Agenda

6:45pm – Doors Open

7:00pm – Call to Order

Welcome

• Sign in
• Review Community Agreements
• Land Acknowledgement
• Approval of agenda
• Approval of last meeting’s minutes

Guest Speaker

• Mercedes Krause, speaking on the upcoming Supreme Court decision on the Indian Child Welfare Act (Haaland v. Brackeen)

Treasurer’s Report

Cultivating Desert Power Campaign Update

• Call to action: Upcoming NDOT meeting

Abolition and Community Safety Campaign Update

• Upcoming Know-Your-Rights training

Socialist Feminist Section Update

November’s Holiday Solidarity

• Set for November 19th & 20th at Masjid As–Sabur
• Call to action: volunteer for phone banking, deliveries, packing, and more

Discussion: December’s Holiday Solidarity

• Open discussion on ideas to make the event impactful and welcoming to our members, partners, and neighbors

Discussion: Can DSA Go the Distance? By Sam Adler-Bell

Open Comment Period

8:30pm – Adjourn

Meeting Minutes

Chair: Anthony L.

Secretary: Sarah L.

1. Call to order 7:07 PM. In-person attendance 11, zoom attendance 25
2. Community agreements – Anthony L.
3. discussion of Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA) legal decision – Mercedes K.
   1. Native American Rights Fund (NARF)
   2. Lack of having ICWA has impacted me and my family directly.
   3. Cases go back to 1800s that established tribal sovereignty, that are part of why we have ICWA,
   4. We have been hearing recently about boarding schools, kidnappings, etc. perpetrated against Native Americans
      1. Culture and language loss, and abuse of children
   5. When boarding schools closed Native children were fostered and adopted out into non-Native homes
      1. By 1978 est. ⅓ of Native children were fostered or adopted out of their communities
   6. Natives were lied to, given bus tickets to other cities with promises of work and housing
   7. Mercedes’ mother was given up for adoption. Instead of going with a family member, her mother spent her first two years at an orphanage, which is an important stage of child development. It affected her through to her adult life, including depression and early-onset dementia. She passed away 5 years ago at 73.
      1. Again, ⅓ of Native children have this type of experience
   8. This case coming into the courts is terrifying and reminds us we are in a dangerous situation with this Supreme Court.
   9. Mercedes is a dual citizen of a Sovereign Nation
   10. What is ICWA?
       1. Unless there is a specific order, a member of the family, a foster home specified by the tribe, or a Native foster home, are the first choice for children to be fostered and adopted
       2. If there are non-Native relatives and no Native relatives, they would take precedence because they are relatives.
       3. It’s not about race. It’s about stopping stealing Native children from their families and communities.
       4. We are still waiting on bodies from boarding schools to be returned to families
       5. Lawyers trying this case are working for free, and they have tried to win cases against tribes in other cases that involve industry. It has nothing to do with children, it has to do with stripping away tribal sovereignty, starting with our kids.
          1. Consultation vs Consent – also an attack on tribal sovereignty
       6. It was spelled out that our families were too close, they knew they had to dissolve our families to achieve their goal of stealing land and forcing assimilation. It is heartbreaking.
   11. Education Parent Committee- it’s infuriating we are having discussions with school district having to prove to them their obligations with respect to tribes. Treaties are not being followed. There is a lack of respect.
       1. There are no maps in schools depicting tribal nations – it is an erasure
       2. My goal is to make sure we are not erased.
   12. There are no words to describe what removal of culture has done to my family. My mother did not participate in any cultural ceremonies until her 50s. It has affected my children even though they were not separated.
   13. Allies can help keep our elected officials accountable and aware of their duties with respect to Native tribes
   14. Mercedes will share more information for Steering Committee to distribute. Please read report from Bureau of Indian Affairs
   15. Aimee H.: thank you for being here. US treatment of first peoples is deplorable.
4. Land Acknowledgement – Skyler
5. No quorum – no Approval of agenda
6. No quorum – no Approval of previous meeting’s minutes
7. Treaurer’s Report – Aimee
   1. Quiet month, we’re about to get busy with Holidarity
   2. 10,319.48 in bank accounts
      1. $1191.46 in Abolition and Community Safety priority
      2. $1700.62 in Desert Power priority
      3. $600.21 in Socialist Feminist section
      4. $1001.05 in Reserve
      5. $5826.14 in General Fund
      6. Received $1356.00 from National for dues
      7. Biggest expense Sunday Solidarity $153.08
      8. Received $550 donations to Venmo which we are no longer using but it’s great
      9. See written report for additional details
   3. Please ask questions if you have them! Members have the right to see all financials (bank account numbers redacted)
8. Desert Power Priority Update – Skyler S.
   1. Stewards meeting with NDOT tomorrow 10:00 AM
      1. Quick meeting, preview of presentation on landscaping and planting, so we are able to give them good information and do our best to reduce pollution
   2. Public NDOT meeting Nov 14 at 9:30 AM
   3. Next meeting TBD, probably on a Thursday
   4. All info will be posted in Slack
   5. We need a new steward. No experience necessary, we will help you! Help us make the world not be on fire as bad. Must be DSA member.
9. Abolition & Community Safety Priority Update – Shaun N. on behalf of Casey L. and Ephraim Z.
   1. Working with Erika B. on know your rights training at December General Body Meeting
