50.26%) to 2,398 “No” votes (49.74%).

• Portland 42-Day Campaign Finance Report: Transparency Portland (a group including members of Maine Citizens for Clean Elections, League of Women Voters, SMDSA, and others) submitted a referendum to amend Portland’s city charter to require municipal candidates to file campaign finance reports 42 days before an election. The referendum passed with 20,229 “Yes” votes (75.34%) to 6,621 “No” votes (24.66%).

• Betsy Sweet ran for Governor of Maine in the June Democratic Party primary on Maine Clean Election Act funding. In a ranked-choice contest with a field of seven (7) candidates, she won 20,767 votes (16.46%) in the first round. Sweet was eliminated after the third round, at which point she had won 29,944 votes (24.44%). Janet Mills won the Democratic primary and went on to win in the November General Election.

• Bob Maheu (DSA member) ran for the Maine House of Representatives District 65 (New Gloucester, Poland) in the June Democratic Party primary, but dropped out. His primary opponent, Misty Coolidge, lost in the November General election to Amy Arata (R).

• Jeremy Mele (DSA member) ran for Maine House of Representatives District 19 (Sanford, Springvale) in the June Democratic Party primary on Maine Clean Election Act funding, and won the primary uncontested. Mele lost the general election with 1,471 votes (43.9%) to Matthew Harrington’s (R) 1,878 votes (56.1%).

• Joey Brunelle (DSA member) ran for Portland City Council At-Large in the November general election. Brunelle took a pledge to not take any money from real estate, corporations, or PACs. Brunelle lost the nonpartisan election with 14,134 votes (48.8%) to Nick Mavodones’ 14,836 votes (51.2%). He was outspent roughly 6:1.

• Jon Torsch (DSA member) ran for Portland City Council District 2 in the November general election. Torsch took a pledge to not take any money from real estate, corporations, or PACs. Torsch lost the nonpartisan election with 1,963 votes (32.5%) to Spencer Thibodeau’s 4,081 votes (67.5%). He was outspent roughly 13:1.

• Maia Dendinger (DSA member) ran for Maine State Senate District 5 (A portion of Penobscot County, from Orono up to Millinocket) in the November general election as a member of the Socialist Party. Dendinger ran on Maine Clean Election Act funding. Dendinger lost the general election with 1,109 votes (7.1%) to Debbi Perkins’ (R) 5,790 votes (37.2%) and James Dill’s (D) 8,686 votes (55.7%).

• Mike Sylvester (DSA member) ran for Maine House of Representatives District 39 (Portland) in the June Democratic Party primary on Maine Clean Election Act funding, was the incumbent, and won the primary uncontested. He earned the National DSA endorsement ahead of the November general election, in which he won with 4,215 votes (86.5%) against Peter Doyle’s (R) 659 votes (13.5%).

• Seth Levy ran for Cumberland County District Attorney in the June Democratic Party primary, losing with 10,167 votes (31%) against Frayla Tarpinian’s 10,638 votes (33%) and Jon Gale’s 11,776 votes (36%). Gale withdrew days before the election due to allegations of sexual misconduct, yet won 39,799 votes (41.5%) against Jonathan Sahrbeck’s (U) 39,727 votes (41.4%) and Randall Bates’ (R) 16,342 votes (17.0%). Sahrbeck was declared the winner.

• Zak Ringelstein (DSA member) ran for US Senate in the June Democratic Party primary. Ringelstein won the primary uncontested. Ahead of the November General election he earned the National DSA endorsement and had a campaign ad produced by Means of Production. Ringelstein lost the general election with 64,839 votes (10.5%) against Eric Brakey’s (R) 217,801 (35.1%) and Angus King’s (I) 337,749 (54.4%).

Committees

Committees are groups formed by members to accomplish a goal. These groups are where a bulk of our chapter’s work is actually done. For a committee to form, a member has to make a motion (proposal) to form it, and the membership has to vote in favor with a simple majority. Whether the committee’s goal is specific (like creating a suggested reading list) or much more broad (like prison abolition), our members build their own strength, organize each other, and accomplish huge things. This year was a great illustration of this strategy in practice.

We started the year with a few committees already formed. Our Communications Committee handled written content for our website, press releases, and social media. Our Housing Committee laid dormant for most of the year, but began organizing around the Portland’s Tenants’ Union in the latter part of the year. Our Labor Committee took the lead in organizing our chapter’s push toward guaranteeing Earned Paid Sick Leave for all Portland workers (see the Campaigns section for more details). Our Endorsements Committee ran the infrastructure for electoral candidate endorsements, including applications, interviews, and recommendations. In September, membership voted to change this committee from an “on-call” group to a standing committee, also changing the name to the Electoral Committee.

