About Boise DSA
WELCOME
Welcome to the Boise DSA! Our organization seeks to facilitate the transition to a truly democratic and socialist society, one in which the means/resources of production are democratically and socially controlled.
We seek to transform our community through five essential pillars: working-class organizing in labor and housing, coalition building, direct action/mutual aid, education, and electoral strategy. In the present, we are building a democratic organization and socialist presence in our community, finding common interests with other organizations, as well as working to oppose both parties of the capitalist class and organize working people for independent political and economic power. We understand that a ruling class with economic domination over working people is incompatible with democracy, and work towards a vision of our community and world without the exploitation and violence of the status quo.
WHO WE ARE
We are the Boise, Idaho chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America. We organize for the rights of the disenfranchised majority in our community, both at home and abroad. We are building a democratic organization and socialist presence in our community, finding common interests with other organizations, independent of capitalist interests and their political parties. Our strategy acknowledges that an upper class with overwhelming economic power in our society is incompatible with democracy.
Our conception of socialism is a profoundly democratic one. It is rooted in the belief that human beings should be free to develop to their fullest potential, that public policies should be determined not by wealth but by popular participation, and that individual liberties should be carefully safeguarded.
Current Committees and Working Groups (WG)
Labor Organizing Committee - Helping organize Boise workers, promoting a rank-and-file-led union movement.
Mutual Aid Committee - Meal preparation with fellow comrades for distribution within the community in coordination with other established local mutual aid groups.
Tenant Organizing Committee - TOC is best understood through its relationship to Treasure Valley Tenants United, Boise’s first city-wide tenants union. More information about TVTU can be found at its website. TOC is committed to building tenant power by organizing tenants’ associations. Tenants’ associations are formal organizations in individual buildings which, like labor unions, act as a democratic, representative body of tenants agreeing to collectively organize in opposition to their landlord. Tenants’ associations differ from tenant unions in that they represent the interests and needs of single buildings, while a tenant union such as TVTU organizes and coordinates associations to achieve collective aims, such as city-wide pro-tenant reforms.
Publishing Committee - Creates graphics, posts, and flyers to spread our message.
Electoral WG - Working to support socialists candidates for public office in idaho. Currently supporting the independent gubernatorial campaign of Maxine Durand.
Our Structure
The Boise DSA is composed of Members, Committees, Working Groups, 2 Co-Chairs, a Communications Facilitator, Membership Coordinator, Treasurer and 2 Harassment and Grievance Officers (HGOs).
The Coordinating Committee is made up of the 2 Co-Chairs, Communications Facilitator, Membership Coordinator and Treasurer, who are elected yearly at convention. Coordinating Committee meetings are twice per month, open to all members, but only the 5 elected officers of the committee can vote at these meetings. The Coordinating Committee meets to coordinate chapter events and other projects necessitated by the will of the chapter.
In addition to the officers serving on the Coordinating Committee, the Boise DSA has 2 Harassment and Grievance Officers (HGOs) elected for a one year term and tasked with investigating and resolving grievances against Boise DSA members.
Committees are long-standing, permanent groups whereas Working groups are created around a project and end when the project does. Both types of groups elect a chair responsible for reaching out, following up and and reporting to the Coordinating Committee. Both types of group are created by vote at the General Meeting.