Get Involved
When you become a paid DSA member, you automatically get added to your local Chapter’s membership roll based on your zip code. When you join DSA, you get some cool perks: the quarterly magazine The Democratic Left, an official Socialist Organizer identification card, and the knowledge you’re helping build a socialist future.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I have to be a member to be involved in Boston DSA?
You have to be a member to vote at general meetings. However, non-members can attend meetings and events if they are interested in learning more. We encourage everyone who is interested in Boston DSA to become a member to help the chapter grow!
Who makes decisions in Boston DSA?
Our membership model is the backbone of internal democracy in DSA. As a membership organization, dues-paying DSA members drive the decision-making process in Boston DSA. Important issues are voted on at monthly general meetings. The elected executive board and two co-chairs lead the organization’s day-to-day organizing and operations. Working groups typically make decisions about the direction of their work.
What is the relationship between National DSA and Boston DSA?
Boston DSA is the local chapter of National DSA. We send delegates to the national convention (occurs every two years) and elect members of the National Political Committee. The National Political Committee makes recommendations for national priorities and serves as a resource for materials such as sample flyers, training materials, graphic design, etc.
In addition, National DSA has several working groups, focusing on feminism, veterans, fighting racism, labor, queer socialists, and the solidarity economy.
How are my dues put to use?
It depends! If you pay annual dues, 100% of your DSA dues go to National DSA, which uses dues to hire staff, provide trainings, and organize conventions and gatherings of DSA members. If you pay monthly dues, an average of 22% of your dues comes to the chapter and the other 78% goes to National DSA. To help cover the costs of our local activities, we also hold fundraisers and solicit donations on the local level.
What distinguishes DSA from other socialist or leftist groups in Boston?
Boston DSA is a big-tent organization, meaning that we embrace many strategies and tactics and encourage debate on important issues. We are not a political party. Instead, we are a membership organization that focuses on socialist organizing and political education. DSA’s members are building mass movements for social change while establishing an openly socialist presence in American communities and politics.
Does Boston DSA work with other socialist or leftist groups?
Boston DSA has worked with many socialist and leftist organizations in the Boston area to organize demonstrations, stand in solidarity with workers, and create political education events.