Our yearly convention will be held on September 20th where we will elect the next Steering Committee as well as Electoral Committee Co-Chairs. The currently declared candidates are as follows:

Co-Chair: Joel Berger, Jay Belmonarch, Estel Quintana, Ruben Ramirez, Georgia Silva, Jesse
Membership Coordinator: Nicholas Cameron
Secretary: Cameron, Jesse
Treasurer: Joel Berger, Ian M
Electoral Committee Co-Chair: Paul O’Connell

Below are the statements which have been submitted by the candidates. This post will be updated with any new statements or new candidates.

Co-Chair Candidates

Joel Berger (any/all)

Are you a member of any DSA caucuses? If so, which?

No.

Are you a member or employee of any other political or labor organizations? If so, please list them and your position within them.

SEIU 1021

What is your DSA story? (What made you a socialist and why did you join DSA)

For as long as I can recall, I have championed the cause of prosperity for all. Every story story I read, every episode of Star Trek I watched, all the hours of Sesame Street and Mr Rogers and talking with my Mom, taught me that not only do people deserve kindness, understanding and a comfortable life, but its our charge to bring that into the world and maintain it. I know that a better world for everyone is possible, especially when we remove the hoarding and individualism away from the greater whole of society and bolster ecological and communal growth.

What is your vision for Sonoma County DSA?

I would like our name here to be one of trust and integrity. When people speak our chapters name out loud to other people I want to inspire people to our cause and to become motivated to work within the community. I want SoCo DSA to be synonymous with actual change in our community; on social fronts with outreach, civics education, and mutual aid and on political fronts; pushing for City and County progressive measures, policies and candidates to be elected into positions of power and growing that momentum outward. And an over all sense of growing our community into one that heavily advocates for humanism, health, prosperity and inclusion for all.

What would you like to accomplish in your leadership role?

I think the most important thing at this stage of our chapters growth is encouragement, stability, empowerment and collaboration. In this leadership role it would be my goal reach out and also be approachable, to all committees, members and non-members; to encourage them on their course of action/s, make sure that they have the abilities and the resources to do things in a sustainable way and to prevent burnout, to provide added support and solutions should that be requested and finally to assist in collaborations across committees and even assist with solidarity between us and other orgs in the area to help not only our chapter grow but the movement as a whole

What do you think Sonoma County DSA has done well, and what do you think needs improvement?

I think within less than a year we have done so much with our growth of membership and getting people involved with our cause. I also think that we have done so much in a short span of time to jump start what other chapters likely take much longer to do like forming committees, talking to political candidates for membership/endorsement , political organizing networking and internal DSA bonding. I think where we need to do better is how we can keep this level of working energy functional but sustainable, to prevent burn out and ask for help when we need it from any and all fronts. I think we need to expand to the youth of the County as we will need their support and their energy to win progressive elections and votes for measures that will improve peoples lives. Lastly to become more involved in the local political scene, to advocate for and get signatures for local and state ballot measures. Go to city hall meetings for public comment, have active and routine conversations with county and city officials.

What do you think Sonoma County DSA should prioritize in the next year?

I think a slow but steady ramp of DSA outreach towards the youth as well as actionable items we can address on the political and development front. Getting YDSA going at the SRJC and SSU as well as getting the RP incinerator permit denied from being built and getting Jackie Elward incentives to become a DSA member so we can endorse her would be specific things I would like to see us move forward on.

Describe any additional qualifications, skills, perspective, or experience you would bring to this position.

I’ve been in the IT world for over 15 years and I am very solutions oriented because of it. If I can solve a problem or create a preventative solution before things become problems, I’m all over that. I have gone outside of my comfort zone to work on excel spreadsheets, script files and other digital options to make information and automation much easier for myself and my team and I plan to bring that to the Treasury.

I love to help, so listening, clarifying and planning is an important part of helping. I will listen to the needs of the DSA and work to the best of my ability to meet those needs and desires to allow the treasury to work effectively, simply and approachably as possible.

What is a fun fact about you unrelated to your political work?

I once over the course of a summer helped dig and build a water slide into the back hill of my friends farm property. We lined it with carpet and then thick plastic and rented a water pump to pump the water from the bottom pool to the top pool. Then we had a luau on the hill to celebrate.

If a member has questions about your candidacy, how should they reach out to you?

My discord account would be the best option, on the DSA Discord I go by: Xanitos (Joel)

Jay Belmonarch (he/him)

Are you a member of any DSA caucuses? If so, which?

No.

Are you a member or employee of any other political or labor organizations? If so, please list them and your position within them.

SEIU member.

What is your DSA story? (What made you a socialist and why did you join DSA)

I participated in the local Occupy Wall Street demonstrations as a teenager and then watched naively as the moment faded and nothing happened. Mass consensus was not met with mass organizing, and was powerless. Since then I have been learning how to do the difficult work of community organizing; and from that experience, learned how to be a socialist. Through canvassing, recruiting, and training around elections and activist campaigns I have gained an appreciation for the grossly demobilized state of our people, and developed a few ideas on how to contribute to this project of remaking the society that the parasite class destroyed.

What is your vision for Sonoma County DSA?

As it has been since its formation, my vision is of an organization with a broad political base and deep ties to the community that is robust enough to run multiple programs at once and sustain them for the long term. The end goal is to develop it into a hub for pro-democracy organizing throughout the county, grounded in socialist principles, that can deliver material gains to the working class and present a unified front in the anti-fascist struggle.

What would you like to accomplish in your leadership role?

To develop an organization that will remain viable under unpredictable political circumstances, I pledge to cultivate a truly democratic system in which members of our community can organize around the issues most suited and most vital to them, draw upon the resources, expertise, and security of the DSA, and impact the county under the aegis of class struggle. My objectives for this term are twofold: Internally, to continue building a healthy pipeline that draws in people of diverse backgrounds for a broad set of programs while preventing burnout or consolidation of power; Externally, to establish our chapter as a vital political constituency – both as an effective vehicle to make change for ourselves and also as a stakeholder that elected officials cannot ignore.

What do you think Sonoma County DSA has done well, and what do you think needs improvement?

The Chapter has done well at harnessing the general upswell of horror to present itself as an alternative, and has excelled at establishing itself as a presence in leftist organizing in the area. We have yet to fulfill our incorporating mandate of a campaign for fair and sustainable city improvements. The rapid decay of capitalism into fascism distracts from planning for other objectives that would bring material impact to the working class of Sonoma County.

What do you think Sonoma County DSA should prioritize in the next year?

We have a unique opportunity in this moment to seize upon the righteous panic of the masses to cultivate a comprehensive solidarity of the proletariat and precariat in our community. To continue the work of building an organization capable of meeting its needs we must maintain a consistent presence at demonstrations, and embrace a leadership role in that space, to build a reputation of direct action and solidarity. We must also expand our mandate by emphasizing outreach to Spanish-speakers and students, and by establishing ourselves as a meaningful constituency for local elected officials.

