Comradely Greetings! It was a very busy March for the largest and friendliest socialist organization in Denver. Read on for big news from the last month, and find upcoming events at the bottom of this email. See you soon!

DSA Adds Anti-Capitalist Clause to Democratic Party Platform

Organizers from Denver DSA, as delegates to the Democratic Party of Denver county assembly on March 24th, advocated for and won a radical amendment to the party platform. The language added to the preamble read:

"We believe the economy should be democratically owned and controlled in order to serve the needs of the many, not to make profits for the few."

This pro-socialist statement is based on Clause IV, and was circulated by more than a dozen Denver DSA delegates as a petition to the Platform Committee the morning of the assembly. The DSA organizers easily collected enough signatures to bring the amendment to the floor, where it passed with overwhelming support from the assembled delegates, representing every part of Denver County.

National news outlets quickly picked up the story, calling the amendment “a remarkable display of grassroots power” and “the most radical development yet” in nationwide efforts to move the positions, policies, and actions of the Democratic Party further to the Left. According to Denver DSA treasurer Kaitlin, this shows that “[p]eople sincerely want a more democratically controlled economy and they are aware that many of the social injustices we see today are because of the power that is given to corporations under our current political system. The Democratic Party establishment needs to sit up and pay attention to this if they want to survive.”

Read Denver DSA’s press release and watch a video of the amendment passing here.

Denver DSA Announces Medicare for All Rally

We’ll be hosting a rally at the State Capitol on April 22nd to invite Coloradans to join us in the demand for a healthcare system built around people, not profits.

Socialist Feminist Committee Hosts Women’s Day Panel

On March 11th, the Feminist Socialist Committee held a panel for International Women’s Day to hear and better understand the diverse experiences of women in their workplaces. Moderated by our very own comrade, Ashlyn, we heard from four amazing speakers Julie Bañuelos, Danielle Montour, and chapter members Kaitlin and Ashley. We challenged ideas about feminism and capitalism, and explored how we can improve working conditions for women. Thank you to all of our comrades who volunteered equipment and people-power for a very successful event in a beautiful art gallery. The Socialist Feminist Committee is excited to plan future events!

Denver DSA Endorses Chapter Member Bernard for State Treasurer

At our March business meeting, we voted to endorse Bernard in the 2018 Colorado State Treasurer race. Bernard supports a slew of progressive policies, including public banking, universal health care, teacher pay raises, and re-funding PERA. Born and raised in Colorado, he has a long history of community and civic involvement and extensive experience in finance. Bernie is committed to creating progressive, grassroots change in Colorado, and we are excited to dive into working with his campaign! Sign up to volunteer, make a donation, or learn more about Bernard here.

Julie Gonzales Receives Massive Support at Assembly

At the Denver County Democratic Assembly on March 24, Denver DSA-endorsed candidate Julie Gonzales vied for the support of nearly 500 delegates in Senate District 34. After being nominated by Noelie Quintero and Denver DSA’s Drew, Julie delivered a rousing speech calling for affordable housing, increased funding for public education, and healthcare for all. Once the votes were tallied, Julie came out on top with a staggering 89% of the vote. However, she still has a long fight ahead of her. Three other candidates gathered enough signatures to appear on the primary ballot in June, ensuring the next 3 months will be the most critical for her campaign. To donate and volunteer for Julie, please visit her website.