2019 Declared Chapter Election Candidates

September 30, 2019

Co-chair (2 positions)

Britta Young

Britta Young has been involved in socialist projects in Santa Barbara since she was in high school, including helping to start local leftist pop-up cafe Bonfire Collective; assisting with media and outreach in a successful grassroots campaign against Sheriff Bill Brown’s mail ban in Santa Barbara county jails; and as one of the lead organizers for Santa Barbara Prison Solidarity Network. She became involved with SBDSA earlier this year and joined the delegation representing our chapter at the DSA Convention in July. She currently holds the position of interim Vice Chair.

Britta has worked in the service industry and education for years and hopes to see powerful movements of working people begin to win tangible socialist gains for all the people of this city, and would like SBDSA to take the initiative in imagining and leading these campaigns. As co-chair, she would prioritize growing the chapter through working with the Bernie 2020 campaign and setting up an education working group to help new members build a collective class consciousness and engage with socialist ideas.

Per Kristian

I am so excited by the chapter this community has grown in the past year and a half. Santa Barbara DSA has gone from an idea to over 150 local dues-paying members and an even larger community of supporters and activists who are progressives, lefties, Democrats, Greens, socialists, social democrats, democratic socialists, anarchists, millennials, boomers and more. We joined in heroic statewide coalitions for Prop 10 and local renter protections, and sat at the table with Salud Carbajal, who this year signed on to Medicare for All. It’s been an enormous pleasure to meet and work with so many of you, and I look forward to meeting many more, and working together on the challenges ahead.

We face unprecedented, global, systemic crises — and at the same time there is an awakening happening in American politics. Like many of you, I believe that DSA is an important part of building the kinds of movements and social goods that are at the heart of our theory of change. I served as co-chair for the past year and would be honored to do so again. As chair, I hope to grow and multiply our capacity, build new coalitions with local groups, improve our communications and successfully implement a slew of technology that DSA National are equipping us with. I also look forward to working more closely with each Steering Committee member, as well as exploring how we can have half the meetings but get twice as much done!

Vice-Chair

John Douglas

I believe in DSA’s mission and share the values guiding DSA’s policies and priorities. I helped to form the Santa Barbara chapter with some of the folks with whom I worked on Bernie Sanders’ primary campaign in 2015–16 and others. I have attended many though not all chapter meetings since formation, and have done a fair amount of DSA–sponsored canvassing for Medicare for All and on other issues. I have been canvassing sporadically for Bernie Sanders this summer, and plan to continue. I would like to continue to build the chapter in order to help achieve our goals.

Secretary

Barbara S

I have been an active member of the SB DSA Chapter since it was established. I am passionate about the work that our chapter is doing and I would like to contribute more to the chapter as the Secretary. Thank you!

Treasurer

Sara S

Raised in a radical socialist family, I have been organizing since I was 16, including running a successful wage increase campaign for contract workers at my college, and aiding in shelter construction at the Oceti Sakowin camp at Standing Rock. I was also on the organizing committee, then steering committee of the newly formed DSA North Bay Area, which gave me a ton of experience in organizing new chapters. I own and operate a business that installs greywater and rainwater catchment systems, which I aspire to turn into a worker coop. I have recently become interested in the structural side of organizing, and have enjoyed learning about the technical and financial side of running a successful group as the Treasurer for DSA SB for the last year. As your treasurer, I will continue to get our chapter on track to becoming an official 501-c4, which will allow us to receive our cut of monthly dues from National, as well as develop much larger fund raising goals.

Outreach Coordinator

Zac S

The past couple years working to build DSA have given me so much joy and purpose and I hope to continue that work as Outreach Coordinator. I’d like to focus on building coalitions throughout the community with groups we find ourselves aligned politically with – from the Bernie 2020 campaign, to labor unions, to environmental groups like 350 and Sunrise, to nonprofits organizing the Latinx working class in CAUSE, and others. As outreach coordinator, I’d focus on growing organic member-to-member connections between DSA and the politically active working class in Santa Barbara by pushing for common goals. I learned a lot from our coalition work with Medicare for All and Just Cause, and would like to continue and strengthen that work to new horizons so that we’re able to unify and fight as a class in itself and for itself rather than as individuals or within separate groups. I’d try to do this by mapping our community connections, looking to DSA members to embed themselves within various organizations, and identifying unifying campaigns that will strengthen existing bonds. I hope to have your support with this as we look towards our revolution. Onward!