Describe any additional qualifications, skills, perspective, or experience you would bring to this position.

As a founding member and first Co-Chair I have overseen the incorporation of the Chapter, the creation of its bylaws and committees, the formation of its internal infrastructure and public presence, and the establishment of its issue positions and alliances. This has required a clear vision for the future of the Chapter that incorporates an understanding of history and our present conditions, and draws upon my experience doing activism and organizing around elections.

What is a fun fact about you unrelated to your political work?

While canvassing for the 2018 Colorado gubernatorial race (it had to start political, I’m obsessed) so many people identified themselves to me as ‘alt-right’ that I became demoralized and had to retreat to the one place where no one talks politics: China. I lived there until I was visiting home in February 2020 and was grounded days out from my return flight to Shanghai. Since I apparently cannot escape this work for long, I have instead embraced it!

If a member has questions about your candidacy, how should they reach out to you?

My name on Discord or 707-889-1865.

Estel Quintana (they/them)

Are you a member of any DSA caucuses? If so, which?

Not at this time. I am DSA first and my loyalty is to the well being of my chapter and my comrades.

Are you a member or employee of any other political or labor organizations? If so, please list them and your position within them.

I am not at this time.

What is your DSA story? (What made you a socialist and why did you join DSA)

I was born in one of the poorest neighborhoods of Santa Rosa, Roseland. I have known from an early age that we were different from the rest of Santa Rosa. Our neighborhoods always had the highest incidences of police harassment, the most fear around police and sheriffs, the feeling of alienation towards the political culture and a sense of being seen but not heard. Our labor was welcome but please don’t ask for more.

My parents were fortunate enough to escape the pain of low wages by owning a small business and being paid the full worth of their labor. There was always an understanding that wage work never paid and would keep you poor. They managed to buy a home in 2007. Then the financial crisis came and destroyed what meager gains they had made. My family nearly lost their business, they completely lost their house and never recovered to what they had before. My college prospects were tanked because austerity was forced through as a reaction to the recklessness of unelected oligarchs crashing the economy.

From an early age I learned about the tragic history of the US empire involving itself into Latin America. These people weren’t just names on a page, they were my ancestors, my cousins, my distant cultural relatives, and fighters for a cause greater than themselves. How could I in good conscience ever support or believe in a system that propped itself up by the exploitation of those it deem less worthy? How could I believe in an extractive system that destroys the natural world? How could I believe in a system that overthrows democracies and arrests union members so an elite few could profit? At the heart of my socialism is a burning hatred towards imperialism abroad and in the domestic core.

I have never known security in the modern world or known a system that helped a kid from the poorest neighborhood in one of the wealthiest counties in the country. I want every kid who is smart, bright and passionate to have a chance to blossom and be guaranteed a life with dignity. To be guaranteed a place to sleep so they wouldn’t have to sleep out of their car like I did many years ago. To be guaranteed dignity in the workplace and not fear their boss throwing them away if they’re not compliant enough. To not fear going to the doctor when they are sick because they might be stuck with a bill that destroys their life. Within my socialism is a burning desire to guarantee the things that I saw others lack and sorely needed to just make life that much more enjoyable. It should be a crime to commodify the essential parts of the human experience.

I saw the Bernie campaign of 2016 and was inspired that a self proclaimed socialist nearly won the major nomination of one of our capitalist parties on the backs of supporters who believed in a different way. I was one of them. I saw the inspiration of AOC in 2018 and the campaigning of progressives in the following years. That there’s been dissatisfaction that people’s things are just wrong and that they’re demanding more. I have recently become inspired by the action of Zohran Mamdani. Another socialist who stands a serious chance of winning the general election in one of the most iconic capitalist cities in the country.

So I’ve joined DSA in order to help move the cause of liberation against the extractive overlords and help fight for an inclusive world where everyone is taken care of and will not be forgotten. To broaden the capacity of the working class to go into conflict with the oligarchic class and their political lackeys. To create joy and happiness with people who know that a different way isn’t just possible but winnable if we fight. To join in common cause with labor, aligned groups, other minorities whose lives are threatened and build a durable coalition that will win us the world we deserve.

What is your vision for Sonoma County DSA?

I want SoCo DSA to become another fighting force for a socialist future, a place for concerned people to build a sustainable community. A group where we work together to achieve a truly equitable system that makes everyone be seen. That gives everyone a voice, that ties together everyone’s struggle and makes it clear that the multiracial working class must rule this world.

We should be the group that challenges the status quo through whatever paths are available to us. We must also help provide a space for an alternative vision to be debated, enjoyed and shared among our future allies.

What would you like to accomplish in your leadership role?

We are a new chapter and I am realistic about the journey we are on together. I want us to embrace our multipolar tendency and empower every member to feel they have a place. We will continue the culture of embracing joy and creating spaces to savour it when possible. To ensure that we have ample times to celebrate our wins and soothe ourselves while we do the essential work in our community at large.

I will endeavor to continue the good work of cultivating communication with aligned groups and future coalition partners. I want us to create deeper bonds with organized labor, anti imperialist groups, teachers, students, and groups who fight against the violation of due process in our most vulnerable communities.

I want members to feel that there’s an ongoing dialogue between the officers and the membership. I want there to be transparency between what we engage with and what we share with our members. I am someone who will be available for a coffee chat, a phone call, someone you can complain about life to or someone you can ask for help from.

I am not going to conduct myself as someone who has all the answers. I don’t believe in saturating someone with words or plans. We must meet people where they are and learn together. Instead, I will amplify the voice of the membership and for their benefit. I will also ask where I don’t know the answers and try to build together the solution the present time needs. I will uphold the passion and the flame that I continue to carry in all that I do.

What do you think Sonoma County DSA has done well, and what do you think needs improvement?

SoCo DSA has quickly become a social political club for many compassionate and idealistic people who want to see Sonoma County change for the better. We also have a passion for dreaming and that’s apparent in our activities of collaborative art making and socially supportive projects. We like debating the finer points of theory and appropriate strategies to make in the ongoing churn of our political climate. For all our diversity we still act as comrades and enjoy seeing everyone have a voice or feel like they can be represented. We do a good amount of “Yes and” which lets us build the spaces and directions that make our multipolar organization resilient.

We could benefit from more formal role delegation and membership orientation. Sometimes there are unclear ways of participation and having more windows into that would help us all. Members have loved the human connection many of us extend to newcomers and we should put that into the onboarding we do.

We would benefit from more outreach in diverse communities and collaboration with groups from them. A working class organization should look and feel like the community it fights and works with.

We need more focus on accessibility whether through non-English language or non discord communication.

We do a good job educating each other about leftist thought and theories around organizing tactics. We should continue that and expand the spaces to participate.

These key points will be a starting off point into the months to come and how to continue the development of our chapter.