In March, we voted to approve the creation of two new committees. First, we created a Students & Youth Committee to help students and young folks in our communities get involved in our activism and organizing, which has resulted in efforts at Southern Maine Community College and Bates. Second, we created a Tech Committee to handle all of the items related to technology that ties into our work. One of the big accomplishments of the Tech Committee this year has been launching a Discord Server for our members, which functions as a chat room to facilitate conversations, coordination, and the sharing of memes.

In June, we voted to approve the creation of an Arts & Culture Committee to oversee the administration of a 12x12 foot watercolor mural of Portland harbor salvaged from the artist’s home. The committee researched several options for donating or auctioning the painting. No decision has yet been reached. We held a makers’ night in which members joined in several group craft projects and brainstormed ideas for future projects that advance the committee’s goal of making and promoting art that preserves socialist history and allows us to imagine a socialist utopia. In September the chapter purchased a button maker. Members have contributed original art for campaign buttons and merchandise.

In August, we voted to approve the creation of three new committees. First, we created a Climate & Eco-Justice Committee to tackle the impending climate catastrophe and the interwoven grasp that capitalism has on the root causes. Second, we created a Research Committee to look into fact-based questions posed at general meetings or by other committees to help the chapter make well-informed decisions. Third, we created a Prison Abolition Committee to start targeting the criminal injustice system. This committee has already accomplished a lot, collecting and donating roughly 400 books to the Maine State Prison Library and hosting an event to write holiday cards to LGBTQ+ people experiencing incarceration which resulted in over 80 holidays cards sent.

In December, on the heels of a handful of adopted amendments to the bylaws, we voted to approve the creation of an ad-hoc (only existing until the goal is complete) Bylaws Committee to review a handful of potential changes to the bylaws.

Committee Spotlight: Education

        In February, we voted to create an ad-hoc Library Committee to find a method of sharing the socialist books that our members own. The Library Committee met and set out their goals to create a bookshare, a suggested reading list, and a printed bookmark.

The bookshare was created as a Google Sheet where members can list the books they wish to allow others to borrow. Books can also be donated outright to the chapter. A Google Form was created to facilitate the “check out” process. As of the end of 2018, the bookshare has roughly 250 unique titles, with multiple copies of popular titles, and has seen consistent use.

For the reading list, each committee member suggested ten (10) books they felt were critical works. These suggestions were compiled and put to a chapter vote in April. Ten (10) of the top voted titles were placed on the bookmark. The bookmarks were funded by a chapter vote in May, and printed by Dale Rand Printing, a local union shop. Books included were:

• ABCs of Socialism, The; Bhaskar Sunkara
• Communist Manifesto, The; Karl Marx, Friedrich Engels
• Eugene V. Debs: Citizen & Socialist; Nick Salvatore
• Freedom is a Constant Struggle; Angela Davis
• New Jim Crow, The; Michelle Alexander
• People’s History of the US, A; Howard Zinn
• Sexuality and Socialism; Sherry Wolf
• Socialism: Past and Future; Michael Harrington
• This Changes Everything:Capitalism vs. the Climate; Naomi Klein
• White Trash: 400-Year Untold History of Class in America; Nancy Isenberg

In May, with the bookshare active and the bookmarks funded, the ad-hoc committee’s goals were accomplished. However, many adjacent ideas were discussed during the process. Committee members proposed that the ad-hoc Library Committee be reformed as a standing Education Committee to carry on the work of educating members and the public about democratic socialism. The motion passed, and the work began anew.

        The Education Committee started by creating a Book Club which has convened monthly at Quill Books and Beverages in Westbrook. With average attendance around 20 members, this has been a success. The committee even began doing a collection to fund buying copies of the following month’s title, making it self-sufficient. Books read by the club this year included:

• 6/28: Communist Manifesto, The; Karl Marx, Friedrich Engels
• 7/26: Disobedience and Democracy; Howard Zinn
• 8/30: Battle For Paradise, The; Naomi Klein
• 9/27: Are Prisons Obsolete?; Angela Davis
• 11/1: State and Revolution; Vladimir Lenin
• 12/6: Ecosocialism; Michael Lowy

        In a different medium, the committee also started hosting movie nights, where members gathered to view and discuss films related to socialism. Films included Pride, a 2014 comedy-drama based on the true story of LGBT activists who raised money for families affected by the 1984 British miners' strike; American Socialist, a 2018 documentary on Eugene Victor Debs, the founder of the American Socialist Party and five-time presidential candidate; and Matewan, a 1987 drama about a coal miners' strike in 1920 Matewan, West Virginia.

