After 10+ years of involvement, I've decided to leave DSA.

Class reductionism, or more plainly - white supremacy, is infecting DSA. There's hostility towards those who fight for marginalized identities, but protection and reverence to those who speak of class alone.

The latest and most damning case we're seeing comes out of @DSA_NorthTexas in which a Black woman was removed from her chapter for making proposals that would have uplifted BIPOC members. One proposal was modeled after something I co-authored here in LA.

Solidarity statement https://twitter.com/afrosocdsa/status/1357050228780720134

This is on top of a broken grievance system and toxic culture that's seen countless cases of sexual harassment, abuse, and discrimination.

My silence in the past was complicity.

At times I staunchly defended DSA even showing hostility to those who spoke up.

I am sorry.

People are not disposable, and our responsibility is to people, not organizations.

Over the past few years I've been trying to atone for past mistakes, and wish I had stuck to my morals from the start.

For me this isn't just a morality question.

Strategically we see DSA growing into a mass base-building organization with the goal of winning governing power. That's good. Except if the base fails to center or be oriented towards Black & Brown communities...that's trouble.

"Ok fine, so why don't you stop complaining and change it?"

Authored multiple resolutions, organized Afrosocialists in LA, helped established South Central & Inglewood Branch, built coalitions, on the @AFROSOCDSA Exec Committee, formerly chaired @DSA_Immigration.

When I chaired @DSA_LosAngeles Immigration Justice Committee, I would struggle with other members over the need to center Black voices or bridge our fight to the larger movement to abolish PIC.

It was explained to me that LA is only 9% Black, so not a priority constituency.

At the start of 2020's Black Lives Matter uprisings, non-Black leadership openly critiqued actions and mused, "how can we take the lead in this moment?"

My partner and I were furious - how are you going to colonize @BLMLA's work?

We were accused of "weaponizing our race."

We organized the Afrosocialists in LA, a space for Black/ African members within DSA-LA. I won't go into the details here, but in our establishing a South Central & Inglewood branch + passage of the Black Liberation resolution we got labeled bad faith actors and wreckers.

The most hurtful, was the implication that I was trying to erase Latinx identity by focusing on Black communities. As an afro-latino, I can't begin to explain the problematic nature of this. But again, that's probably just me weaponizing my race.

If you cannot be in coalition with Black people within your own organization, you have no hope of being in coalition with Black organizations outside. Those relationships are built on a foundation of mutual respect.

A DSA that merely captures the rhetoric of anti-racist socialism in a white space, but fails to commit to Black Liberation is not just doomed to fail, it is an existential liability to Black lives.

Look, I hold no hate in my heart for anyone in DSA. Disappointment and distrust of some? Yes.

It's a small movement, and I look forward to working with actively anti-racist comrades in coalition.

Peace, love, and solidarity.

P.S. Just to make it clear, my political home continues to be @AFROSOCDSA.

Per our bylaws, only 5/9 Executive Committee positions must be held by dues-paying members of DSA...so I will continue to serve on the EC.

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