   2. Keep an eye on the LVDSA events calendar to see what’s coming up
   3. ACAB!
10. Socialist Feminist Section Update – Tiffany S.
    1. Currently in a lull, in between book clubs. If you have thoughts on what to read next please reach out.
    2. Still collecting abortion after-care supplies.
    3. Donating to Wild West Access Fund: we have a specific link, encourage you to donate through that.
    4. Email: lvdsasocfem@gmail.com
11. Holiday Solidarity – Justin N. and Rahman
    1. Annual mutual aid drive for November and December holiday seasons, to help feed families in need
    2. We believe everyone has the right to a meal!
    3. Event is Nov 19 & 20 at Masjid As-Sabur.
    4. Previously fed over 200 families. This year our goal is over 250 families.
    5. Please sign up for a meal, distribute to anyone who might need a meal.
    6. This year we are serving prepared hot meals on site. – Rose Ann R.
       1. Rose Ann R. – excited to do this! I have been doing food shares for years in Las Vegas and Boulder City.
          1. People can take a plate and sit down at a table and have a meal. Instead of people just picking up food.
          2. Old ladies can do a lot of shit.
       2. What we need:
          1. cranberry sauce (prepared, in large bowl or container, don’t bring cans)
          2. stuffing (already prepared)
          3. mashed potatoes (already made)
          4. rolls
          5. Compostable coffee cups, plates, containers
          6. individual pats of butter/margarine (can be purchased at Smart And Final)
          7. pies, cakes, cookies, desserts that don’t need to be kept warm or cold
          8. If you are bringing a container or large bowl or any type of container you want back, make sure your name is on the bottom so it can be returned to you. Otherwise, there is no guarantee you will have it returned.
          9. If you commit to bringing something from the above items, please email me at roseannrab@hotmail.com or call/text me at 702.339.9082 and tell me what you are brining.
       3. For meal kits, Rose Ann can get about ¼ of what we need if not more
       4. See Slack for more info
       5. Aimee H. – I’m shopping lead, please work with me on meal kit items
    7. Meal kits packing Saturday Nov 19, Sunday loading up and delivering meal kits
       1. Volunteer form is in Slack – all the info you need to sign up!
       2. If you want to help with planning pre-event, we need some roles filled:
          1. Sponsor liaison (multiple)
          2. Volunteer ambassadors (multiple) – represent LVDSA, talk to non-members about priorities and how they can get involved in our work.
          3. Photographer/videographer
          4. Phone bankers, text bankers leading up to event
          5. Packers on 19th and 20th to put together meal kits
          6. Drivers on 20th
    8. Rahman: shout out to Tamara and Rose Ann who served over 70 veggie burgers at last Sunday Solidarity. They are going to do great at Holidarity.
    9. Justin: this event is run by us and we need your help to fund it. Please donate if you can, and/or share the link with people who can donate.
    10. Next meeting Weds Nov 9 at 7:00 PM on Zoom
    11. We will be having Sunday Solidarity in November, the week after Holiday Solidarity
12. December Holiday Solidarity
    1. Anthony – we usually do a November and a December event. Any ideas for December’s event? Open conversation about 10 minutes.
    2. When we pack and distribute on two days we have a lot of work first day and not as much work second day. We have the opportunity to do other things. It has been suggested we add some additional components. Also that we refine what we are currently doing and make it a social event as well.
    3. Last year Chef Louie made vegan food for volunteers and it was awesome
    4. Board games (Samantha)
    5. Embarrassing story contest, other games (Samantha)
    6. Talent/bands (Shaun N.)
    7. Brake light clinic component (Anthony L.)
    8. Have our partners table like in the past (Anthony L.)
    9. Political education – push our non-members left (Sarah L.)
    10. Seed swap (Tiffany S.). Make it like a community fair/festival including repairing garments, sewing lessons, fix brake lights, etc.
    11. Next meeting Wes. Nov. 9 at 7:00 PM on Zoom
13. Discussion of Dissent Article
    1. Breakout rooms/groups – with prompt questions – 10 minutes, until 8:20 PM, then come back together to discuss
    2. Summary – Sean Y. Bell is a DSA members in NY chapter who talks about how DSA grew rapidly. In NY strategies have been electoral. Theres a split between people who will support non-DSA candidates versus people who want fully DSA-aligned candidates. Author discusses different ways to use resources, and asks the question is this the big socialist movement we’ve been waiting for.
    3. Tyler C.: need a good split, with more emphasis working on the ground. When you help people in their day to day lives they will learn what socialism is about and spread the word and join the movement. I believe in an 80/20 split.
    4. Samantha: we cannot completely count out electoral work to agitate but also establish inroads to make it more acceptable to run as a Democratic Socialist
    5. Want people and planet to thrive and not just survive, barely hanging on. Want to get at the root of so many problems, which is financial inequality
    6. Tiffany S.: electeds need a support system to keep them accountable and able to stick to DSA values. We need to work on the ground to build that support system.
    7. Anthony L.: our electeds are the front lines, the people in the front line are probably going to fail so the next lines can succeed.
14. Next Socialist Night School Nov 17, introduction to capitalism
15. Danielle – I am a #MeToo activist and Jeffrey Epstein researcher if anyone has questions. @womanforpeace22 on Twitter
16. Adjourned 8:30 PM