Why Is The Chapter Convention The Day Of The Pride Parade? Chapter Secretary Marcy and beloved CDSA comrades at an Internal Elections Committee Phone Bank in 2022

Why Is The Chapter Convention The Day Of The Pride Parade?

Dear Chicago DSA members,

I am writing to encourage you to RSVP for our Chapter Convention on June 25 from Noon to 4pm! I originally sent this out as an email to members in good standing who haven’t RSVP’d, but I wanted to publish this on Midwest Socialist so everyone can read.

I started my Secretary term on July 1, 2022 and I’m getting ready to finish my term on June 30th. I’ve been a Chicago DSA member since February 2017. For the last 6.5 years, Chicago DSA has been my political home.

I’ve been asked by a few comrades, “why is our Chapter Convention the same day as the Pride Parade?” Usually I start by saying we scheduled our Convention months ago before the parade date was set in stone. But for me, what really hits home is that the Pride Parade is a corporate event that celebrates corporations. Chase Bank will be there wearing rainbow colors. Cops will act like they’re part of our queer community and then be back on the streets the next day killing us. I’m excited for families who want to celebrate and show their kids what inclusivity looks like. But as a trans person, I will never feel comfortable at a Pride Parade that prioritizes our oppressors over me.

Trans and queer rights are under attack. At the last General Chapter Meeting we passed a proposal in Defense of the Queer and Trans Working Class. In order to turn that proposal into something real, we have to organize. In my opinion the best thing we can do this Pride Month is to come together as a chapter to discuss and vote on proposals that will prepare us to bring in more and more people to our movement so we can fight back as a united front against right wing attacks on trans people. And in order to make that happen, we have to make quorum!

So that is why I am asking YOU to RSVP today for the June Convention. We, the membership, are the highest decision making body of Chicago DSA. I urge you to make it out to our Chapter Convention on Sunday June 25, from Noon – 4:00PM. The meeting will be hybrid, with in person location at CTU Hall, 1901 W Carroll Ave.

Comrades, we have a world to win!

Useful links

Solidarity,

Marcy F (she/her)

Chapter Secretary