What do you think Sonoma County DSA should prioritize in the next year?

We must invest into our cadre members who will be the leadership of the future. We do this by beginning a mentorship and member development program. And thus creating a new middle layer. Nonofficers who are able to take lead or create among themselves a supportive group that can respond to situations in our community. New members should feel welcome to pair up with longer term members to learn how they operate in DSA and how they can find their place in this coalition.

I would like us to reach out to the students and younger comrades in our struggle. So we should endeavour to create one YDSA chapter among the membership we have or create new bonds of solidarity until we are able to build one.

Building community and bonds of solidarity is the right thing to do. Mutual aid should remain an important part of our group. In embracing our multi-tenant organization we empower members to participate in building into that network. It should matter as much as electoral work, social life or education work. We have the ability to augment other groups’ capacity to act by collaborating where it makes sense.

We should prepare and help willing members to participate in the political process either in doing work with an allied group or running something small that is under our domain. This could be advocacy, a pressure campaign, talking at city or county meetings, or helping a fellow traveler into office. We have numerous sources from National that we can tap into and there’s also the chance to test and try strategies that best suit our needs.

And if you have a great idea please feel free to reach out : )

Describe any additional qualifications, skills, perspective, or experience you would bring to this position.

I was here from the very beginning in the early stages of the organizing committee. I have been here contributing my time and passion. There’s been times where we celebrated some great and amazing news. There’s been days where my head kept hurting. I have come to know many of you and see people step up into the leaders we have now.

I used to run and co-own a music production group. I started out going to events in the Bay Area and I became enamored in the social scene and technical aspect of it. I loved getting to connect with people who were different and trying to create a common space uniquely theirs. I decided to add to that with my friends at the time. We started out small and threw free events in public spaces and eventually rented private spaces to host more ambitious shows. We understood it was the human connection that made people stick with us for years and the music was a very excellent part of it.

I learned that delegation, time management, reasonable steps to take, an adaptable plan and enthusiasm helped get us through the early stages of it. To get the more ambitious events done you have to be willing to listen, make agreements that are mutual and remain aware of what’s feasible at this current moment. And adapt the plan to something else if the original falls apart. And if you want someone else to feel invested you should also feel invested in what’s to be done.

What is a fun fact about you unrelated to your political work?

I have a passion for grand strategy games and RPGs. My favorite games include Crusader Kings 3, Dragon Age, and Stellaris. It’s fun to dream about alternative outcomes of historical events. I like to see what alternative stories are possible through different choices. And space is such a cool thing with massive stars, blackholes and hyperdrive.

If a member has questions about your candidacy, how should they reach out to you?

People should feel welcome to reach out directly through my discord, ask me for a cup of coffee(my treat!) or feel free to call me. I am fairly open and easygoing about connecting.

Ruben Ramirez (he/him)

Are you a member of any DSA caucuses? If so, which?

None.

Are you a member or employee of any other political or labor organizations? If so, please list them and your position within them.

Communist Party USA, Democratic Party, Indivisible.

What is your DSA story? (What made you a socialist and why did you join DSA)

Growing up I had a very conservative family but my experiences with racism, poverty, homelessness, gang violence and more have pushed me to become a communist (socialism with an emphasis on anti-capitalism).

What is your vision for Sonoma County DSA?

To create a popular front that will positively impact the lives of people in our county through public ownership of housing, transportation and more.

What would you like to accomplish in your leadership role?

Help forge relationships with other organizations to create a popular front in Sonoma County.

What do you think Sonoma County DSA has done well, and what do you think needs improvement?

It has done well in terms of getting people into an organization. It hasn’t actually done a great job in terms of actually adopting and following through a campaign that will impact Sonoma County residents.

What do you think Sonoma County DSA should prioritize in the next year?

Educating themselves on and doing mass campaign work.

Describe any additional qualifications, skills, perspective, or experience you would bring to this position.

I’m already the Co-chair, I’ve been chairing for the North Bay/SF CPUSA club for about 2 years now. I’ve done a lot of theoretical exploration in time of being an organizer. I have built up a lot of personal connections to people and other organizations in the area which is something we should be looking for in having a Co-Chair. I’m also part of several organizations which should also be something we should be looking at for any Co-Chair, bringing all friendly organizations together not just through interactions but by actually taking part in their organization and plugging them into all of our events whether that be our mutual aid efforts, our rallies and possible campaign efforts.

What is a fun fact about you unrelated to your political work?

I spend way too much time trying to figure out a name for my video game characters.

If a member has questions about your candidacy, how should they reach out to you?

Discord: @warfen

Email: rubenalex2012@gmail.com

Georgia Silva (she/her)

Are you a member of any DSA caucuses? If so, which?

No.

Are you a member or employee of any other political or labor organizations? If so, please list them and your position within them.

No.

What is your DSA story? (What made you a socialist and why did you join DSA)

Hello all! My name is Georgia Silva. I was born in Brazil 33 years ago, having immigrated to the US when I was 5. I have been living in Santa Rosa since 2021.

I’ve been a socialist my entire adult life, with radical roots dug deep in my childhood. I grew up in the shadows of 9/11, of America’s murderous, genocidal response upon an entire world of peoples. I recall the horrors, the endless horrors. The bombs bursting in the air, raining down toxic flammable hellfire on children’s faces. Torture at Gitmo, at Abu Ghraib, torture at home. Cops murdering Black, Indigenous, and queer people daily and getting away with it. And then there’s the vile history of America, a tale of mass genocide and slavery. All of it served to turn me decidedly against the status quo, against capitalism and all of capitalism’s infinite misdeeds.

I couldn’t vote in 2004 or 2008 but I remember opposing both Kerry and Obama both (as well as the Republicans, don’t get me wrong!). Hearing Democrats call those craven murderers and bloodthirsty villains on the Republican ‘side of the aisle’ their “very good colleagues from such-and-such state” befouled my opinion of them. I knew there would be no hope, no change and I was sadly vindicated. There would be no justice, no peace at all whatsoever. Weddings bombed, children murdered: and for that bloody outcome, we were supposed to be happy with a barely-improved healthcare system. And the Republicans? They persisted, they persist, becoming evermore the fascists they’ve always desired to be.

I did try to resist in any way I could. I was at the Occupy Wall Street protests. I was at an earlier incarnation of Black Lives Matter, the Oscar Grant movement. I fought and I lost. We all did.. Society kept churning and the horrors kept coming. Across the world, humanity suffered from American actions. Palestine burnt, Cuba kept under cruel siege, all while we kept pumping the atmosphere year after year with deadly hydrocarbons as the rich got richer. And that’s just the surface, barely scratched, of our infamies.

After college, I did not do much in the previous decade, politically. When I saw Trump descend the escalator in 2015, I realized then that the fascist dread had come, an inevitable outcome borne out of the contradictions of liberals trying and failing to govern society; their way always ends in even worse barbarism. And I thought, that was it: the end of our history would end in a fascistic orgy of violence.

