The National Political Committee

DSA's primary political leadership is the National Political Committee (NPC), a sixteen-person body elected every two years by the delegates to DSA's National Convention. Every DSA local is entitled to send a certain number of delegates to the National Convention, based upon the local's size. There are also "at-large" delegates to represent areas where there are no active locals.

The DSA Constitution requires that at least half of the NPC's members must be women, and that at least six of the NPC's members must be people of color.

The NPC guides and leads the implementation of DSA's major political and organizational goals, which are broadly defined every two years by the delegates to the National Convention. The NPC gives instructions to the national staff about how to carry forward DSA's day-to-day work. The NPC creates task forces and committees to guide particular areas of DSA's political work. The DSA Constitution gives the NPC the power to charter DSA locals and commissions, as well as DSA's Youth Section.

The NPC conducts long weekend meetings three or four times each year. The NPC also elects a five-person NPC Steering Committee, which meets more frequently, both in person and by conference call. The Honorary Chairs and Vice-Chairs are also elected at each bi-ennial National Convention, and may also participate in internal governance issues through the NPC meetings. They do so to a varying extent.

National Political Committee

Theresa Alt
Virginia Franco
David Green
Michael Hirsch
Barbara Joye
David Knuttunen
Simone Morgen
Michele Rossi
Joseph Schwartz
Timothy Sears
Herbert Shore
John Strauss
Corey Walker

Honorary Chairs

Bogdan Denitch
Barbara Ehrenreich
Dolores Huerta
Eliseo Medina
Eugene "Gus" Newport
Frances Fox Piven
Gloria Steinem
Cornel West

Vice-Chairs

Elaine Bernard
Edward Clark
Jose LaLuz
Steve Max
Harold Meyerson
Maxine Phillips
Christine Riddiough
Rosemary Ruether
Joseph Schwartz
Ruth Spitz
Motl Zelmanowicz

Organizational Communications

The national office's address is 75 Maiden Lane, Suite 505 New York, N.Y. 10038. The telephone number is 212/727-8610, and the fax number is 212/608-6955. DSA's volunteer leadership and national staff seek to conduct their work with as much openness and accountability as possible.

Internet

Some DSA locals and commissions offer their own web pages, which can be found in the Locals and Commissions sections of this website.