Chapter
Structure
Our chapter is democratically run, meaning we are facilitated, funded, and led by our membership. To ensure that our work proceeds effectively, the responsibilities are dispersed into several chapter formations. The specific details of this structure are elaborated upon in our bylaws, and this organizational chart illustrates the basic operations visually.
Our annual General Meetings set the stage for our work for the next year, as we elect the Executive Committee and chairs for other committees while assessing our direction. These committee chairs (including on the Executive Committee) may only serve for two consecutive full terms per position. Throughout the year, our biweekly Regular Meetings serve as the operating legislative body of the chapter, where we discuss our work and make decisions as an organization.
During these meetings, elected committee chairs are responsible for reporting on the committee’s activities to the general membership. These committees are tasked with the responsibilities and functions that the chapter details, and can be permanent Standing Committees or temporary Special Committees. Committees can be created through a proposal to the Executive Committee with a majority vote in support during a Regular or General Meeting.
The Executive Committee itself is made up of the Chair, Vice Chair, Secretary, Treasurer, and At-large Officer. The Chair oversees daily operations, facilitates collaboration between political work, and acts as a point of contact for the public. The Vice Chair is responsible for engaging the community, and helps welcome new members. The Secretary keeps up with correspondence, minutes, and a current membership list of the chapter. The Treasurer takes care of financial records and funding, ensuring that the dues and budget are up-to-date. The At-large Officer assists with executive functions of the chapter as necessary.
Besides the committees, our chapter also has caucuses, which can be defined around geography, work site, constituency, function, or area of political work. These need to be approved by the Executive Committee, and are otherwise self-governed. If a caucus is established on a college campus or consists of students, it will be called a Local Chapter Youth Section.
We also have Immediate Action Groups, which exist for a limited and explicitly defined span of time. They can be established by a majority vote of members at a Regular Meeting, and must keep membership up to date on their activities during meetings that follow.
Executive Committee
The Executive Committee establishes program activities, sets the agendas for Regular Meetings, and helps coordinate work across other committees as guided by our membership. If you have any questions, concerns, or recommendations, please email phxazdsa@gmail.com to get in touch with us.
2023-2024 Term:
Chair: Robert "Bobby" N.
Vice Chair: Nia A.
Secretary: Dillon W.
Treasurer: Michael K.
Technology Administrator: Dillon D.
At-large: Sakura T.
At-large: Bryce A.
Communications Committee
The Communications Committee at Phoenix DSA is organized by the chapter’s elected Communications Committee Chair. Our members are responsible for sharing our chapter’s message and information on upcoming events via external channels like Twitter, Facebook, and other social media. If you have questions or are interested in lending your communications skills to help out the chapter, you can reach our committee directly at phxdsacommunications@gmail.com.
Chair: Kaland K.
Slack: #committee-communications
Mutual Aid Committee
The Mutual Aid Committee aims to allow comrades to provide essential resources and services to working class and marginalized communities in the District of Columbia on the basis of non-hierarchy, voluntary association, and solidarity. We show this goodwill based on the belief that mutual aid serves as a viable alternative to the profit-seeking, exploitative nature of capitalism. In addition to providing resources and services, we will conduct political education on the ways that mutual aid can assist in the Democratic Socialist struggle to upend the rapaciousness of capitalism.
Chair: Dillon D.
Slack: #committee-mutual-aid
Political Education Committee
The main purpose of the Political Education Committee (PEC) is to advance socialist education within the chapter, and secondarily to spread socialist ideas to the public. This will be carried out primarily through the creation and coordination of various educational programs and events, such as the Socialist Night School. These events may be meant for chapter members, non-members, or both.
This committee is responsible for advancing and coordinating this work, but must bring resolutions for each program, including any budget or syllabus, to the chapter body for approval.
Slack: #committee-political-education
Anti-Imperialism Committee
The Anti-Imperialism Committee serves as both an educational site where members can learn about the histories of the struggles against Western domination and a locus where members can get connected to local struggles in the modern day.
Co-chair: Sam N.
Co-chair: Bill W.
Slack: #committee-anti-imperialism
Committees
Housing Justice
When basic shelter is a profit stream, a “booming” housing market means rising rents, displaced communities, deepened racial disparities, and hot nights on the street for tenants. The Housing Justice Commission Working Group was formed because these can’t be treated as isolated issues: they’re products of a system that lets a class of landlords accumulate wealth at the expense of renters by design. Our work to fight this exploitation and guarantee safe housing for all includes tenant organizing training, canvassing, and more. If you’re interested, join one of our meetings to learn more.
Slack: #wg-housing-justice