Full Steam Ahead
★ News from the Wheelhouse
The DSOV Steering Committee will be meeting on Monday Feb 13. If you have anything you’d like to add to our agenda, or if you’d like to attend the meeting as a non-voting member, please connect with us at democraticsocialistsyvr@gmail.com
Covid Safety Guidelines
We have recently finalized our Covid Safety Guidelines. The Covid 19 pandemic, and the accompanying policy choices of our leaders, have killed and disabled millions of working class people around the world. We stand against this destruction of human life. Our COVID 19 safety policy is based on the principle that no one is expendable in our communities, and we should do what we can to keep each other safe.
MayDay / MayWeek / MayWorks
We have the beginnings of a working group to discuss our participation in, and organizing of, events during the week of May 1 - 7. There’s a channel on our Slack which you’re invited to join if you’d like to be involved.
Membership Dues
Our membership funds the DSOV ensuring that DSOV members are in full democratic and political control of DSOV operations. Through these contributions we self-fund our own tools to fight oppression. Click here to contribute
★ Workers of Vancouver Listening Circle
The first Workers of Vancouver Listening Circle of 2023 took place this Sunday at the Mt Pleasant Community Center. We heard of struggles in hair salons, on conservation sites, in animation studios and more.
Every workplace has its own unique issues, but we were struck by how many issues all workplaces have in common - being expected to work long and/or unpaid hours, alienation & isolation, bosses saying "we're like a family" when workers push back, and how hard it can be to stand up to your boss. We asked workers to imagine a better workplace for themselves, how that could be achieved, and what it would take to make it happen.
The next Workers's Listening Circle will be in April at Sunset Beach - more details TBD!
★ The Reading Group X2
The Reading Group will be meeting twice this week for Roundtable Discussion.
Thursday at 5:15 pm
Trees Lounge Organic Coffee at Granville and Fir.
Sunday at 7:00 pm
Legion on Commercial Drive.
There is no specific text this week rather we are having a Roundtable discussion where folks are welcome to bring anything they’d like to share with the group.
For future reading, anyone who has attended at least one reading group can sign up to moderate and suggest a reading topic. If there is a book or long-form piece the group would like to read, then we can begin discussing it by chapter/section every other week, alternating with shorter pieces.
For more information, check out the Reading & Discussion Group Page on our Website or check in on the Reading Group Channel (#reading-and-discussion) in SLACK →
★ Monthly Fridge Stock
Community Fridges are decentralized food distribution networks and mutual aid initiatives created to provide healthy, free food and essential supplies to our communities across the lower mainland.
Their mission is to combat food insecurity by encouraging communities to take part in laterally-directed mutual aid, starting with providing free, safe, non-policed, accessible and nutritious foods through community fridges and pantries.
The Democratic Socialists of Vancouver (DSoV) run a monthly stock of a selection of fridges & pantries in Vancouver. We meet at noon outside 1890 Spyglass Place, on 1st Avenue under the Cambie Bridge, near Olympic Village Skytrain station.
To help us purchase food & supplies for the fridge stock, donate to the Democratic Socialists of Vancouver PayPal here.
If you have any questions about the Fridge Stock/Mutual Aid Group, please check out our page on the DSoV website
★ What is a Listening Circle?
DSOV Listening Circles are events in which neighbours and comrades can come together to listen and learn from each other. Typically there’s a specific topic and often there will be invited speakers who are knowledgeable on the topic.
You can listen to some of our earlier Listening Circles on our Sound Cloud here.
If you have an idea for a Listening Circle let’s get together and make it happen! Listening Circles can be in-person or online through the DSOV Zoom. The DSOV has many resources to help get one set up. Currently we are entertaining ideas for Listening Circles during our MayWorks week.
★ Outside the silo
A section of our newsletter where we share information about campaigns and events outside of the DSOV.
Join the Decolonial Solidarity action in New Westminster on Tuesday February 7th from 3-5pm at the RBC on the corner of 6th Ave and 7th Street! Take a stand against the CGL pipeline and in solidarity with Wet'suwet'en land defenders!
IATSE Animation / Gaming PRIDE MIXER - All LGBTQ2SiA+ Workers are welcome. Come out and meet your community. At the Beaumont Studios "The Gallery" 316 W 5th Ave Vancouver Thursday, Feb 9. 6:30 - 10:30 p Masks Mandatory. A sober Event. Food Provided.
Women’s March - Tuesday February 14, 2023 from 10 am until 5 pm. - Family & community gather at 10 am at Main & Hastings. Family members speak in remembrance. March for public starts at 12 pm from Carnegie (Main and Hastings) until 4 pm. All are welcome as the march takes to the streets and proceeds through the Downtown Eastside. We make many stops to commemorate where women were last seen or found. Speeches by community members are made at around 2 pm, followed by a healing circle at Oppenheimer Park around 3:30 pm. Community feast for all at Japanese Language Hall (487 Alexander Street) from 4-5 pm. Website here