Young Democratic Socialists Update: June 9, 2008

In This Issue

Young Democratic Socialists Update: June 9, 2008

Socialist Summer Retreat

Year in Review

YDS and CIW Victory

YDS's Socialist Summer Retreat

Register Now! Save on an Unforgettable Activist Weekend

In the popular imagination, summer vacation for young people is a time to relax, travel or pick up a short-term job. Often enough that?s true. Even for the busiest and most committed college activist, being away from campus can mean reduced time spent on organizing. With the approaching fall season of campus protests and November elections, YDS members and friends still have an opportunity to use a part of the summer to sharpen our politics, our thinking and our skills, too.

That's why we urge you to attend this year's special summer conference. It will be held at Valley Brook Inn & Cottages retreat center in Wurtsboro, N.Y. The conference center will provide housing, food and fun activities, including swimming and pick-up sports. Being together at a recreational site with lodging allows more time to discuss matters in depth, learn from one another, bond?and relax.

Now is the time to save on this great event. Before July 21st, you can save up to 25 percent off the regular registration rates. Housing, meals, and an extensive set of conference materials are covered in your registration. Wurtsboro, N.Y. is just two hours north of New York City. Directions are here, and we will also be organizing carpools.

We also want to make this event as accessible as possible. If you need scholarship assistance, fill in the application on the registration form. DO IT NOW! Deadline for receipt of scholarship applications is July 14th!

Don't forget to RSVP on our FACEBOOK event. It will enable you to be notified about conference updates and communicate with other participants.

Help spread the word about this conference with this flier and email.

Young Democratic Socialists Year in Review
Celebrating a Great Academic Year and Heading Towards the Summer

The Young Democratic Socialists had a stellar year of social justice activism. Our own success is reflective of both the burgeoning response to injustice and a rising appreciation of left-wing politics and progressive solutions. Here's a brief, month-by-month recap of our work:

September: YDS participated in the Iraq Moratorium, with 10 chapters distributing black armbands reading "Books not Bombs." The University of Central Arkansas chapter marched in Jena, La., protesting racist treatment of high school students and several other YDS chapters organized solidarity events.
October: Talks were held around the country about our Activist Agenda campaign against rising student debt. We saw the third annual YDS mid-south regional conference "50 Years After Little Rock: Building a Movement Against Cultural Apartheid," too.
November: We had Georgia on our mind. We marched against the "School of the Assassins" in Fort Benning and hung out with Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, trade unionist Bill Fletcher Jr. and scores of veteran socialists at the 2007 DSA convention in Atlanta.
January: YDS members participated in the National Network on Immigrant and Refugee Rights conference in Houston as part of our National Immigrant Rights Project.
February: Some 125 youth and students took part in our national conference "Be Realistic, Demand the Impossible: Reviving Democratic, Socialist, and Youth Activism."
March: We organized events against the Iraq War, including participating in civil disobedience with other activists at "Funk the War" in Washington, D.C.
April: With other students working on economic justice, YDS was part of the ninth annual Student Labor Week of Action. See below for more details.
May: We celebrated May Day, the International Workers Day, and finished our coursework.

You can check out other spring semester highlights here.

Just because the school year is over does not mean your socialist activism comes to a close, too. During the summer, YDSers will attend numerous events and work locally. Still, one of the more critical acts you can do is take part in the Socialist Summer Retreat in Wurtsboro, N.Y. this August 8-10. Help shape the future direction of YDS in this year of change.

Photos (Clockwise): YDSers with Bill Fletcher Jr. at the DSA Convention, YDSer at "Funk the War," Wooster YDSers getting ready for the Iraq Moratorium, MSU YDS student debt panel, panel from "Be Realistic, Demand the Impossible," and Wichita State's Tomato Challenge in solidarity with CIW during SLWoA.

A YDS Congratulates Coalition of Immokalee Workers in Beating Burger King

Socialists Play Role in Farmworker Victory

The Young Democratic Socialists celebrates the recent campaign victory of the Coalition of Immokalee Workers (CIW) and Student Farmworker Alliance, who succeeded in getting the fast-food giant to raise the wages of Burger King's tomato pickers. YDS chapters and members, who had also helped in CIW's previous Taco Bell and McDonald's campaigns, held events during the Student Labor Week of Action and beyond in solidarity with the Florida-based tomato pickers. Wichita State YDS (pictured left) worked on the campaign and was highlighted by Jobs with Justice for their efforts.

U.S. Senator from Vermont, democratic socialist and political independent Bernie Sanders (seen at left) was a staunch advocate on Capital Hill for the Coalition of Immokalee Workers. Sanders and YDS continue the American democratic socialist tradition of standing with workers in their struggle for human rights and dignity. YDS will be there with CIW in the upcoming battles to end labor exploitation and modern-day slavery in the fields of Florida.

JOIN YDS!

It's easy, it's cheap, and it connects you with other democratic socialist activists around the country. Click here to read more about why you should consider joining: www.ydsusa.org/getinvolved.html

ADD YDS TO YOUR MYSPACE OR FACEBOOK PROFILE:
FACEBOOK: www.facebook .com/group.php?gid=2205133680 MYSPACE: http://groups. myspace.com/ydsusa

SPAM/JUNK MAIL REMINDER:
To make sure that our updates are not erroneously transferred into a junk mail folder by your anti-spam program, you should add the following email to your address book or approved contact list: yds@dsausa.org

GOT NEW CONTACT INFO?
Using a new email account? Got a new mailing address? Have a new phone number? Send us your latest contact info. and we'll keep you in the loop.

WANT TO JOIN THE YDS DISCUSSION LISTSERV?
Debate, strategize, and get your learn on with young democratic socialists around the country. Click here for instructions: http://lists.topica.com/lists /yds-discuss/

KNOW OTHERS WHO WOULD LIKE TO GET OUR EMAIL UPDATES?
Click the "Forward to a Friend" and they'll get this email and can sign up for updates too!