And indeed, it’s happening before our eyes. The fascists are here. They are ruling the roost already. The 2001 AUMF is their Enabling Act, long-since enshrined as part of the American regime. And we’ve all seen what they’ve done in just the past 8 months: the criminalization of abortion, the ICE raids, the concentration camps, the escalation of the genocide in Palestine and at home, and so much more.

Yet despite that, I’ve realized that not all hope is indeed lost. First, the final failure of liberalism in the form of Joe Biden having to drop out in disgrace has apparently truly awakened otherwise quiescent middle Americans. They realized belatedly that they were sold a false bill of goods, that being that Trump was once-in-a-lifetime aberration, that supporting Biden in 2020 would lead them back to better halcyon days of yore, when the Presidency could be swapped between Clintons and Bushes and similar ideologues, with little difference between either. In other words, liberals went out to brunch and came back to find their home infested with racist, fascist rodents.

This grand awakening led directly to Zohran’s victory in New York. We are now in a moment of being in the right place, at the right time, with the right organization to perhaps achieve all that we dare dream. There is only one socialist organization with a mass membership (of over 50,000 members) in the United States: the DSA. Thus, only the DSA is capable of achieving socialist change in this country.

And we are on a very narrow path towards victory, a tightrope act over a gnawing chasm of doom. On the other side is socialism and beneath, endless barbarism, represented by Trump and all that will come from and after him. Only the DSA can cross the tightrope and reach the other side. We alone have the numbers, the conviction, the purpose. We can no longer wait for salvation from a third party or outside actor. No is coming to save us but ourselves.

And that’s the essential truth: we are America’s and therefore the world’s last best hope to arrest this rise of neo-fascism, to end the climate catastrophe, and to truly bring about an epoch of world peace. And we can do it. We can win. I know we can.

What is your vision for Sonoma County DSA?

We must stop the rising tide of fascism before it devours us all. None of us are safe while our police forces, those secret and not, as well as our military are under the command of people who at a whim could choose to abolish this organization, to deport us all into the waiting maw of CECOT or some other concentration camp. Our only chance is to massively grow this organization, more than we’ve ever grown it before, and then to organize and activate each individual member to their maximum potential. It’s going to be a mad dash, a desperate defense before near-impossible odds. I do not know if it will work, if it will save us. But if we don’t immediately and radically scale up our membership numbers and better organize all of our members into actively contributing towards the chapter’s immediate aims, we may very well be overcome by external forces and our foes.

Thus my vision begins with a theory of victory, a credible path from point A (where we are right now, under a truly-fascist regime that may very well wipe us all out tomorrow) to point B (a future where Trump and his cronies have been swept out of power and our organization has the democratic mandate to implement our agenda). To be clear: I don’t want point B to mean we enter into a mealy-mouthed coalition with the Democrats in return for some paltry treats (Medicare for All Who Are Eligible for a Pell Grant, for instance). Point B should mean ultimate victory where the democratic socialists are indeed running the show. We should seek no alignment or alliance at all with corporatist democrats as a final goal; that is antithetical to the very foundation of the work we are doing. In other words, where there was once feckless, corrupt establishment governance there shall instead be superior democratic socialist governance.

The final destination being thus clear, the way we get there is also obvious: we need to win elections. We have but one opportunity, perhaps in our entire lifetimes, to establish democratic socialism as a political force in this country. The only way to do that is to win elections, a lot of them, perhaps even a majority of them. Once we have done that, we will have the democratic, legal, moral, and historic mandate to enact our agenda in full. And I mean in full: everything we’ve ever dreamt of, all of it, from universal healthcare, to a universal right to housing, to a fully decarbonized economy, to holding to account all those responsible for genocide and other crimes against humanity, and more. We’re going to do it all when we win, and that will just be the beginning. If I have any ultimate vision for the DSA it is that we are there to help pioneer a new, better material reality for all Americans, and indeed, the world.

Yet we cannot do so. Not now. I wish we could. But our chapter simply doesn’t have the numbers or the resources to truly challenge the ruling parties’ grasp on total power. Granted, we should run some people for local school boards and whatnot next year, but otherwise our chapterwide priority, the way I see it, is, for the next 12 months, to continue building the chapter into a veritable mass organization, and enacting necessary organizational changes to accomplish this. We currently have 150 dues-paying members. We need more, far more; we need month-to-month positive growth moving forward. Not that we didn’t have this before but we need to internalize this as our goal: not only must we end every month with more members than we had at the start, but we must recruit more members than we recruited in the month prior. And crucially, we need every single member engaged and activated to the most of their personal availability. That is the goal for the immediate future.

My vision to state in sum is thus: to grow our chapter membership numbers tenfold, and to likewise increase membership activity ten-thousandfold.

What would you like to accomplish in your leadership role?

Our present governance structure has served us well in these early months. Our small, dedicated leadership team and our few extant committees and working groups have been able to accomplish much; indeed, an impressive array of victories. My proposal seeks to build upon that successful foundation, by expanding leadership opportunities, increasing member engagement in chapter actions, and by maximally utilizing all the resources and people we have at our disposal to achieve our goals.

As such, I am proposing modifying our existing committee structure into a commissioner one. In effect, commissioners are elected by the chapter to oversee a specific chapter activity and take charge as leaders of that activity. Each commissioner will sit on the Steering Committee, overseeing either one or several working groups; a working group is a small formation of typically less than 5 people (though it varies per group). The Steering Committee will give direction and guidance to each commissioner, who themselves will give that guidance to their working groups.

The reason for this is that I want there to be a point person for everything we do, and I want that point person to sit with other point people and the rest of the Steering Committee and decide, determine, and deliberate chapter activities, through democratic dialogue. I further desire data standardization. The Steering Committee should have access to an accurate, constantly updated in real time, data stream that tells them not only what each member of the chapter is doing, but their membership in a working group and how that working group is working.

To use an example, consider Non-Protest Tabling. As this is an activity that is based at a certain time and place, we would form several working groups under a single Non-Protest Tabling Commission, with the elected commissioner overseeing all the groups and all the members under that commission. Say the Steering Committee decided that they want there to be a table at every city in the county at least once per week. The commissioner responsible would then recruit members and form as many working groups (no more than 4 members per group) needed to tackle this task. The working groups will work shifts of tabling, across the county, week after week.

This system of organization would allow leadership and membership alike to track how each individual working group is doing, with a data driven approach to collecting reports and a mind to constantly be seeking new efficiencies. For instance, if Group X recruited 15% less people this week versus last week, the Steering Committee or Commissioner could see that, and take corrective action. Maybe the action needed is that some group members are bored with tabling. Maybe there’s a personality clash. Those reasons would indicate those members should join other groups or be reassigned. Or maybe it’s just a bad tabling location or time. The Steering Committee should be able to see all of this, and be able to act firmly, resolutely, and decisively.