The committee also worked to create their own educational content through several workshops. Two workshops were created on Unions and Cooperatives - what they are, how they work, and how to start one. The Union workshop was led by members and union workers Marc N, Meg R, and Barney M, and was held at Reiche Community Center in Portland. The Cooperatives workshop was led by Jonah Fertig-Bird of the Cooperative Development Institute, and was held at Local Sprouts, a worker-owned cafe cooperative in Portland.

A “themed month” model was tested in October on the Russian Revolution of 1917. The Book Club read “State and Revolution” by Vladimir Lenin. A suggested reading list for the topic was created and shared digitally, which exclusively included books available in the bookshare. Finally, an “Intro to the Russian Revolution” workshop was hosted at Reiche Community Center on October 22nd, and was led by Todd Chretien - a member of the Portland, Maine ISO branch and editor of the book “Eyewitnesses to the Russian Revolution.”

Hitting the Streets

We Marched!

In the March For Our Lives on March 24th, standing against systemic violence from citizens, police, and the military alike. In the Portland Pride Parade on June 16th, showing solidarity with our LGBTQ+ members and neighbors. In the Families Belong Together rally on June 30th, against the horrific treatment of immigrants along the southern US border and calling for ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) to be abolished. In the Labor Day Breakfast on September 3rd at the Maine Irish Heritage Center and the Earned Paid Sick Days rally afterwards, accompanied on the march between the two events by the Leftist Marching Band. In 350 Maine’s RISE for Climate, Jobs, and Justice on September 8th, bringing awareness to capitalism as the root cause of the climate catastrophe.

We Spoke Up!

On March 21st and 22nd calling for more citizen oversight of a Portland Police Body Camera Pilot Program at Deering High School and the Portland Public Library. On April 24th, in favor of Paid Sick Leave for all workers in Portland at Portland City Hall. At a Portland City Council Meeting at Portland City Hall on August 13th in favor of Enfranchising all Residents to Vote as well as Additional Campaign Finance Reporting for Portland municipal candidates. At a Portland Downtown forum on August 30th at Holiday Inn in Portland in favor of Paid Sick Leave for all workers in Portland. At a Portland City Council Meeting at Portland City Hall on October 10th in favor of Responsible Contracting for Public Projects.

We Tabled!

During the Portland Democratic Party Caucus on March 4th at King Middle School in Portland. At the Portland Pride Festival on June 16th. During the Social Justice Street Fair on July 14th at Congress Square Park in Portland. During the Maine Green Independent Party (MGIP) Candidate Launch Party on August 12th at Congress Square Park in Portland. During the Chapo Trap House live podcast show on September 13th at Port City Music Hall in Portland. During the Community United for Change Block Party on September 22nd in Lewiston.

We Protested!

On October 11th, against the Students for Life, an anti-abortion group that planned to protest in front of Portland’s Planned Parenthood. On July 13th, against then-Attorney General Jeff Sessions’ visit to the Portland office of the U.S. Attorney for the District of Maine to discuss his bolstering of the war on drugs.

We Connected!

With the NAACP at their Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Dinner on January 15th at the Holiday Inn in Portland. With other socialists from DSA and ISO chapters across the nation at ISO’s Socialism Conference from July 5th to 8th in Chicago, Illinois. With our union siblings at Maine AFL-CIO’s Summer Institute at the University of Maine in Orono. With many of our neighbors at Porchfest on September 9th in Portland. With even more socialists from DSA and ISO at ISO’s Marxism Conference on November 10th at Harvard University in Boston, Massachusetts. With the Maine Labor Councils and the Food and Medicine organization while volunteering during their Solidarity Harvest on November 17th in Brewer. With media outlets in both a Portland Phoenix feature article on our chapter and an Associated Press article on DSA at large as well as our endorsed candidates.

We made allies!

With Southern Maine Workers’ Center, Cooperative Development Institute, Maine Women’s Lobby, Maine Citizens for Clean Elections, the League of Women Voters, and the Yarmouth Tenants’ Union. We took to the streets alongside the Leftist Marching Band, National Nurses’ United, Hannaford Warehouse Workers, Portland International Socialists Organization, Planned Parenthood, and Mainers for Accountable Leadership. We became members of other organizations like the Portland Media Center and the Portland Hour Exchange. We found shelter at the Irish Heritage Center, Portland City Hall, and the First Parish Church. We even teamed up with local businesses like Arcadia National Bar, Quill Books and Beverage, Local Sprouts Cooperative, and Dale Rand Printing.

