Candidate Statement: Miguel D - At Large

I'm running for an At-Large position on the Steering Committee with the Bread & Roses slate. I joined DSA in 2017 and am currently a Co-Chair of the Political Education Committee.

Over the years, I have done everything from mobilizing new members to knocking doors for the Jovanka Beckles for AD-15 and statewide rent control campaigns. Last year, I was a founding Co-Chair of the Racial Solidarity Committee and the PG&E / Green New Deal Campaign.

I cherish our chapter as an organizing project in itself.

I'm running because I want to help build on the success of our political education program and support our chapter's internal democracy.

We face critical new challenges. Coronavirus has tanked the economy and upended the political status quo, creating both new opportunities and new threats. We must demand that worker safety and health is prioritized above all else.

Political education is vital to our growth as organizers in DSA, in our unions, and in our communities. The day-to-day informs our politics, but to go to the next level, to organize and fight back, we need to study.

In the coming year, I hope to help develop more introductory agitational content to continue bringing new people into the organization, and help develop intermediate and advanced education modules to support experienced members in deepening and broadening their knowledge.

The path forward is uncertain, but we know successful class struggle relies on respectful and honest debate, discussion, and study. We must strengthen our chapter’s democracy and help members connect with the political life of the chapter at all levels. We must also redouble our recruitment efforts and diversify our membership.

I'm proud of our chapter's ability to balance theory and practice, and I hope to build on this tradition moving forward as an At-Large member of our Steering Committee.