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A note from the editor:
I apologize for the late newsletter, this month started with a flood of news and it hasn’t really stopped. It’s easy to feel overwhelmed, to want to pull back and ask yourself what difference you could possibly make in all of it.
But there are things you can do, and they start close to home. Show up to a community meeting. Get involved with the people and groups working to make this place better. Learn your neighbor’s name, or the name of the cashier who always bags your groceries, or the barista who remembers your order. When the world gets loud, those are the people who will stand with you.
For me, I shook off that heavy feeling when I joined CIDSA. Alone, it’s easy to give in to despair. Together, it feels possible to keep going.
Thank you for reading.
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Labor Day weekend gave us a chance to celebrate solidarity in two very different ways. We started with Camp DSA at Walnut Woods, spending time together outdoors with campfires, shared meals, and nature hikes. It was a chance to slow down, connect, and remember why we do this work side by side.
On Monday we joined the Des Moines Labor Day Parade with our CIDSA endorsed candidate Endi. (See more on Endi below!) Marching together was a powerful way to close the weekend, showing that our fight for workers is alive in our community and on the streets.
NEW! Robert’s Rules Corner
Confused about motions? Lost in amendments? You’re not the only one. Robert’s Rules can feel like a whole secret language, but once we get the hang of it, our meetings will run smoother and feel more fair for everyone.
Each month we’ll break down one rule in plain language. This time we’re talking about something that was brought up at the last general meeting: Speechifying.
In Robert’s Rules, “speechifying” just means talking longer than the rules allow. It can happen when someone uses their time to give a full speech instead of a brief comment or question. The idea is not that anyone is doing something wrong, but that meetings work best when everyone has a fair chance to speak. If someone goes long, the facilitator might check in, or members can use a Point of Order to bring things back on track.
It is everyone’s duty to assume good faith from their comrades, and in turn it is your duty as a comrade to speak and treat others with respect. Naming things like speechifying is not about calling people out, it is about helping the group share space fairly.
Example: Someone says “Point of Information… do we have enough flyers printed?” but then keeps going with, ”because at the last canvass we ran out, and I think we should print double, and maybe use different paper, and we cannot go back to that shop because…” At that point, it is no longer just a quick question, it is turning into speechifying.
Tip: If you have more to say, jot it down and bring it up when debate or discussion is open. That way your ideas get heard in the right place and everyone stays on the same page.
Got a burning question? Maybe you’ve wondered:
What’s the difference between a point of order and a point of information?
Can someone actually cut me off if I’ve only spoken once?
Send your questions and we’ll answer them on next month’s Robert’s Rules Corner!
Join DSA Today and Make Change in Your Community!
Ready to be part of the revolution?
Endi for Des Moines
Central Iowa DSA is proud to endorse Endi Montalvo-Martinez for Des Moines City Council At-Large. Endi is fighting for people, not profit. Our city deserves care, not exploitation.
We know real change comes from the people and that’s why we’re backing Endi.
Learn how to get involved with their campaign!
Watch our socials or go to endiforthepeople.com
Solidarity in the Storm
“The legacy of this violence and neglect has spawned a movement of social change in New Orleans and across the Gulf South. … Mutual aid groups began to create more lasting organizing efforts both on the grassroots level and regional level.”
On August 29, 2005, Hurricane Katrina descended on Louisiana as a devastating Category 3 storm, unleashing catastrophic flooding, particularly in historically Black neighborhoods that were already overburdened by racial and economic inequity. The federal response was painfully slow and incoherent, leaving thousands stranded without essentials. In response, grassroots organizers like Malik Rahim sprung into action, channeling the Black Panther legacy into mutual aid through the Common Ground Collective, literally filling life-saving gaps that FEMA could not.
The storm powerfully exposed how systemic racism compounds environmental disaster, and how the media’s framing and government’s neglect further traumatized communities.
Fast forward to Iowa, where in 2024, devastating tornadoes and floods ripped through communities, leveling towns like Greenfield and leaving families in limbo. Government relief, while present on paper, was not quick or thorough. It fell to neighbors, volunteers, churches, mutual aid groups, and even YouTubers to mobilize immediate support: setting up volunteer hubs, raising funds, and feeding and housing survivors.
For instance, after the EF-4 tornado ripped through Greenfield on May 21, 2024, local residents and nearby communities turned the parking lot of St. John’s Catholic Church into a makeshift aid center. The volunteer-run “Y’all Squad,” led by meteorologist Ryan Hall, raised $93,000 within hours to support recovery operations.
