The Activist

YDS Chapter Fall Reports

The dawn of a new academic semester is upon the Young Democratic Socialists. While many of our twenty plus chapters and organizing committees have just begun their activities, The Red Letter was able to catch a few stories of the great work already happening on campus. Please enjoy the mini-reports below and always feel free to send in your group activities to yds@dsausa.org.

Brown University: The newly founded Brown chapter held their fist event: a talk with Dr. Corey D.B. Walker titled “Untimely Socialism.” Dr. Walker, a member of the Democratic Socialists of America National Political Committee and recent delegate to the 23rd Socialist International Congress in Athens, Greece, spoke about the continued relevance of socialism today and movement for social justice in the 21st century. The discussion was attended by over thirty people. The Brown Chapter also hosted a talk by YDS national organizer, Erik Rosenberg.

Michigan State University: MSU YDS hosted an open house with the W.E.B DuBois Society, a progressive black student association. They are planning public socialist education, community service, and prison awareness for the coming weeks.

Butler University: President Dakota Manuel is currently reaching out to local groups such as United for Peace and Justice, Black Student Union, and LGBTQ alliance.

Stuyvesant High School: Members are planning an introduction to democratic socialism teach-in for new recruits.

New York City: YDS’s only community chapter continued its work off campus with an organized public hearing on the transformation of two city-wide non-profit healthcare insurers into a for-profit company. The event was co-sponsored with NYC Democratic Socialists of America, Coalition Against Privatization, Progressive Democrats of New York – CD 14, and Democracy for NYC.

Wooster College: Wooster YDS screened films, circulated the “Renegotiate NAFTA” petition as part of YDS’s national Activist Agenda, and are working towards having an event every week. The chapter actively engages with other progressive forces to mobilize against the right-wing for the presidential election in a vital swing state of Ohio.

Wichita State: This heartland chapter is busy building both YDS and the broader movement for social change. The WSU YDS hosted a talk about the Employee Free Choice Act, a law to make it easier for workers to form unions, with Maria Escobar (national coordinator of the Student Labor Action Project). They are also, working with the Kansas University YDS organizing committee, and hosted their own ice cream social(ist) – a new tradition stated by the Wooster College chapter of welcoming the new year and members over dessert.

William Paterson: The William Paterson chapter has been holding regular meetings twice a week, each attracting nearly twenty students. Because of their educational activism and engagement with the administration, the chapter successful reduced their school’s tuition increase to 5% while all other New Jersey public universities received 10% increases. The group shall host a YDS regional conference on Saturday, November 22nd. The gathering will be an opportunity for YDS members and student activists to network and strategize post-November 4th, whoever the president may be.

University of Central Arkansas: The oldest YDS chapter is set to work both on and off campus. They have plans to move against local gentrification, push for the Employee Free Choice and work for progressive victories at the ballot box this November.