Further, I’d also love to get a system of rotation put in place. We should be capable of tackling any challenge in our way, and the way we get there is by cross-training our membership across all the work that we do in the chapter. So if you join one commission, after a certain point, you should rotate to a different commission. Ideally, every single member will join every commission at least once, and hopefully, several times.

Insofar as commissions, the 10 I am proposing are as follows:

Non-Protest Tabling Commission: oversees all non-protest tabling
Social Media Commission: oversees the website
Mutual Aid Commission: oversees mutual aid
Grievance Commission: oversees the grievance process, ensures DSA activities are safe and welcoming, moderates the discord
Protest Commission: oversees all protests (either those hosted or attended by the DSA as chapter protests)
Newsletter Commission: writes, edits, and publishes the newsletter
Commission on Theory: I’d also like to see our chapter be at the ideological and theoretical forefront of modern socialist thought as well as policy thought. What should the DSA policy on agriculture be? How should ecology, sustainability play a role? What of foreign policy in relation to trade? And more: financial, military, social, as well as other domains remain to be defined. In this task, we should not only be reading the old works of Marx et al but creating new works, new theories, new syntheses.
Art Commission: responsible for any and all art needs the chapter has.
Commission on Fun: responsible for organizing diverse, fun non-political events for chapter members
Electoral Commission: responsible for all electoral activities

These ten commissioners, alongside 2 additional commissioners without portfolio (this position exists to make the leadership group bigger and give the group the ability to form ad-hoc, special, or emergency commissions and have commissioners with open portfolios available to handle such commissions) will join the enlarged Steering Committee, which will meet every two weeks (or weekly) or as needed. As implied, this means every other existing committee will in effect be absorbed by the Steering Committee.

In between Steering Committee meetings, a new Executive Committee, composed of the existing officers (the two Co-Chairs, the Secretary, the Treasurer, and the Membership Coordinator) will convene, deliberate, and handle the day-to-day governance of the chapter. All decisions and activities made by the Executive Committee will be reported to the Steering Committee. Likewise, every commissioner will write (using a standardized template) a weekly report about their Commission’s activities. Having received these reports, the Steering Committee will then deliberate and make necessary adjustments and realignments, constantly seeking improvements and betterments for the sake of chapter growth.

All activities and reports the Steering Committee receives, as well as their decisions, will be reported on at the monthly Chapter business meetings, where the wider chapter will deliberate and decide accordingly along democratic principles the direction the Steering Committee, the commissioners, and the Executive Committee should take, ensuring democratic accountability and legitimacy.

Granted, I could make these proposals as bylaw amendments without running for Co-Chair. The reason I am running first for Co-Chair is that as these are my proposals; I would be remiss in asking you all to implement something and then wash my hands clean of this affair. And, as they are my proposals, I understand them best, and will thus be in the best position to help guide the future leadership team through the revised bylaws.

In addition, I want to state that I respect and remain fully committed to the democratic deliberative process. The chapter may reject some or all of my proposals, which is something I will gladly accept, should that come to pass. My focus on growing this chapter will remain, and if there’s another way forward, I will work to come up with new ideas, new frameworks, and to work with all members in crafting the path forward, wherever it may lie. I believe in all of our members and the leadership and experience we can foster in each. I have no desire to micromanage or lord over our chapter as some distant liege; my sole desire is to uplift each member and every component part of our chapter to its greatest ability.

And indeed with this nucleus, I believe our chapter will be well-positioned to continue growing exponentially. We will never have as many members as NYC DSA, to be clear. But if we had 500, 750, a thousand, imagine. Just imagine what we could do. I daresay: in 2028, we could run for every local, state, and federal political office we can get our hands on. And imagine further if our efforts inspired similar efforts across other counties, across the country? All of a sudden, we aren’t talking about six figure membership numbers for the national organization anymore but seven or even eight figures; tens of millions of hardworking, dedicated DSA members. At that point, we will finally have the mass hammer forged we need to smash our chains.

Last but not least, I’ve talked with a few already about getting a pet mascot that looks like our Rosa chicken logo. Having discussed it further, I’ve come to the conclusion that a dog in a chicken costume, whom we could take to events, protests, chapter meetings, and whom we could post about endlessly on social media, and even have a social media account for, is a genuinely genius idea. I don’t recall who suggested it, but I am 1000% on board. If nothing else, I will work hard as Co-Chair to make this happen. Alas, I can’t adopt a pet right now due to my lease, but I am certain we can do a member survey and either find an existing willing pet or have someone adopt one. We would have to deliberate costs of course, as I’m not certain if we could afford much more than the costume. But, it’s still something we must pursue.

What do you think Sonoma County DSA has done well, and what do you think needs improvement?

This chapter is filled with amazing, dedicated people, who always strive to make everyone feel included and welcome. When I think of how a democratic socialist organization should look like, it looks like us: a broadly diverse group of people of near-infinite backgrounds. I would change absolutely nothing, I wouldn’t even be running for Co-Chair, were the times different. But the times are different. The fate of our country and the world for the next half-century will be settled within the next five years. In five years, we need to be in the White House or we never will be.

The DSA can do this, we can win. The times are such that for the first time in America’s sordid history, socialism can finally be established and grown. The only way we do so, as I’ve stated, is if we massively scale our membership and capabilities, which requires more organizational discipline. I want to make our victory a reality, and I am prepared to dedicate everything I have to make it happen. For it to happen though, our organization must adapt to the present crisis, and we must do so without delay.

What do you think Sonoma County DSA should prioritize in the next year?

As stated or implied before, our priorities for the next year should be as follows:

To reform our bylaws and create commissions to oversee chapter activities and enlarge the leadership group.
To build a database (or similar structure) of membership and commission activities, for use by the Steering Committee and commissioners.
To grow chapter membership tenfold.
To have every member rotate through every commission, training them as they perform the various necessary chapter tasks.
To have at least one member win an election for a public office.
To expand coordination and collaboration with other CA chapters, the State organization, and the National organization.
To synthesize a local, state, and national policy platform, and to further contribute to new socialist theories.
To be in a position to compete for all Congressional seats that compose Sonoma County (may change depending on redistricting) by early 2027.

Describe any additional qualifications, skills, perspective, or experience you would bring to this position.

If you’d like, you can view my resume here.

Beyond that, you may also consider a broader corpus of my writing here. (please note some articles are written satirically or in jest)

What is a fun fact about you unrelated to your political work?

I am returning to theater after a near two-decade hiatus next month, starring as Squealer in an adaptation of Orwell’s Animal Farm on September 5th at the Sebastopol Grange. DM me if you want tickets!

If a member has questions about your candidacy, how should they reach out to you?

The best way to reach out to me is by Discord DMs. You can message me on other platforms but I can’t promise I’ll see the message anytime soon.

