Austin DSA

EDIT: Due to the forecasted thunderstorm tomorrow morning, Saturday’s canvass has been rescheduled for Sunday at 1 PM, still at Ben Fisher Park!

RSVP: actionnetwork.org/events/austi...

Screenshot of Andrew Hairston's endorsement in the Austin Chronicle, reading: Retiring Judge Yvonne M. Williams has two qualified candidates vying to succeed her: Ciara Parks, currently general counsel for the Travis County Juvenile Probation Department and an associate judge for the city of Manor, and Andrew Hairston, a civil rights attorney and Education Justice Project director at Texas Appleseed. Though we declined to endorse Hairston when he challenged Judge Williams in 2022, we publicly encouraged him to run again. This time around, we were persuaded by Hairston’s stated intention to center racial, economic, and social justice at the People’s Court.

Also, thank you to Austin Chronicle for the endorsement!

An adult and small child watching performer on stage.

Fundraiser attendees smiling for a photo.

Fundraiser attendees smiling for a photo.

Andrew Hairston and fundraiser attendee smiling for a photo.

Election day is March 3rd, and early voting begins this coming Tuesday, February 17th! We're canvassing every Saturday, and the next canvass is this Saturday at 10 AM at Ben Fisher Park. New canvassers and members welcome! We'll have training, coffee, and snacks.

RSVP: buff.ly/vtAUl0d

Andrew Hairston smiling for a photo with members of Austin DSA's electoral committee.

Medieval Snails performing on stage.

Fundraiser attendees smiling for a photo.

Fundraiser attendees smiling for a photo with Andrew Hairston poster prints.

Photos from our fundraising concert for Andrew Hairston last Friday! Thank you to everyone who came out to support our endorsed candidate for Travis County Justice of the Peace and help us reach our fundraising goal! Shout out Medieval Snails & Front Plate States for the tunes!

📸 Photos by Caleb R

RSVP: buff.ly/o5hhBa0

Love Letter to Minneapolis: Letter Writing and Winter Weather Kit-Packing From Austin to Minneapolis, Abolish ICE! Some materials provided, please bring socks and gloves to donate! Sunday, February 15, 2 to 4 PM Batch Craft Beer and Kolaches, 3220 Manor Rd

This Sunday, join us in writing letters of love and solidarity to comrades in Minneapolis and pack winter weather and first-aid kits for their mutual aid programs!

Letters, envelopes, and some kit materials will be provided, but we ask that folks bring warm socks and gloves to donate as well!

Solidarity on Tap! Short fun talks about the history (and future) of socialism: - Hungry for Community: A World Tour of Social Restaurants - Between Karl Marx and Abraham Lincoln: German Communists in the American Civil War - America's Socialist Mayors: We've Been Here Before Thursday, February 12, 7 PM Barrett's Too, 103 N Loop Blvd E

Presentation topics for our first-ever Solidarity on Tap event! Join us this Thursday, February 12 at Barrett's Too to discover something new about socialism, learn more about Austin DSA and build community!

RSVP: buff.ly/ykhFl7i

Austin DSA is celebrating 100,00 socialists in DSA! TODAY, Feb 7th at 8 PM, at Lala's, 2207 Justin Ln

TONIGHT! We are celebrating DSA reaching 100,000 members nationwide at 8 PM at Lala's Little Nugget, 2207 Justin Ln. Come enjoy some celebratory energy with comrades!

Solidarity on Tap Curious about socialism? Join us for talks on the history (and future) of socialism, the latest socialist news, trivia, prizes, and solidarity! Thursday, February 12, 7 PM Barrett's Too, 103 N Loop Blvd E

Next Thursday, February 12th, join us for our first-ever Solidarity on Tap event! SoT features fun & accessible presentations on socialist topics ranging from history, international affairs, & current events. We'll also have trivia, prize giveaways, & Socialism in the News!