Katrina teaches us that disasters expose deeper injustices, but they also ignite extraordinary solidarity. From New Orleans to Iowa, neighbors are not waiting for permission to help. They are flipping the script, demanding that you get the support you need, fast, with dignity, no matter where you are or what you look like. That is the world we are hustling for. And it is one step closer when we move together with all the messy, imperfect, beautiful humanity we have got.
Upcoming State and National Events
Building a better world with DSA National
Interested in DSA? Want to hear about our movement? Or just curious about our plan to build a better world for all people? This call is for people who are not DSA members now, but are interested in the org!
Come learn about DSA, who we are, what we do, and why it’s gonna take all of us! There will be a Q&A section, so bring your questions with you too.
This is a virtual meeting hosted by the DSA Growth and Development Committee
Upcoming Community Events
- Sept 14 – General Meeting
- Sept 16 – International Working Group Meeting
- Sept 17 – Ecosocialist Working Group Meeting
- Sept 21 – Reading Group
- Sept 24 – Electoral Working Group Meeting
Not able to attend? You can still help strengthen our chapter by donating.
CIDSA Working Groups and Committees
Queer Liberation Working Group
What We Are Enjoying
This month we decided to switch things up. We asked Blake, past chapter president and longtime DSA member, if he had any good labor book recommendations. As always, he delivered. Big thanks to Blake for being an avid reader and sharing his bookshelf with us!
Here are Blake’s top picks (and yes, he has copies for the responsible borrower!):
- Red State Revolt by Eric Blanc
In 2018, teachers in red states such as West Virginia, Oklahoma, and Arizona led some of the most significant strikes in decades. Blanc shows how grassroots anger, community solidarity, and bold organizing reshaped the terrain for labor. - Solidarity and Survival by Shelton Stromquist
The story of Iowa’s own labor history, as Shelton Stromquist details how workers in small towns and cities banded together to build unions, create community, and fight for dignity. - Rank and File by Staughton & Alice Lynd
This classic of labor history collects firsthand accounts from rank-and-file workers who organized, fought, and often won against the odds, A book that reminds us that history is built from the ground up. - No Shortcuts by Jane McAlevey
A modern classic from the late Jane McAlevey, making the case that real worker power doesn’t come from shortcuts or small fixes. It comes from deep organizing, clear strategy, and collective struggle. - Secrets of a Successful Organizer by Labor Notes
A practical guide packed with tools, stories, and strategies for anyone who wants to take that first step toward organizing their workplace. A must-have for building confidence and capacity in new organizers.
DSA News
A Growing Organization
Big news from our comrades in New York City. In July, NYC-DSA welcomed their 10,000th member, making them the first chapter ever to reach that milestone. The member was personally recruited by Zohran Mamdani during a chapter event on July 12, part of the organizing energy around his campaign for mayor.
If You’re a Socialist, Root for the GBP
What if an NFL team didn’t have a billionaire owner at all? What if it was run by the people, for the people? The Green Bay Packers are the only team in the league with a public ownership model, and Jacobin just wrote about why that matters.
Chris Smalls Released
At the end of July, the Handala Freedom Flotilla set sail carrying food, medicine, and other supplies bound for Gaza. Before it could reach shore, Israeli forces intercepted the ship in international waters and detained all 21 people on board.
Among the detained was U.S. labor organizer Chris Smalls, who we wrote about last month in our newsletter. According to the Freedom Flotilla Coalition, Smalls was physically assaulted while in custody. He was choked and kicked, leaving visible injuries on his neck and back. Just before we sent last month’s newsletter, he was released.
This was a humanitarian mission, not a military one. The flotilla carried essentials for families already pushed to the edge by siege and famine. The fact that aid workers can be detained and assaulted for trying to deliver baby formula and medicine is just another horrible part of this dark campaign.
The crisis in Gaza continues to deepen. Tens of thousands of Palestinians are dead, many more are displaced, and famine is spreading. Civilian aid workers should not have to risk violence just to get food and medicine into a war zone.
We are urging you to learn what you can about what is happening, share these stories, and speak out against the ongoing genocide in Gaza. Silence allows the siege to continue.
Information sourced from EBONY’s reporting on Chris Smalls and the Handala Freedom Flotilla.
As we write this, a civilian flotilla called the Global Sumud Flotilla is in the harbors of Tunisia. It is the largest sea mission of its kind in years, with more than 50 boats and participants from over 40 countries coming together to break the blockade and deliver aid. They have been attacked by drones twice already.
This mission is about refusing to stand by while communities are starved. It is about people from around the world choosing to act, saying no more waiting, no more silence, and charting a course of hope instead.
Let us hold this moment close, not only as organizers or voters, but as people whose humanity does not stop at borders.