Boise DSA New member Orientation

Table of Contents

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.

We hope that you will join our movement. To get you started, we created this Members’ Handbook to guide you through how to get involved and help us work towards a better future.

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.

The chapter currently consists of 4 committees and 1 working group:

Tenant Organizing Committees- Best understood through its relationship to Boise Tenants United, Boise’s first city-wide tenants union. More information about BTU can be found at its website. This group 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 BTU organizes and coordinates associations to achieve collective aims, such as city-wide pro-tenant reforms.

Mutual Aid Committee- Offers community care by working with other mutual aid organizations around Boise to meet people’s needs where capitalism fails them. Ongoing work includes meal preparation with fellow comrades for distribution within the community in coordination with other established mutual aid groups.

Publications Committee- Creates promotional materials including social media posts, flyers to spread our message.

Labor Organizing Committee- Helping to organize Boise workers, promoting a rank-and-file-led union movement. (This working group is currently inactive)

Electoral Working Group- Aiding a socialist candidates in her race for elected office. This working group’s project is assisting Maxine Durand’s Independent campaign for governor of Idaho in the 2026 election.

How To Get Involved

You can help us create a better future by coming to meetings, joining a committee or working group, and you can join us at events, or hop onto our Discord!

General Meetings occur once a month. They are open to the public. We recap our last month’s work, discuss chapter business, goals, ideas and vote on chapter resolutions. Coordinating Committee will set an agenda ahead of the meeting with input from membership (via email, Discord, or other meetings). 

Coordinating Committee meetings occur once every 2 weeks to set the agenda of general meetings, prepare resolutions to be presented at the general meetings, and attend to other details of managing the chapter.

To join a Committee/Working Group, fill out this Google Form or email us at mail@boisedsa.org to be put in touch with a Committee/Working Group Chair. 

Weekly discussion groups are held to discuss and educate each other on a particular topic of interest to our members. These discussion groups culminate in an educational that is held at a General Meeting. After each educational, a new topic is chosen.

To be in the know on all of our chapter’s events and to join online discussion with our members, join our Discord server. Contact mail@boisedsa.org to get an invite link. NOTE: you must be an active member to gain full access to the server - our organization exists to make change in the real world!

Chapter Rules

While it is understood that there will be differences of opinion, Boise DSA members are expected to treat each other with respect and kindness. Harassment, abuse, or discrimination by any member of the Boise DSA is not tolerated. 

If, as a member of the chapter, you feel aggrieved by a Boise DSA member, please reach out to one of our Harassment and Grievance Officers (HGOs).

In meetings and any other Boise DSA activity, members are expected to adhere to the Boise DSA’s group agreements. Those group agreements are listed here:

  • Make space, take space

    • More talkative people give more space for less talkative people/invite others to speak

  • Intention does not equal impact

    • Think about how your words may be interpreted by others. Your intended meaning is not necessarily how others will interpret what you say. Someone else being hurt or critiquing you does not necessarily mean they believe you have ill-intent. Growth requires conflict and communication!

  • One mic, one voice

    • Don’t talk over others

  • Privilege and intersectionality

    • Be mindful of your cognitive biases/unconscious prejudice and the privileges you may have over other members in the group

  • No intentional oppression

    • Don’t be mean, come together with fellow members in good faith

  • No one knows everything, together we know a lot

  • Become comfortable with disagreement

    • Creating a socialist society is a profound, revolutionary aim. We are taking on a massive project by working together in Boise DSA. We can’t undertake a work this important without pushing our comfort zones and working through conflict and disagreement over serious matters together

  • Practice self-critique to allow for internal growth

    • We don’t do anything perfectly. All actions should be evaluated. How could we have done something better, even if it went well?

In addition to the above group agreements, all Boise DSA members are expected to generally adhere to the national Code of Conduct. Results of violating the Code of Conduct range from a warning or conversation with a member of the Coordinating Committee or an HGO, to expulsion.

Decision Making

Boise DSA strives for a truly democratic society where every person is respected and their voice is heard. Our decision making process reflects that.

The primary decision making body of the Boise DSA is the membership at General Meetings. General Meetings are governed by Roberts’ Rules of Order. These rules ensure that all participants in meetings are on an equal footing, and everyone can make their voice heard. In addition to participating in meetings, any Boise DSA member in good standing has the ability to propose agenda items or prepare and present resolutions ahead of General Meetings.

While any Boise DSA member may propose an item for the general meeting agenda, the Coordinating Committee is responsible for creating and effectuating the final agenda for General Meetings. If you as a member feel that you are being discriminated against or unheard in this process, please reach out to one of the HGOs.

When a member creates a resolution, they must get the endorsement of 5 other Boise DSA members for that resolution to be presented at the General Meeting. Alternatively, a resolution may be presented to the Coordinating Committee, in which case a majority vote of the Coordinating Committee will be sufficient to have the resolution presented at the next General Meeting. Resolutions are passed by a majority vote of members in good standing in attendance at the General Meeting in which the resolution is presented. 

In accordance with Roberts’ Rules, any Boise DSA member in good standing may propose a motion at a general meeting. If that motion is seconded by any other Boise DSA member in good standing, that motion goes up for discussion, after which it can be passed by a majority vote of all members in good standing present.

Resources & Links