What About Fun?

This year we made sure to keep the “social” in socialism. Activism, organizing, and protesting is draining work; you need to make some time to have fun too! The world we are fighting for is one in which our time is ours to do with what we will, where human relationships - not consumerism - form the basis of our activities.

We stayed active, fielding an entire softball team of socialists - “The Comrades” - playing in an intramural league from April through July. We redefined “strike” while bowling on May Day and we watched the Portland Sea Dogs get a home field victory in Portland on July 20th.  

We went to the movies, catching The Young Karl Marx at SPACE Gallery on March 25th, The Work at University of Southern Maine on June 23rd, Sorry to Bother You at Nickelodeon Cinemas on August 3rd, and Dawnland at Portland Museum of Art on October 7th.

We went to two - count ‘em two - socialist barbecues in the summer, one on March 26th in Portland to help fundraise for some comrades to go to the Socialism Conference, and another on Bastille Day (July 14th) in Yarmouth.

We even put on a play at the Irish Heritage Center in Portland on January 20th: “It Can’t Happen Here” based on Sinclair Lewis’ novel, about a demagogue elected as President of the United States after fearmongering and promoting a return to patriotism and "traditional" values (sound familiar?).

        We held a beer caucus every month after our general membership meetings to kick back and socialize - hopping throughout the year from Liquid Riot to Three Dollar Deweys to Arcadia National Bar. We’ve also kept the fun going on our Discord server with a channel dedicated solely to sharing memes and funny content.

Lessons Learned

Social Media: Our public social media and web presence was significantly overhauled beginning with a series of projects in early 2018. There were concerns regarding the productiveness and effectiveness of using our previously unmoderated Facebook Group as our main social media outlet. After discussion, the group was shuttered and replaced with a more curated Southern Maine DSA Facebook Page. This has shown a significant improvement for dissemination of event information, education, digital engagement, socialist commentary on current events, recruitment, and collaboration with coalition allies. With growing interest statewide, additional steps were taken in late 2018 to support that growth. For efficiency, consistency, and organizational clarity, the legacy statewide page was merged with the newer Southern Maine one created earlier in the year. The intention is for this page is to serve as a dissemination point for all statewide initiatives. Maine is a large state with members spread thinly far and wide; the ability to engage with members across branches will encourage cross-branch collaboration and grow socialist solidarity at a statewide level.

Inclusion: One big focus that will continue is creating more inclusive and accessible environments in our spaces. We’ve been building a vision around remote participation at our meetings so that those in remote areas can still participate. For those in remote locations we also started forming branches based on geographic locations so that members living there can create spaces specifically for themselves and their needs. We’ve been learning about ways to increase accessibility with audio and visual aids. Recognizing that many of our members are also parents of young children, we’ve identified the need for child care at our meetings and are researching possible methods based on the spaces we have available to us.  

Security: We recognized that with growth comes resistance, and as such, saw a need to address and increase our security practices. We implemented new policies and procedures such as the Code of Conduct, Recording Policy, and some Security Guidelines to keep our meetings safe and secure. We also tightened up our meeting sign-in process to address similar concerns. In addition to outside security concerns, we recognized a need for internal conflict resolution and added a grievance procedure.

Focus: A lot of work previously done by the Steering Committee was non-administrative, and as such, a lot of time got taken away from being an effective leadership body. Effort was made to attempt to decentralize some work that belonged in other committees away from the Steering Committee, which also affords those committees more power and independence. We also spent time researching what our members wanted to take on and supported those members in doing that work. Meeting agendas proved a learning curve - increasing democracy while making sure everyone’s time is respected is a delicate balance. We introduced a short request form in order to present larger topics at our meetings to aid in planning for them.

Now What?

We still live under the crushing weight of capitalism, and have Trump as our president. Fascism is rising, the climate crisis is looming, and more and more people can’t make ends meet, let alone wield the capacity to rise to fight back. There’s plenty of work to be done.

We face electoral work in an off-off-year. It’s a perfect opportunity to put energy into base-building, continued political education, and membership growth. DSA has both New England and National Conferences on the horizon, with ISO’s Socialism and Marxism Conferences as opportunities to build a modern united front.

Our chapter has several fledgling committees ramping up - such as ones focused on ecosocialism and prison abolition. Now is the time to sharpen your skills by getting involved or staying engaged in the specific vision you want to shape in life. DSA is a home for hope in a devastating world. We’re here and we’re not going away.

Solidarity Now & Solidarity Forever.