Will Vanguard

My name is Will Vanguard and I would love to participate more in DSA. My political radicalization occurred around 10 years ago when I was on a combat deployment to Iraq, losing friends and realizing it was all for profit. I was inspired by Obama and voted for him because he campaigned as anti-war, but then I returned to Iraq twice more while he was my Commander In Chief. Since 2012, I have voted third party and no longer believe in the status quo options. I left the Army in 2012 with an Honorable Discharge after 7 years of Active Duty service at the rank of Captain, so I have a lot of leadership and management experience from that (mis) adventure. Since then, I spent 3 years owning/operating a food truck / catering business in Denver. We were ‘Food Truck of The Year’ in 2013, but I did not enjoy the lifestyle enough to continue so I moved to Cali in 2015 and lived in my van for a few years before settling in Santa Barbara, where I attended Santa Barbara Body Therapy Institute and completed the 1k hour Holistic Health Practitioner Program. Now I make my living as a certified Massage Therapist and Practitioner of Chinese Energetic Medicine. I am also a musician and am spending a lot of my free time playing music, getting booked here and there, and volunteering for Bernie 2020. (I am running for Outreach Coordinator but am happy to consider other positions if there is need)

Communications Secretary

Damon Garcia

I’m Damon Garcia, a new but passionate member of the DSA. In my personal life I make online content on several social media platforms to help connect spiritual-minded people with Socialist ideas and Socialists with spiritual ideas. In the past I’ve worked in church youth and young adult ministries, which involved community outreach, event planning, volunteer coordination, newsletter writing, running social media platforms, and creating content for those platforms. As I’m becoming more involved with my local DSA chapter I realize that my background has provided me some unique skills that I would like to use to serve the DSA in any way I can. The office position that stood out to me as something that I could take on with confidence and passionate creativity is the Communications Secretary. I would like to help further DSA SB through overseeing our member newsletter, website, social media, and other outward facing media. Thank you for the opportunity.

At Large (2 positions)

Jean Z

I’m running because I believe in DSA platform and I want to be part of advancing it. I want to be part of the steering committee and work together on projects we pick to help our community.

Harassment Grievance Officer (HGO) (2-4)

Isabel Lipartito

Hi- I’m Isabel Lipartito and I am a proud DSA member. I joined back in 2018 and although I wasn’t able to participate in regular activities this summer, I’m looking forward to getting involved again this fall. I am interested in running for the Harassment Grievance Officer position. In order to make the DSA an inclusive and accessible space for all our members, we need some means by which we deal with interpersonal conflicts and grievances. Addressing interpersonal issues that come up in a fair and unbiased way will provide justice to all our members and ensure that we as a unit can thrive. The DSA is not just a political group, we are also a mechanism for social change. In order to effect change in the greater world, however, we need to first make sure we ourselves are practicing our own principles of inclusion and diversity. I want to help our own chapter of the DSA reflect these principles. I have had prior experience in this field. I am the president of the UCSB Women in Physics group. Women make up less than 15 percent of the physics department. Through our Women in Physics group, I am working to improve the UCSB physics department climate for women and other underrepresented groups, both in the undergraduate and graduate section of our department. For undergraduates, I am helping to coordinate a series of higher education advancement activities, beginning with a graduate school information panel aimed towards women and minority students in the physical sciences. For graduates, I have been meeting with professors and campus climate representatives to discuss how to implement workshops and training to promote a respectful climate for women and other minorities. Through these events, I intend to make our department aware of the issues women and other underrepresented grounds in physics face and how the department can address these needs and support these groups.

Per Kristian

It’s me again! Since HGO’s aren’t a Steering Committee position, I’m also running because I believe very strongly in the need for a clear, accountable process for ensuring that SB DSA remains an open, welcome space to organize that is safe and equitable. We are also a growing organization already with substantial active membership, and having a few HGO’s who can serve will be a great help.

Chapter members invited to help develop our platform

October 11, 2018

An aspirational, living document we can grow and amend over time.

