DSA’s national convention is held every two years – and the next one is this August 2-4 in Atlanta. The convention is our highest decision-making body. It is the representation of the membership as a whole. All of our more than 250 chapters can send delegates to the convention where they will debate and decide the major political priorities of DSA as an organization. Delegates will also have the chance to meet and get to know members from other chapters. That’s very important in a national organization that is spread all across the U.S. The national convention embodies our commitment to building an organization in which priorities and positions are determined by the membership, not by national staff or a centralized national body. DSA’s national convention is “organizational democracy in action.”

Each DSA chapter gets a specific number of delegates that is determined by their share of total DSA membership. There will be a national travel pool to even out the cost of getting to the convention, delegates from chapters near Atlanta with low travel costs will help cover the costs of delegates from chapters further from Atlanta such as our own. But all chapters need to raise money to help cover delegate costs so that they can represent us at this membership decision- making body. Ventura County DSA has been allocated 3 delegates – and we want to make sure that we can send all 3 to Atlanta. So, we are asking all of our local members to contribute $20 towards the cost of getting our 3 delegates to the convention. If you're able, please help us with a contribution.