DSA Long Beach

Do you feel like with [*waves hands around*] everything going on, you need to get back to the basics of how our socialist politics can make revolutionary change? Do you feel like you need a firmer understanding of socialism before you can fully participate? (hint: you don’t, but we’re here for you anyway!)  For many of us, there’s a feeling like things are happening too quickly. We’re reacting, fighting back, and showing up for each other, but why doesn’t it amount to the type of change we want to see? How can we identify things on a structural level to help us act purposefully and build power for working people? How can we use socialist theory to direct political action and how can political action inform our understanding of theory?  DSA-LB’s Socialist Study Hall is here to help! This is a beginner friendly, discussion-centered series designed to provide some of the basic principles of socialist politics, analysis, and practice.  A Class on Class takes a closer look at what it means to be working class and why there is potential power in the working class. We'll cover topics of production and reproduction.  Developing Your Socialist Analysis gives a glimpse into how you can look at the world around you and understand it through the lens of class conflict. Topics include materialism vs. idealism, the role of ideology, and how we can use this framework to analyze local issues. You Can't Be a Socialist Alone closes the series by investigating why it's important to be part of an organization as a socialist and why organizing is essential if want to build a better world together. We'll discuss ideas of mass protagonism and comradeship as we explore how an organization like DSA plays a critical role. While each module is independent, members are highly encouraged to attend each session.  Each module has some recommended readings and/or multimedia resources to help guide our discussions. You are strongly encouraged to review the materials, though it is not required for participation. RSVP to get a link to the series reader.  Join us and chat about socialism with comrades!  "Theory becomes purposeless if it is not connected with revolutionary practice, just as practice gropes in the dark if its path is not illumined by revolutionary theory."

~ Join the Member Engagement Committee for a monthly series we're kicking off: in-person phone-banking for GM turnout!  We'll be hanging on the patio from 6-8pm making calls to our members, asking them to attend the July General Membership Meeting. Join us for a beer, manual dialing, and some good old fashioned member engagement.

Join our regular Political Education Committee meetings. PolEd creates educational programming such as regular night schools, member trainings, and reading groups to further develop our socialist analysis and practice. 

Join Comms for our monthly virtual meeting, taking place on the first Monday of every month from 7-9 pm. We'll provide status updates on ongoing projects, discuss content creation and beyond. 

Long Beach Transit is one of the best ways to get around our city. Not only does it support students, workers, and those with disabilities, but it also allows people to move within the city and not just through it. DSA-LB is organizing a campaign made of a mass coalition of transit riders and local organizations to demand a fare-free bus system in Long Beach by the 2028 Olympics. When you join, you can help with: Policy Research: determining language for a viable program, research potential bus routes to pilot program Outreach and Engagement: develop and conduct a multi-lingual transit rider survey, establish coalition partners, neighborhood canvassing, meeting with elected officials, fare blitzes Tech Support: creating digital infrastructure for survey, support for digital campaign tools Design and Comms: messaging around campaign with graphics, videos, emails, merch, and more Public Education: developing materials around universal public goods, host political education events to build support for the campaign No prior campaign organizing experience needed! Come learn about the first steps in the Campaign and sign up to lend your skills to win this crucial demand! 

Please join DSA-LB for our next General Membership Meeting (GM)! These meetings are fundamental Chapter democracy since we'll discuss & debate important items that shape our organizing. As always light refreshments will be provided. To help us prepare, please register ahead of time. Your in-person attendance is encouraged, but if you can only join us remotely the Zoom link will appear upon RSVP. And if you're not a member but would like to become one today, join here!

Socialism requires a global effort to transform society and Long Beach, in particular, is an international city. The DSA Long Beach International Solidarity Committee (ISC) facilitates work around these struggles of the working class around the world, deepening an understanding of the interconnected nature of these struggles. ISC coordinates action with other local organizations, National DSA's International Committee (IC), and the rest of the Chapter's work around issues such as immigration, Palestinian liberation, the National Democratic Struggle in the Philippines, and Cuba solidarity. RSVP for our Committee meetings - every other Sunday at 6:30p.

Curious about socialism? Are you new to DSA? Are you new to Long Beach? Then our Political Education Committee invites you to our DSA-LB 101. At this orientation, we’ll talk about: how capitalism functions and why socialism is radically opposed to it the history of our organization and our chapter in particular the current projects we’re working on and how you can get involved We'll also learn more from you about where you want to plug in and answer questions you might have! This is a great starting point to meet other new members, get connected, and ground yourself with some of the basic politics of our org. RSVP for Link.

Join Comms for our monthly in-person meeting! We'll use this time to collaborate on ongoing content creation as well as brainstorm new ideas for our Chapter's communications work.

Every third Sunday of the month, 5pm Help us welcome members into the seas of socialism! Right now, we're building pipelines to get new and old members plugged into the Chapter and its campaigns. If you're into breaking down barriers to engagement, this is a place for you.

Last Thurs. of each month, 6pm Get involved in our electoral work on the local level and drop by our monthly Electoral Politics Committee (EPC) Meeting. We regularly discuss ways to get involved in campaigns and how to move electeds on policy issues. If you want to help us democratize electoral power, build a popular working class movement, and strategize to reshape our organizing conditions through electoral means this is the place for you!*If you're an elected official looking for an endorsement, visit our  page. You must be a member of DSA to be eligible for an official endorsement.

Socialism requires a global effort to transform society and Long Beach, in particular, is an international city. The DSA Long Beach International Solidarity Committee (ISC) facilitates work around these struggles of the working class around the world, deepening an understanding of the interconnected nature of these struggles. ISC coordinates action with other local organizations, National DSA's International Committee (IC), and the rest of the Chapter's work around issues such as immigration, Palestinian liberation, the National Democratic Struggle in the Philippines, and Cuba solidarity. RSVP for our Committee meetings - every other Sunday at 6:30p.