Jesse (he/him)

Are you a member of any DSA caucuses? If so, which?

No.

Are you a member or employee of any other political or labor organizations? If so, please list them and your position within them.

No. A long time ago I was part of the CFA as an organizer.

What is your DSA story? (What made you a socialist and why did you join DSA)

I became a socialist because I have an intrinsic dislike of injustice, inequity, and the abuse the weak. I was introduced to student activism by my cousin and my political investment has increased over the years as the political situation in the country has continued to deteriorate. The DSA is among the few options that are not captured by typical party politics, capitalist interests, and other malefactors.

What is your vision for Sonoma County DSA?

A political organization that maintains the dignity of working-class people amidst horror.

What would you like to accomplish in your leadership role?

I am running for co-chair for the interest applying my talents to the building of the organization. I am long-in-the-tooth about dealing with organizations and I think that I have a passable head on my shoulders about them, although I am not the most personable or charismatic. With that said I think that working as part of a team I an accomplish the organization’s goals and achieve stability and growth in these difficult times. I am not strongly invested in particular views about political tools or certain political questions and consider myself somewhat pragmatic and typically unwilling to commit to much in maximalist positions by virtue of the prevailing political situation. That said, I have certain libertarian-socialist views and consider myself inclined toward substantive industrial democracy and implementation of popular will against the prevailing capitalist system. I have degrees and am college educated (MA, philosophy) with a decade of experience in organizing — although with mixed effectiveness, I suppose.

What do you think Sonoma County DSA has done well, and what do you think needs improvement?

I think the organization has done well to stabilize itself and grow. It seems to demand a coherent action plan to account for the political situation — which I admit is unstable and no fault is assigned.

What do you think Sonoma County DSA should prioritize in the next year?

Basic resources and logistics (typically to aid existing org goals).

Describe any additional qualifications, skills, perspective, or experience you would bring to this position.

I have a graduate degree in philosophy and am well educated, possibly too educated. I used to be a teacher.

What is a fun fact about you unrelated to your political work?

One time I found a cat on the road and thought it was my cat and I buried it. When I got home I found out my cat was very alive.

If a member has questions about your candidacy, how should they reach out to you?

Discord or phone is fine.

Membership Coordinator

Nick Cameron (he/him)

Are you a member of any DSA caucuses? If so, which?

I am a member of Groundwork.

Are you a member or employee of any other political or labor organizations? If so, please list them and your position within them.

No.

What is your DSA story? (What made you a socialist and why did you join DSA)

My socialist underpinnings have been within me ever since I took a Liberal Studies class at Casa Grande High School where our history textbook was Howard Zinn’s A People’s History of the United States. Despite that for much of my life my politics took a second seat to other things in life: college, getting settled into my career, etc.

The continuing progression of the climate crisis, the genocide in Gaza, and finally the return of Trump was my breaking point. I realized that I could not sit passively on the sidelines, just consuming news and thinking about how socialism is the answer. These things cannot and will not happen naturally. It happens because people like me stand up. We have to take the future for ourselves, while there is still a future to save.

DSA as the largest socialist organization in the United States, and that is member-led and democratically organized, felt like a natural fit. It is not without its flaws, but I strongly believe that the DSA is the future of the left in the United States, and I am dedicated to helping it grow.

What is your vision for Sonoma County DSA?

I see Sonoma County as a region that is ready for a socialist future. Bernie Sanders won a majority here in 2020, the county’s voting is as deep blue as you can get, yet unlike surrounding counties we have a much more working class population who struggle under the weight of our cruel capitalist reality and our distant, uncaring state government.

I dream of a Sonoma County that is a beating red socialist heart in California, where we not only win legislative majorities in cities, but are also deeply interwoven into the social fabric of the county. There are socialist bars, socialist concerts, and socialist mutual aid networks protecting our community from whatever the rest of the country throws at us.

With that state power and that county presence, we can build a county that we all can be proud of. We can build social housing, state-owned renewables, and provide the necessities to live a dignified, happy life.

And at the front of that is the movement we are building now, the Sonoma County Democratic Socialists of America. I believe the DSA is primed to be the mass politics organization our country needs right now, and I could not imagine a better chapter culture than the one we have already fostered. It is just up to us to continue the work and build that future.

What would you like to accomplish in your leadership role?

For 2026 I have three main goals as Membership Coordinator:

Grow our membership significantly. Not only is it my prerogative as Membership Coordinator, but in my mind it is our number one avenue to increasing our capacity for political action in this moment. As of the time I am writing this, we have 171 Members in Good Standing (MIGS). My conservative goal would be to grow us to 300 MIGS while my optimistic goal is to grow us to 400 MIGS. We can accomplish this by not only being present at political actions, but continuing with a strategy of “meeting people where they are”, such as our recent tabling at the Santa Rosa Night Market.
Diversify our membership by increasing outreach to non-white communities in the county. In particular, the Latino population of Sonoma County is notably underrepresented accounting for only 13.7% of our membership while making up 28.9% of the county. If we wish to fight for everyone in this county, we need to have the voices of our community represented!
Work with Committees and the other members of the Steering Committee to increase our ratio of active (or “cadre”) members. As of this writing the Membership Committee estimates around 30 of our 171 members are active, which is about 18% of our membership. Acknowledging we’ll always have members who don’t have the time to actively volunteer, I will strive to bump that up to 28% by continuing Membership Committee activities which are meant to activate and engage our membership.

What do you think Sonoma County DSA has done well, and what do you think needs improvement?

I think we have done an incredible job building up a chapter in a very short amount of time. For so many of our members it is their first time organizing and yet they have incorporated volunteering with DSA into the weekly routines. Not only that, we have created a chapter which is also a community. We have a warm, helpful, and collaborative culture that I hope that we can keep in the years ahead.

However, I think our inexperience has held us back when it comes to committing to campaigns. Though we have been quite active with protests, membership activities, and mutual aid events, our approved Education Campaign has stayed inactive.

I think this is a natural growing pain of a being a new chapter, but one that we need to thoughtfully solve. As such, I strongly support the following:

Expanding and reinvigorating the Liaison Committee to empower more of our membership and delegate more responsibilities. As a volunteer organization, there is only so much work a single member can do, no matter how dedicated they are. As such, empowering more of our membership to organize and lead is how we will expand our capacity.
Adding an ‘Always be organizing’ section to our 2026 Plan of Work, which would commit our next Steering Committee to ensuring we are always working on an active campaign.

Additionally I think our chapter has had an excellent social media presence, particularly on Instagram, which has contributed to our growth. However, our social media and communications fall on relatively few hands, leaving our consistency strained, and one of those members has recently moved out of the county.

Unlike the campaigning problem, I do not think there is an immediate fix to this ‘understaffing’ . Ultimately I think we currently lack a sufficient number of members who are interested in communications work. As such all we can do is continue to grow our membership and empower any new members who are interested.