Click here to comment or make suggestions. You can also send us an email: dsasantabarbara@gmail.com

Candidate Statements for Sept 12 Convention

August 28, 2018

On September 12 we will have our first annual DSA Santa Barbara chapter convention! At the convention, one of the things we will be doing is casting votes on chapter officer positions. These positions are listed below, along with descriptions and statements from those running for office.

CO-CHAIRS

(2 Positions) The co-chairs are the official public spokespersons for the chapter. They organize and preside over all official meetings of the organization and the chapter, maintain consistent communication with all committee leaders and facilitate collaboration and coordination between them, and act as, or appoint, the official representatives of the chapter to the national organization and to other DSA chapters.

Who’s Running?

Dhriti — “As a founding member of the Santa Barbara DSA, I’ve been lucky to see this group grow from a few people sitting around in a living room to an organization with many members and working groups. While our growth has been exciting, I feel that I have many skills to offer as a co-chair that would improve our organization’s efficiency and communication. I’m a member of the Health Care Working Group and my role has been to set agendas for and run our meetings as well as facilitate communication between members and other organizations. Ensuring that our group has a clear agenda to work through every meeting has enabled us to gain a sense of purpose. Not only did this lead to a successful canvassing event, but, more importantly, this has led to group members finding their strengths as activists and taking ownership of the group. I hope to lend these skills to Santa Barbara DSA as a whole.   That being said, efficiency is not my only priority; having been involved in activism and community moderation since my college days in Chicago, I am used to working with diverse groups of people and mediating conflicts. I truly believe that activism isn’t just about making sure that everyone is in the room, but it’s about making sure that everyone in the room feels safe, is heard, and is appreciated for their strengths. I look forward to making our growing organization more democratic and making sure that we are able to take input from all of our members. In my opinion, leadership is about delegation, fostering people’s talents, and making sure that every member feels that they have a stake. If you are also committed to our chapter’s growth and increased member involvement, please vote for me as co-chair of the Santa Barbara DSA.”

Per — “I was pleased to be invited to the table in 2017 when we first committed to building a DSA chapter in Santa Barbara. Since then, I’ve been at nearly every core organizing meeting with the rest of our excellent volunteer leadership, offering my experience and leadership to stewarding this community. I’ve only been in town since 2014, but in that time I’ve gotten very engaged in the city and its various activist communities. I have run a socialist reading group for over three years and met people from dozens of local organizing and politically active groups. I was also a core organizer for the local Bernie Sanders campaign for a year a half, where I learned a lot about the political landscape of the central coast and CA, and continued meeting new people, building networks into a broad range of progressive and left groups locally. I believe these relationships and networks are indispensable in growing our chapter and building solidarity to mutually elevate our work. I’m a non-sectarian radical leftist comfortable speaking to and building bridges with a broad spectrum of political leanings. My disposition is generally calm and patient. As a leader, I want all people to be heard but make sure we adhere to strong community standards, and be mindful that every human space, even leftist organizing spaces, has to be prepared to contend with sexism, racism, harassment, or inconsiderate behavior towards marginalized groups. I want us to do as much as we can to prevent this, and have a clear, safe grievance process if and when issues come up. As an independent filmmaker and artist, I believe strongly in telling important stories and communicating the positive, political vision that socialists are bringing to bear. I believe that Dhriti and I together will be a good team with complementary strengths and experience and look forward to seeing you at meetings in the streets!

VICE CHAIR

(1 position) The vice chair is responsible for assisting the co-chairs with all of their duties. If both co-chairs are unable to perform their duties, the vice chair shall perform all duties and assume all responsibilities of the co-chairs until such a time as one or both co-chairs are able to resume their posts.

Who’s Running?

Zach B — “I’m a legal intern, starting law school next year in the hopes of a career in public defense. I am constantly angered by the way American empire grinds up vulnerable people, all in a drive for increased profits for the wealthy. My pet issues are housing as a human right, police and prison abolition, and ending the ethnic cleansing of Palestine. I’m running for Vice Chair because I want to help make all the different components of SB DSA run smoothly. I want to do what I can to start dismantling capitalism, starting locally and hopefully rippling outward.”