RSVP: buff.ly/ykhFl7i

CALL TO ACTION Tell Austin City Council to vote YES on Item #47: Creation of a Green Social Housing policy

Rents in Austin remain injuriously high for working-class residents and families, leading to persistent rent burdens, economic stress, and homelessness. Home-ownership is beyond the capacity of the vast majority, and these conditions empower landlords and banks. Social housing leverages public resources to provide permanently affordable, mixed-income housing with public land or publicly-owned apartments.

Social housing is the only realistic way to meet the needs of working-class residents at scale while the federal and state governments impose austerity. It will also empower labor unions by using city leverage to guarantee union jobs build our way to affordability. This is not new. We’ve seen localities like Montgomery County, Maryland, and Portland, Maine, enact similar social housing initiatives. Allowing them to build housing quickly and create an alternative to the status quo. We need creative solutions now that are accountable to the people through our public institutions.

What you can do: Speak at the Council meeting on Thursday, February 5, before voting (item 47). You can sign up in-person at City Hall until 9:15 AM on Thursday. Contact your City Council member by tomorrow morning, Thursday, February 5, and tell them to vote YES on Item 47. A link to find and contact your Council member will be in the linktree in our bio (linkt.ree/austindsa).

Tomorrow, Thursday, February 5th, City Council will vote on whether to adopt a Green Social Housing policy that focuses on creating affordable, sustainable, and environmentally responsible housing.

Contact your City Council member and tell them to vote YES by tomorrow here: buff.ly/bqPeboU

Government | AustinTexas.gov Winter Weather Alerts

You can also register to speak against Item 3 before the vote on Thursday, February 5. Registration closes on Wednesday at 12 PM.

Email your Council member: buff.ly/bqPeboU
Register to speak at Thursday's Council meeting: buff.ly/6owsNiX

CALL TO ACTION! Tell Austin City Council to vote NO on Item #3: $400K-2M for AI surveillance in Austin's parks and pools

AI surveillance company LiveView Technologies (LVT) is courting the Austin City Council and is now inches away from winning a new contract that would implement AI cameras in our parks and pools. We know that the Trump administration is actively using data collected by mass surveillance technologies like LiveView cameras to facilitate mass deportations, to hunt abortion seekers, and to track political protesters. In many cases, police are sharing data with ICE and other federal agencies regardless of the law.

With recent news stories illuminating an alarming amount of collaboration between Austin Police Department and ICE, we do not want to add to the datasets that create vulnerabilities for our immigrant neighbors and others who may be targeted. Remember, the safest form of data is data that does not exist.

What you can do: Sign up to speak at the Council meeting on Thursday, February 5, before the vote (item 3). Registration closes on Wednesday at 12 PM. Contact your City Councilmember before Thursday, February 5, and tell them to vote NO on Item 3. Links to do both will be in the linktree in our bio (linkt.ree/austindsa).

AI surveillance company LiveView Technologies is now inches away from winning a new contract that would implement AI cameras in our parks & pools.

Reach out to your Austin City Council member and urge them to oppose the contract (Item 3) because we do not want AI surveillance in our public spaces.

Events — Austin DSA Interested in Austin DSA? The best way to learn more about the work our chapter is by showing up at one of our events.

There will be a canvass every Saturday until election day on March 3rd! Help us elect someone who will empower the working class by holding landlords and bosses accountable, and who believes our courts should serve the people with compassion, dignity, and integrity.

RSVP at austindsa.org/events!

This past Saturday, over 1000 doors were knocked in Travis County's Precinct 1 in support of Andrew Hairston, our endorsed candidate for Justice of the Peace! We had an amazing turnout, with ~50 comrades showing up to canvass, including our current Socialists in Office, Mike Siegel and Jose Garza.

Fundraiser for Andrew Hairston for Justice of the Peace! Friday, 2/6 at 6:30 PM. Batch, 3220 Manor Road. Can't be there? Throw your socialist cash to the link in bio!

Fundraiser for Andrew Hairston for Justice of the Peace! Performances by: Medieval Snails, Front Plate States. Come as a Bezos Apologist, leave as a Class Traitor. Can't be there? Throw your socialist cash to the link in bio!

