Inside the YDSA Convention: Day 3

July 22, 2024 by The Activist Editorial Board

This article sums up the third and final day of the 2024 YDSA national convention.

Deliberation Block 4 

Deliberation began with Resolution 16 – “Ecosocialism Beyond the Green New Deal.” R16 seeks to recognize the legislative gridlock that the Green New Deal has fallen into and politicize our ecosocialist vision beyond reform efforts. The amended version of the resolution, R16-1, which was more positive on building upon the legacy of the Green New Deal – passed with 93% votes in favor.

Next, Resolution 22 – “Class-struggle internationalism”debated our international stance towards left parties in power, socialist, labor, and other social movements. A topic disputed in at least the past three conventions. R22 advocates for being able to stand in solidarity with movements even if they may not be looked upon favorably by a left / nominally socialist government. Motivation against the resolution saw this stance as arrogant from our position in the imperial core and possibly chauvinist towards anti-imperialist governments considering our relative lack of organization strength against the enemy at home. The latter position would prevail as R22 would fail by one vote with 50.3% of the vote against.

Resolution 23 – “For an Independent Youth International Committee” and Resolution 10 – “Fighting for Victory in the Heart of Empire” presented two distinct visions for the structural makeup of YDSA’s international organizing. The Bread and Roses caucus who motivated in favor of R22 also did so for R23. Rather than create an autonomous committee, the comrade motivated in favor of R10, expanding the membership cap on the IC-YLC which could learn from previous mistakes. This vision of expanding the IC-YLC would pass with 71% votes for. R23 failed with 56% against.

DSA’s budget crisis was an extremely demobilizing moment, especially for YDSA. Not only were in-person meet ups freezed for the foreseeable future and stipends for national committee chairs cut, but on the chapter level, YDSA already struggles with funding. NCC at-large member Winnie Marion motivated for Resolution 24 – “Budget Autonomy for YDSA” as a way for YDSA to fund its dynamic organizing. R24 would not immediately prescribe but explore separate incorporation of YDSA with DSA. Multiple points of information were asked of Aron A-M as Treasurer, possibly pointing towards a lack of transparency or broad understanding on our budget. Those against R24 argued against separate incorporation as a method YDSA should explore over the financial feasibility and rift it could create between YDSA and DSA. A motion to extend the debate was voted down and R24 would fail with 64% votes against.

The next two resolutions would pass with little opposition. Resolution 19 – “For Protest Democracy” seeks to learn from our national participation in the Palestine solidarity movement and the Student Intifada. DSA was not the only organization involved in these struggles. While we unequivocally support the pro-Palestine movement, the purpose of this resolution is to further imbue this movement with mass democracy and independent socialist action. R19 passed with 85% votes in favor. Resolution 20 – “Building the Socialist Movement Through YDSA” proposes that if YDSA is to be the future of DSA and the U.S socialist movement, we need to be able to build connections amongst comrades and unify around a political vision debated in-person. Similar to R24, R20 seeks to respond to the budget crisis and the resulting freeze on in-person meet ups. Rather than a structural change to YDSA’s finances, R20 advocates for an in-person 2025 YDSA National Convention while maneuvering our budget cuts. R20 passed with 68% votes in favor.

Amendment 1 – “Priority Campaigns for YDSA National” was moved up to deliberation block 4 due to being ahead of schedule. The amendment seeks to address the tension between the limited acting capacity of YDSA and the fact that multiple national priorities are approved by our highest decision making body, the Convention. For instance, in this Convention alone we have passed national campaigns for student government, a national student strike among other tactics for Palestine, and the presidential election. Those against considered the amendment to be a structural solution to an organizing problem and or possibly glossing over the variety of campaigns our chapters take on. Those in favor assured that varied local campaigns would not be overridden by this method of national prioritization. A1 would pass with 62% votes in favor.  

Lastly, the results for our 2024-2025 National Co-Chairs were announced. Contending caucus candidates, Carlos Callejo III and Aron Ali-McClory were elected. 