What do you think Sonoma County DSA should prioritize in the next year?

I think of 2026 as the year we the build the foundations of our chapter which will make us a political force to be reckoned with in the years to come. Though I strongly believe Sonoma County is fertile ground for a chapter that punches far above its weight, our average member is relatively new to political organizing and we have yet to set up much of the infrastructure more established chapters have. This year is when we work on that!

My priorities would be the following:

Continue to invest in growing our membership. To increase our capacity we need to both gain members and provide avenues for those members to learn and grow, and there is so much room for growth in Sonoma County.
Ensure that there is always an ongoing campaign for chapter members to volunteer for. These campaigns should have achievable political goals and strive to train our members for larger, more ambitious campaigns in the future.
Run an electoral campaign and/or commit Electoral Committee members to volunteer in a personal capacity with aligned campaigns with the goal of gaining experience and skills for future campaigns.
Build strong relationships with aligned organizations with a focus on organized labor. No socialist movement can thrive without that bond!

Describe any additional qualifications, skills, perspective, or experience you would bring to this position.

I have served as our Membership Coordinator over the last six months. In that time, our membership has grown by an impressive average of 8% each month. In June, we were the fastest growing chapter in California!

Additionally, I have established the Membership Committee, which has successfully delegated both the responsibilities and powers of my position to our membership. This structure has led to a boom in membership events with multiple happening every month ranging from social meet-ups to book club discussions.

I view delegation and relationship building as my two greatest skills both within DSA and anywhere I have worked, and I believe my record shows I have been successful at both.

What is a fun fact about you unrelated to your political work?

Outside of DSA, I work as a game designer. Unsurprisingly, that means my number one hobby… is also game design. I have been working on a custom tabletop roleplaying system on and off for a decade that I think I’m close to getting playtest ready again, so maybe sometime in the next year I can test it out with some folks in the chapter!

If a member has questions about your candidacy, how should they reach out to you?

You can message me on the Discord or e-mail me at: ncam-dsa@pm.me.

Secretary

Cameron (he/him)

Are you a member of any DSA caucuses? If so, which?

No.

Are you a member or employee of any other political or labor organizations? If so, please list them and your position within them.

No.

What is your DSA story? (What made you a socialist and why did you join DSA)

At some point I realized market economies will always lead to classism and suffering. I noticed DSA facilitating the protests, was convinced by Ryan to come to a Cold Ones, and fell in love with the level of empathy, intelligence, and passion in the chapter!

What is your vision for Sonoma County DSA?

Continue to grow as we nourish our community through mutual aid and take on electoral campaigns. Showing the people that a better world is possible through unity and empathy.

What would you like to accomplish in your leadership role?

Helping build a great coalition among groups of similar mentalities. Solidifying our processes so that it is easier for people to contribute where they’re valuable!

What do you think Sonoma County DSA has done well, and what do you think needs improvement?

Our growth has been exceptional compared to other chapters, so it’s clear our presence-building activities like tabling and protesting are very strong (it’s how I got here!). I think we’ve experienced some growing pains adopting new systems and keeping people informed (some important information gets lost in restricted committee channels, for example). It’s kind of wild west right now and I love it, but that can get hectic as our numbers increase – as we scale we will need to make sure we’re using our systems effectively. The chapter is aware and definitely on the right path, and I’ll make sure we stay on that path!

What do you think Sonoma County DSA should prioritize in the next year?

Mutual aid and the 2026 midterm elections. We should especially hold positions on measure/props so we can start carving out an identity for ourselves, as these are always very important both culturally and logistically to the people.

Describe any additional qualifications, skills, perspective, or experience you would bring to this position.

Was president of the Student Health Advisory Committee at SSU!

What is a fun fact about you unrelated to your political work?

I have three citizenships! American, Canadian, and German.

If a member has questions about your candidacy, how should they reach out to you?

Discord!

Jesse (he/him)

Are you a member of any DSA caucuses? If so, which?

No.

Are you a member or employee of any other political or labor organizations? If so, please list them and your position within them.

No. A long time ago I was part of the CFA as an organizer.

What is your DSA story? (What made you a socialist and why did you join DSA)

What is your vision for Sonoma County DSA?

A political organization that maintains the dignity of working-class people amidst horror.

What would you like to accomplish in your leadership role?

I am currently running for secretary for the need of the position getting filled and my basic availability. In my history I have taken notes and have functioned as the person who wrote everything down for this or that function. I am not unduly well suited for this position, but I think I can accomplish the role as demanded by the organization and I am not sloppy and prone to leaving things to chance; I can also work to clarify certain demands of the role and formalize what is required in a procedures and policies manual which can be given to new people, along with talking with other similar role-holders elsewhere to increase the effectiveness of the role. I have degrees and am college educated (MA, philosophy) which suits me to boring note-taking and procedural concerns.

What do you think Sonoma County DSA has done well, and what do you think needs improvement?

What do you think Sonoma County DSA should prioritize in the next year?

Basic resources and logistics (typically to aid existing org goals).

Describe any additional qualifications, skills, perspective, or experience you would bring to this position.

I have a graduate degree in philosophy and am well educated, possibly too educated. I used to be a teacher.

What is a fun fact about you unrelated to your political work?

One time I found a cat on the road and thought it was my cat and I buried it. When I got home I found out my cat was very alive.

If a member has questions about your candidacy, how should they reach out to you?

Discord or phone is fine.

Treasurer

Joel Berger (any/all)

Are you a member of any DSA caucuses? If so, which?

No.

Are you a member or employee of any other political or labor organizations? If so, please list them and your position within them.

SEIU 1021

What is your DSA story? (What made you a socialist and why did you join DSA)

What is your vision for Sonoma County DSA?

What would you like to accomplish in your leadership role?

While dealing with finances isn’t glamorous, its important work for the chapter. My goal is to work toward easier avenues for public donation as well as internal member donation as well, to finalize our banking situation so we have a singular place for chapter funds to start diving out towards important projects such as:

A self storage facility to store any and all DSA chapter resources for tabling, protesting, mutual aid, etc.
Funds for mutual aid projects such as: Food prep kitchens. equipment and supplies for community clean up, and permits for use spaces, etc.
And much more.
Another goal is to add lots of transparency to our funds and spending. Providing charts to see what and were we have spent money, where influx funds are coming from and the opportunities we have to improve in both areas.
And lastly to make it an easy process for all DSA members and leadership to provide receipts and be organized accordingly so internal audits as well as Taxes can be filed in a simple and straightforward manor.

What do you think Sonoma County DSA has done well, and what do you think needs improvement?

What do you think Sonoma County DSA should prioritize in the next year?

Describe any additional qualifications, skills, perspective, or experience you would bring to this position.

What is a fun fact about you unrelated to your political work?