This coming Friday, February 6th at 6:30 PM, join us at Batch for a fundraising concert for Andrew Hairston, our endorsed candidate for Travis County Justice of the Peace, Precinct 1! Come enjoy some tunes, camaraderie, and donate to the campaign!

RSVP: buff.ly/Yot09D1
Donate: buff.ly/Wlr3ak6

Defund, Abolish and Dismantle ICE Join the Democratic Socialists of Austin, TX. Friday, January 30 at 5:30PM. At the Texas State Capitol.

Students & immigrant communities in Minneapolis have called for another mobilization on Jan 30, and we are joining the call.

Call in sick to work/walk out of class if you can, and join us at the Capitol at 5:30PM to rally in support of Minneapolis, our neighbors, and all of us in the working class!

Canvass with our Socialists-in-Office for Andrew Hairston, our endorsed candidate Travis County Justice of the Peace, Precinct 1. We'll be joined by Mike Siegel, Austin City Council D7, Jose Garza, Travis County District Attorney, and Andrew Gonzales, AISD School Board Trustee D6. Saturday 1/31, 1 to 3:30 PM. Highland Neighborhood Park, 401 W St Johns Ave.

This Saturday, join our Socialists in Office to canvass voters in Travis County Precinct 1 for our endorsed candidate for Justice of the Peace, Andrew Hairston!

New canvassers and members welcome! We'll have training, coffee, and snacks.

RSVP: buff.ly/csvBLOS

Stack of envelopes. The top envelope has text that reads: Prison Solidarity Letter Writing, In support of the Prairieland Defendants. January 31, 2 to 4 PM. Cepeda Library, Room 1 and 2.

Join local members of DSA's Emerge caucus in writing to the Prairieland defendants: comrades who were snatched out of their communities and put behind bars for protesting against ICE. Saturday, 1/31, 2-4 PM at the Cepeda library. Abolish ICE and free all political prisoners!

RSVP: buff.ly/2OCnw4R

How did one man's obsession lead to breeding a supercow?

Why was the Union Army full of German communists?

Could this number of Texas voters in 1912 close the gap in 2026?

Want to find out? Save the date: 02.12.2026 at Barrett's Too

How did one man's obsession lead to breeding a supercow? Why was the Union Army full of German communists? Could this number of Texas voters in 1912 close the gap in 2026?

Want to find out? 👀 Save the date: 02.12.2026

More details to come later this week!

Boycotts work. Join your local No Appetite for Apartheid movement (Austin Against Apartheid if you're here in Austin) to keep up the pressure
na4a.org
www.austinagainstapartheid.com

Self Defense Workshop tailored for the unique safety concerns of the trans, intersex, and gender nonconforming community. POSTPONED to Saturday, February 7th, 4 to 7 PM. Sun Dragon Martial Arts, 4534 West Gate Blvd #101.

If you are signed up for today's Self Defense Workshop for the trans/intersex/GNC community, it has been POSTPONED due to today's incoming snowstorm. It will now be happening on Saturday, February 7th, from 4 to 7 PM. Reach out to us at tirba@austindsa.org if you aren't able to make the new date!

Phonebank for Andrew Hairston for Justice of the Peace, Travis County Precinct 1 Saturday, 1/24, 10 AM to 12:30 PM Virtual, RSVP for Zoom link

Due to inclement weather, tomorrow's regularly scheduled canvass for Travis County Justice of the Peace, Precinct 1 candidate Andrew Hairston will now be a PHONEBANK! Hop on Zoom at 10 AM to call voters with us.

RSVP: buff.ly/BBskW9u

Political Education reading discussion Internationalist Socialism: Empire-Making at the US-Mexico Border Discussing Alexander Aviña's article "The American Maginot Line, Part 2," Foreign Exchanges, 27 September 2021. Sunday, January 18, 5 to 6:30 PM Virtual, RSVP for the Zoom link

Tomorrow! Join us for the next installment of the Political Education Committee's Internationalist Socialism reading discussion series. This session, we're discussing Alexander Aviña's article "The American Maginot Line, Part 2."

