We know it’s been a rough couple of weeks.
The last couple of weeks have rocked the core of our democracy with actions from on high that are hazardous to any just society. Things were bad before (and had been for awhile); things are in crisis now. Sorry to seem alarmist. It’s alarming. But the alarm has called to action hundreds of thousands of United States citizens. Listen to the sage advice of Mr. Roger’s mom (“look for the helpers”) and find solace in how right she was.
Central New Jersey DSA held its first meeting in New Brunswick since the election. It was held in the basement conference room of the AAUP-AFT union office. CNJ DSA had stopped holding meetings in New Brunswick last fall because only two or three people would show up. (We continued to hold regular meetings in Princeton.) Here, though, reflecting DSA’s explosive growth throughout the country since the election, fifty people were crammed into the conference room, filling every chair and leaving a few people to stand.

After brief introductions, new DSA recruit Jose Cortez Sanchez, who had been part of a group of students that organized the giant anti-Trump/pro-sanctuary demonstration in New Brunswick in November, gave us an update on the struggle to make Rutgers a sanctuary campus. After that, Russell Weiss-Irwin led a training session on door-to-door canvassing, and Christian Bowe led an educational session on ‘Eugene V. Debs and Workers’ Power.’ Everyone left feeling excited and energized.
Attendance also surged for our chapter in North New Jersey, which met at the Paterson Museum in January for a rousing discussion of labor and electoral politics and the election of its executive committee: Natasha Abner (Chair), Stanley Sheats (Vice Chair), Robert Drucker (Engagement Coordinator), Craig Spivack (Membership Coordinator), Adam Varoqua (YDS Coordinator), Bradley Philbert (Treasurer), and Melanie Vasa (Secretary). The North New Jersey chapter is currently establishing committees to maximize the impact of their efforts and will be holding two upcoming events to welcome members to the organization: meet and greets across the North New Jersey area on February 7th and a potluck (‘the socialist party’) on February 11th.
The strength and direction of our organization is determined by the activism of our members. Please join us at one of our two upcoming New Jersey Democratic Socialists of America meetings:
- DSA Monthly Meeting – Central NJ DSA
Saturday, February 11th – 2pm
Facebook Event
- DSA Monthly Meeting – North NJ DSA
Thursday, February 23 – 7pm
Facebook Event
As a reminder, we have put into place several systems to keep our members informed and connected, such as our statewide listserv (where the debate about Slack is over and Natasha lost) and this newsletter. We also encourage members to be active coalition partners to like-minded organizations throughout our state and in the surrounding areas. Here’s a great way to do just that: Join the NJ Resistance.
Immigration Justice
“I don’t believe it’s possible to be neutral. The world is already moving in certain directions. And to be neutral, to be passive in a situation like that is to collaborate with whatever is going on… I want myself, as a teacher, and I want you as students, to intercede with whatever is happening in the world.”
-Howard Zinn
The state of affairs following President Trump’s immigration order is best described as chaos. There has been a lot of back and forth on the legality and scope of the executive order and the federal court ruling halting the order does not mean that we should halt our actions in defense of our immigrant communities. Make your voices heard federally and locally to demand immigrant justice. Our municipalities and counties can resist by declaring sanctuary status, like Jersey City recently did. In response to the recent announcement that New Brunswick is not a sanctuary city and will cooperate with immigration authorities, the New Jersey Alliance for Immigrant Justice is organizing a rally outside the mayor’s office this Tuesday. Immigrant justice is a focus of the organizing efforts of both our Central and North NJ chapters and we encourage all members to come out in support of this action, just as they came out for the protests at the Newark airport and the ICE detention center:
- Demand New Brunswick to be a Sanctuary City!
Tuesday, February 7th – 4pm
Facebook Event
If you can’t make it to the action in person, please make your voice heard by phone:
- Mayor James Cahill: (732) 745-5004
- City Administrator Thomas A. Loughlin, III: (732) 745-5007
- Police Chief: (732) 745-5200
Health Care Vigils
“Capitalists…should never be allowed near a health care system. They hold sick children hostage as they force parents to bankrupt themselves in the desperate scramble to pay for medical care.”
-Chris Hedges
We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again: the repeal of the Affordable Care Act is tantamount to a death sentence for many Americans. Capital punishment is unjust in all of its guises. Healthcare is a right, not a luxury.

Please join us and coalition partners around the state this Wednesday (February 8th) and every Wednesday (set a recurring event notification on your favorite calendar app) as we hold a vigil in defense of our healthcare. Vigils are held at Republican Congress members’ offices throughout New Jersey. We demand our elected officials represent the citizens and not align with Donald Trump and his fascist agenda. The demands are simple: protect ACA, protect Medicare, protect Medicaid.
- Vigils to Save Our Health Care
Every. Single. Wednesday. 4:30pm. GO!
Information & Locations
We want a single payer system, but we won’t get it if this new regime destroys all existing forms of health care for the people.
Calendar
New Jersey DSA members will be informed of resistance actions as they are announced via e-mail, Facebook, text message, and our in-development Rapid Response Team. Below are some of the upcoming happenings of interest to our members and like-minded individuals.
- Non-DSA Meeting, Not In Our Town: Princeton
Monthly, Princeton Public Library
Not In Our Town:Princeton
- Non-DSA Meeting, POP Justice Mondays
Monthly, Princeton Public Library
Not In Our Town:Princeton
- Trenton Unity Rally
Monday, February 6th – 3:30pm
Flyer
- Demand South Orange to be a Sanctuary City!
Monday, February 6th – 5pm
More Information
- Demand New Brunswick to be a Sanctuary City!
Tuesday, February 7th – 4pm
Facebook Event
- Demand Montclair to be a Sanctuary City!
Tuesday, February 7th – 7pm
Facebook Event
- Socialize With Socialists – North NJ DSA Meet and Greets
Tuesday, February 7th – 7pm & 8:30pm
Facebook Event
- Demand Millburn to be a Sanctuary City!
Tuesday, February 7th – 7:30pm
Township Calendar
- Vigils to Save Our Health Care
Weekly, Wednesdays at 4:30pm
Information & Locations
- Ramapo College Unity Rally
Thursday, February 9th – 6pm
Flyer
- Waging Peace In A Time of Fear and Surveillance
Saturday, February 11th – 10am
Facebook Event
- DSA Monthly Meeting – Central NJ DSA
Saturday, February 11th – 2pm
Facebook Event
- Politics Potluck, aka ‘The Socialist Party’
Saturday, February 11th – 7pm
Facebook Event
- Justice Sunday at St. Paul AME Church
Sunday, February 12th – 10am
Flyer
- Bergen County Unity March
Sunday, February 12th – 2pm
More Information
- Non-DSA Meeting, Progressive Hunterdon Democrats
Wednesday, February 22nd – 6:30pm
Facebook Event
- DSA Monthly Meeting – North NJ DSA
Thursday, February 23rd – 7pm
Facebook Event
- Reverend Barber at Shiloh Baptist Church
Thursday, Mach 9th – 6:30pm
Information Forthcoming
(There will also be a Social Justice Workshop with Reverend Barber on March 10th.)