If a member has questions about your candidacy, how should they reach out to you?

My discord account would be the best option, on the DSA Discord I go by: Xanitos (Joel)

Ian M (he/him)

Are you a member of any DSA caucuses? If so, which?

YES! Proud member of the Religious Socialists.

Are you a member or employee of any other political or labor organizations? If so, please list them and your position within them.

Nope.

What is your DSA story? (What made you a socialist and why did you join DSA)

Been a socialist longer than I knew what socialism was. After the complete failure of Nov 2024, I didn’t just want to resist, I wanted to know what kind of world I was fighting FOR. I attended a DSA meeting, and instantly knew I had found my “home.”

What is your vision for Sonoma County DSA?

Provide hope for the hopeless. Comfort the afflicted. Challenge the comfortable. Fight the fascists. Collectively let’s dream of a more equitable world, then together change every heart and mind from the local to the national so that we all have everything we need, and give what we desire to give.

What would you like to accomplish in your leadership role?

Finances are a vital resource for empowering action. My role as treasurer is to support our Chapter activities so that we can actually do what we decide we want to do. I know one priority is a centrally-located storage shed for all our stuff. Another is completing our non-profit paperwork with the IRS. Most definitely getting a bank account opened, and set up so that we can take donations directly (not filtered through National).

What do you think Sonoma County DSA has done well, and what do you think needs improvement?

Super welcoming place, especially with LGBTQIA folks. I think we need to build our non-white membership.

What do you think Sonoma County DSA should prioritize in the next year?

Build membership as well as ties with affiliated orgs. I also think we need some kind of legislative/electoral project. Some “tangible” win that improves the lives of more than just our members.

Describe any additional qualifications, skills, perspective, or experience you would bring to this position.

Oh goodness. Well, I am incredibly fortunate to serve on DSA National’s Budget and Finance Committee, which gives me incredible insight into the financial health of National. One of the reasons (maybe the main reason ) I decided to run for the Treasurer position is that we want to work more closely with and be a better resource for local Treasurers. I figured it would be good if I knew what being a local Treasurer was like, so here we are. I have also served as Treasurer with various other non-profits over the years, and am a CPA in my professional life.

What is a fun fact about you unrelated to your political work?

I am a theater kid at heart. I have performed in plays all over, most recently with Cloverdale Performing Arts Center for a production of Puss and Boots. Yes, I was Puss. Comedy, and performing for kids, making kids laugh and really believe in the imaginary world you are creating, is one of life’s greatest joys.

If a member has questions about your candidacy, how should they reach out to you?

Absolutely! They can DM me in Discord, or call/text me at 707-540-2408.

Electoral Committee Co-Chair

Paul O’Connell (he/him)

Are you a member of any DSA caucuses? If so, which?

No, but I do find myself frequently agreeing with what I see from Groundwork.

Are you a member or employee of any other political or labor organizations? If so, please list them and your position within them.

I am a member of the NBOP deep democracy initiative, and through that initiative I am a member of the NBOP leadership council. I have also recently become a member of WFP though nothing has come of that as of yet.

What is your DSA story? (What made you a socialist and why did you join DSA)

Economic pressures have always been present in my life. There was a time when I was growing up where my immediate family and I were temporarily homeless. Then, in 2015, I heard Bernie Sanders talking about how a better world was possible through political change, where the cost of education and healthcare didn’t have to be major sources of stress. That stayed with me, and by 2020 I had come to consider myself a socialist as socialism offered the most compelling critiques of and solutions for the wide range of problems that we face as a society. I would like to give particular credit to the late Michael Brooks for being a major influence in bringing me to finally adopt the label.

I joined DSA in 2022, at which point it had been a long time coming. DSA had consistently shown up across my organizing experiences, and has continued to do so until this day. When I was starting a Students for Bernie chapter at college, YDSA members were my biggest supporters in making it happen. When I worked with Un-PAC as a student organizer around Democracy issues, (and later as a student organizing manager with the same group), several of my coworkers were DSA members. After graduating I worked as a campaign manager for an inspiring DSA candidate, the vast majority of our volunteers were DSA and YDSA members. I’ve seen time and time again that DSA shows up where it matters, and is serious about building real power for real change.

What is your vision for Sonoma County DSA?

I want Sonoma County DSA to be the organization that comes to mind when working people in Sonoma County from all backgrounds think about getting involved to make change. I see our future as a strong and effective multi tendency organization that prioritizes building power, democratic involvement and decisionmaking, and community building for long term sustainability.

What would you like to accomplish in your leadership role?

I want to run and win inspiring, meaningful campaigns related to the electoral arena that make a difference in our community and build out our membership as well as developing skills and knowledge for our members. Ideally, these campaigns will be relevant to constituencies we want to build membership through, including organized labor, working class residents, and Spanish speaking communities.

In practice, that looks like first working with our membership committee, co chairs, and other interested members to hold conversations across our membership to get a sense of what our base is passionate about getting involved with, alongside engaging in serious powermapping to determine where we and aligned local organizations have power. This step is key to assess what a strategic, credible, power building campaign would look like. This may take the form of a pressure campaign to get the Sheriff to no longer cooperate with ICE, a campaign to prevent local school closures or to stop the plastics recycling plant from being built in Sonoma County, or running a candidate in a school board or city council election.

What do you think Sonoma County DSA has done well, and what do you think needs improvement?

I think that as a chapter we are off to a very strong start, and have created an environment with a good sense of community and openness to multi tendency organizing. I think the biggest area for improvement is to build off of that strong start by showing up for communities that are currently underrepresented in our chapter, and building out our membership in an intentional way.

What do you think Sonoma County DSA should prioritize in the next year?

Building out our membership in a way that reflects Sonoma County, developing relationships with local organizations that share our goals, and engaging in winnable campaigns that build out our capacity both by bringing new members in and developing skills in our existing members, and expand people’s view of what’s possible through collective action. We should make a point of showing up for unions in particular, especially making connections through the existing ties from our members who are currently union members, whose knowledge and experiences can give us insights into how to show up in respectful and productive ways.

Describe any additional qualifications, skills, perspective, or experience you would bring to this position.

I’ve worked as a campaign manager on the (successful) campaign of DSA member Omar Fateh for State Senate in Minneapolis, MN, and have 7 years of organizing experience around issue campaigns and electoral campaigns, including experience training organizers in important skills from canvassing to powermapping to holding effective organizing conversations.

What is a fun fact about you unrelated to your political work?

My cat adopted me after I moved into my current place. She had belonged to the previous resident but they couldn’t bring her to their new home, so after a trial period of sizing me up and ultimately warming up to me she decided to take me on as a roommate.

If a member has questions about your candidacy, how should they reach out to you?

Over discord would be the easiest way to contact me, my username is @grandwombat (though I go by Paul in our chapter’s server). If you don’t have discord, feel free to send an email my way at paulioconnell@gmail.com