RSVP: buff.ly/b5ODFJP

Canvass with us for Andrew Hairston! Austin DSA endorsed candidate for Travis County Justice of the Peace, Precinct 1. "No one is disposable." Saturday, 1/17, 10 AM to 12:30 PM. Fleet Coffee, 2806 Manor Rd.

This Saturday! We're canvassing voters in Travis County Precinct 1 to spread the word about Andrew Hairston, Austin DSA's endorsed candidate for Justice of the Peace.

New canvassers and members welcome! We'll have training, coffee, and snacks.

RSVP: buff.ly/maPUMj4

Book Discussion - The Palestine Laboratory - Start to Finish. Sunday, January 11, 5 to 6:30 PM. RSVP at austindsa.org/events for location.

Join us this Sunday, January 11, for a discussion of Antony Loewenstein's The Palestine Laboratory in full!

The Palestine Laboratory examines how capitalism connects the expansion of authoritarian state surveillance in the West (and abroad) to the occupation of Palestine.

RSVP: buff.ly/cVzXoKQ

Austin DSA's Trans and Intersex Rights and Bodily Autonomy campaign logo and the Local Queer logo are at the top of the graphic. The graphic reads: Join us for a Self Defense Workshop tailored for the unique safety concerns of the trans, intersex, and gender nonconforming community. Time: Saturday, January 24th, 4 to 7 PM. Where: Sun Dragon Martial Arts, 4534 West Gate Blvd #101.

Meet the Instructors: Luis Villarreal. Luis is a queer and trans native Austinite who's worked in martial arts gyms since 2011. Lu is a certified strength and conditioning specialist (CSCS) with a passion for training combat sport athletes. Lu's martial arts background includes traditional martial arts, boxing, and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. He is currently a purple belt under Gabriel Martins at Integração Jiu-Jitsu. As a coach at Black Widow MMA, Lu leads Queer MMA – a free program to increase access to combat sports in the LGBTQ+ community. Lu has taught self defense workshops since 2016, with an emphasis on working with marginalized communities. Lu coaches using gender-neutral and body-affirming language. When not in the gym, Lu works as a sexual assault victim advocate.

Meet the Instructors: Coty DeLacretaz. Coty has called Sun Dragon home since her children started training here in 2009. After becoming activated during the first Empowerment Self Defense (ESD) workshop she took, but finishing the class with a strong feeling of confidence, she became interested in teaching ESD. She knows ESD supports healing from traumatic experiences and wants to reach communities that are most targeted by violence. Coty has experience working with survivors in a hospital setting as a certified Yoga Therapist (C-IAYT) and understands the need to reconnect with one’s body. Coty has been a student of Seido karate since 2019 and loves the physical and mental challenges of training as well as the friendships she’s made through Seido. She promoted to shodan in 2025. Coty is a tree hugger, sky-gazer and animal lover.

Join us on January 24th from 4-7pm at Sun Dragon Martial Arts for an in-depth self defense workshop addressing some of the unique safety concerns of the trans, intersex and gender-nonconforming community, instructed by Luis Villarreal and Coty DeLacretaz.

RSVP: buff.ly/A50FrxG

This last weekend Austin DSA protested with the PSL following the Trump Administrations illegal actions in Venezuela. Yesterday Trump reaffirmed his refusal to rule out military action in Greenland. Today, ICE killed a woman in Minnesota.

WE can stop Imperialism and WE can stop Fascism, TOGETHER

The Trump Administration has kidnapped Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and started a blatantly criminal war against Venezuela.

DSA Condemns Trump’s Illegal War Against Venezuela/DSA condena la guerra ilegal de Trump contra Venezuela - Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) The Trump Administration has started an illegal war against Venezuela. This is a nakedly imperialist war to install a US puppet government that will give Venezuela’s oil resources over to US corporati...

DSA Condemns Trump’s Illegal War Against Venezuela/DSA condena la guerra ilegal de Trump contra Venezuela www.dsausa.org/statements/d...