“I am beyond proud and humbled to be elected to a second term as Co-Chair of YDSA and a historic 3rd term overall on the NCC,” wrote Ali-McClory on X in response to their reelection. 

“To all YDSAers, I promise I’ll do my best to make this organization and you, our members, proud. We got good work to do – let’s get it,” wrote Carlos Callejo on X after his victory was announced. 

YDSA wasn’t the only political organization to undergo a change of leadership. Facing pressure from Democratic leadership and dismal polling numbers, Joe Biden announced he would not seek re-election for the presidency, and endorsed Kamala Harris. 

In response, a floor motion was introduced by Trey Cook from University of Vermont YDSA. Titled “Rise Up Rashida,” the motion called for DSA-endorsed Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib to run for the Democratic nomination. 

“The events of today, with Joe Biden dropping out, have made an opening clearly for socialists to lead and present a very real alternative to the establishment,” said Cook. 

“The positions of other progressives, of Rashida Tlaib herself, and other organizing conditions will become more clear in even a day. What is the benefit of immediately passing this resolution over allowing the dust to settle and leaving room for our NCC to make a statement,” said Reece Kikuchi from Corvallis YDSA. 

The floor motion passed, with an amendment, 80 in favor, 50 against, and 8 abstaining. 

Next, the delegation discussed Resolution 18, which calls for the creation of a Program Committee, made up of 10 current or former YDSA members and appointed by the National Coordinating Committee. The committee will then be tasked with creating a “clear articulation of the organization’s immediate demands, the goal of a socialist society, and how these two are connected,”which will be presented at the 2025 convention. 

“I wrote this resolution because I believe that a good socialist program is a key part of socialist politics, and with the right approach it can transform our organization for the better,” said Judith Chavarria, a member of Florida International University YDSA and Reform and Revolution Caucus.

“I oppose this amendment just because I feel that it’s too proscriptive,” said Charlie Mueller from Kenyon College YDSA. 

After a floor amendment, R18 passed, with 75 in favor, 45 against, and 21 abstaining. 

The next votes came in rapid succession, and all passed. 

Resolution 9- which calls for the creation of a three tiered organizing model, with “NCC members organizing committee co-chairs, and committee co-chairs organizing committee members,” passed with 77 votes in favor, 61 against, and 7 abstaining. 

Resolution 12-sponsored by Bread and Roses member and New York University YDSA Winnie Marion- asked NCC members to engage in “regular 1:1 meetings with all active YDSA chapters,” in which they’ll discuss and advocate for strategies on campaign,political education and so on. R12 passed overwhelmingly, with 129 votes in favor, 7 against, and 6 abstaining. 

Finally, Resolution 11- sponsored by NCC at-large member Callynn Johnson-calls for the rechartering of the Youth Growth and Development Committee. Like R12, R11 passed overwhelmingly, with 137 votes in favor, 3 against, and 3 abstaining. 

Closing

In the closing ceremony, Carolyn Roderique of UOYDSA introduced Red Hot Summer to the delegation. A national program beginning in July training YDSA members for labor organizing both on campus and for the rest of their lives. Sign up here.

From the national tech committee, NPC Member Jen Bolen of Eugene-Springfield DSA and Colin of North New Jersey DSA celebrated the smooth technical work of the national event. They also announced that OpenSlides is now available for chapters and committees to use. You can request access for your chapter here.

Outgoing national co-chair Evan thanked the tech team, the presidium, the resolutions committee, the outgoing NCC, and DSA staff with a special thank you to Anna Bonomo who left YDSA this year after years as its national organizer.

Next, Evan announced the seven candidates elected to NCC at-large positions:

  • Callynn Johnson, University of Central Florida
  • Daniel Salup-Cid, Florida International University
  • David Lefevre, University of Oregon
  • Jeffrey Childs, Oakland University
  • Sean Bridge, University of Cincinnati
  • Steven Rainey, Furman University
  • Uma Clemenceau, University of California, Santa Barbara

Finally, the convention joined together in a collective virtual rendition of Solidarity Forever.