SECRETARY

(1 position) The secretary is responsible for taking the minutes of all general membership and Steering Committee meetings and reporting the minutes, resolutions, reports, and other official records of the chapter. The recording secretary may appoint, but must oversee, a temporary proxy minutes-taker for any meeting.

Who’s Running?

Nobody yet!

TREASURER

(1 position) The treasurer is responsible for administrating the funds, budget, and financial organization of the chapter, including overseeing its fundraising activities. The treasurer reports to the Steering Committee on the financial status of the organization at each Steering Committee meeting and maintains transparent and open financial reports.

Who’s Running?

Nobody yet!

AT LARGE REPRESENTATIVES

(2 positions)At-large Steering Committee members participate in Steering Committee decision-making and are responsible for attending all relevant meetings and reading all relevant documents. At-large Steering Committee members are also tasked with representing the views of the membership that elected them as well as helping to advance the goals of the chapter generally.

Who’s Running?

Darrick — “I am a 29 year old father of one who is looking to make a contribution to the common good. I am a optimistic pragmatist who wants to see all US residents take a more involved role in the decisions that govern their lives – and I am hopeful that DSA will be a vehicle for the growing involvement of everyone, especially the young and working class. I stand by the values of this organization and principles of this Chapter. “At Large Representative” fits most closely with my skill sets and experience. My Master’s degree focused on institutional sustainability; essentially how to get organizations goal oriented in a manner that looks at future challenges/opportunities. In the past I have interned at the State Dept. and worked at the UN office for Least developed countries, as well as a number of jobs working in countries like Morocco, Ghana, and Belize. My background will help me to make DSA a ‘change-agent’ and an organization with short term/long term achievable goals.”

Nastacia — “My name is Nastacia, and I’m running for At Large Representative because I believe that it’s important to have members of the Steering Committee who have a broad understanding of the goings-on of the general chapter and can synthesize that information in order to represent the membership “at large”. As At Large Representative I would work closely with other Steering Committee members to identify any needs or opportunities within the general membership and find creative ways for members to get involved and make their voices heard, as is necessary in any socialist group. Having participated regularly in general meetings, organizing committee meetings, working group meetings, and coalition meetings, I believe that as an At Large Representative I would be able to adequately represent members of the chapter widely across our organizing efforts.”

COMMUNICATIONS SECRETARY

(1 position)The communications secretary is responsible for the member newsletter and website, as well as overseeing social media and any other outward facing communication or media. The Communications Secretary will delegate to volunteers as needed, and work closely with committees to help ensure consistent, timely communication internally, and make recommendations to the chapter as needed in terms of technology and security to adopt

Who’s Running?

Zac S — “Hi I’m Zac and I’ve been involved in Santa Barbara DSA from its early stages. I set up our social media accounts and purchased our domain name, and it would be a joy to steward the good work that Per has done in maintaining the website and sending out newsletters. I’d also love to delegate some of our content creation out to our members so we can continue to grow our communications and reach more people. If you vote for me I promise to convert all private land in Santa Barbara to public land within three weeks. Thank you.”

OUTREACH COORDINATOR

(1 position)The Outreach Coordinator works with any and all chapter members engaged in outreach and coalition-building efforts, responsible for keeping track of liaisons and ambassadors to other groups within our communities.

Who’s Running?

Loren — “The Outreach Coordinator needs to be someone who has shown up for many other groups efforts. They need to be able to communicate with radicals, progressives, and even centrist Dems when our goals align. These are all things I have done and am capable of doing. I am a Steward in my union. I am in communication with El Centro, the SB Standing Rock Coalition, Bonfire Collective, and Healthy CA. I’m smart enough, I’m good enough, and gosh darn it, people like me! Vote this guy for Outreach Coordinator!”

Rent control is on the ballot in November

April 24, 2018

Supporters of squashing Costa-Hawkins Act say they have enough signatures to make the vote

“The People of the State of California hereby declare the following intent in enacting this Act:

a) To restore authority to California’s cities and counties to develop and implement local policies that ensure renters are able to find and afford decent housing in their jurisdictions. b) To improve the quality of life for millions of California renters and reduce the number of Californians who face critical housing challenges and homelessness. c) To repeal the Costa-Hawkins Rental Housing Act.”

(READ MORE)