The Young Democratic Socialists are proud to announce our annual winter conference,The Return of the Democratic Left: Building a Youth Movement for the 21st Century on February 17th-19th in Brooklyn, NY! Register Now!
This fall we saw the beginning of an inspiring movement in Occupy Wall Street and its sister actions across the United States. It is time to prepare for our spring Anti-Austerity Offensive. The 99% movement has pushed income inequality and the dangers of capitalism back into the country’s agenda.
We still have our work cut out for us though. States like Indiana are continuing their attacks on workers’ rights to organize. The Republican presidential candidates spend most of their debates arguing over who can cut taxes the most for the wealthiest. And states are looking to slash social spending again in the spring – including funding for our education.
If radical youth want to have a voice, we must continue to build and organize. One of the best ways to improve your organizing work is to attend the YDS Winter Conference.
At the conference you can:
- Meet youth from across the country to share insights, tips, and ideas about organizing on your campus.
- Explore the root causes of rising tuition and skyrocketing student debt, why students of color consistently face more barriers to accessing higher education, and how the neoliberal capitalist economy harms young workers (those that are lucky enough to find jobs).
- Discuss strategies for how to fight back against further state budget cuts to education.
- Learn concrete activist skills that you can use back on your campus like:
- How to organize an event, such as a protest, walk-out, or teach-in
- How to get more students involved in your campaign
- How to plan a campus campaign for social justice
- How to run an effective meeting that inspires people and gets things done
- How to get your message out in the media
- How to participate in the Student Debt Boycott, the Campaign for Accessible and Affordable Higher Education, and other student right campaigns
- There will be additional workshops about socialist-feminism, the state of young workers in the recession economy, understanding the labor movement, understanding our neo-liberal economy, understanding the labor movement, and other topics. In addition caucus space is provided for traditionally marginalized groups (students of color, women, and LGBTQ students) to meet
Go to the conference website to register for the conference, learn more about speakers, or see the tentative schedule.
The conference begins at 7:00 PM on Friday the 17th, on the 18th it runs from 10 AM to 7 PM and on the 19th from 10 AM to 3 PM.
The conference registration fees are as follows:
- $20 Special High School Rate
- $30 Youth and Student Pre-Registration Rate (The price at the door will be $40)
- $40 Institutional Rate (this is the rate for those whose registration fee is paid by an institution such as a college or non-profit)
- $60 solidarity rate for youth (extra funds will go towards travel scholarship for low-income youth)
- $75 non youth or student pre-registration
This is going to be a great event, so make sure you register today!
Andrew Porter is the national organizer for Young Democratic Socialists, the youth section of Democratic Socialists of America.
Filed under: Organizing, Politics, Youth Tagged: | YDS, Young Democratic Socialists
