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From July 30th to August 2nd, Young Democratic Socialists form Berkeley to Boston converged on the Catskill town of Wurtsboro, New York to paint it red. Not literally of course; these youth activists were there to attend the annual Socialist Summer Retreat.
The weekend kicked of Thursday night as weary yet excited travelers arrived to the Valley Brooke Inn for a weekend of socialist politics, strategic planning, and good times. That night, participants watched the documentary Maquilapolis [City of Factories], a film about women factory workers in Tijuana’s maquiladoras factories and their struggles to force their employers to clean up polluted towns and pay laid off workers their due severance compensation. After the screening, a dynamic discussion ensued concerning the application of socialist theory to these workers’ plight. The conversation touched upon globalization’s direct link to capitalism and the migration of jobs as a result of weak labor unions and regulations. Participants also decided that the film could be used on campus to turn prospective members on to the need for a socialist critique.
Friday morning began with a breakfast from all vegetarian caterer, Natural Delights, whose food participants enjoyed throughout the conference. After the meal, YDSers dove right into the program with a discussion of long term goals for our organization. One participant commented that this strategic planning discussion “helped develop realistic goals for YDS and gave a vision of where we would like YDS to be in the Future.” The thirty participants broke into two groups and brainstormed many ideas including creating regional organizing networks, distributing a new socialist education reader to all chapters, and producing youtube videos featuring famous Democratic Socialists of America Members like Cornel West, as well as rank and file activists. These ideas were synthesized into a five year plan that was debated and adopted on Sunday.
As the rain began to pour, conference attendees spent the rest of the day honing their skills as activists with workshops on facilitation, starting new chapters, maintaining old chapters, socialist education, and campaign planning. This focus on skills was the result of a Coordinating Committee (YDS’ volunteer leadership) decision to use the retreat as an opportunity to give YDS activists more tools for organizing. This shift in focus was popular among many of the attendees. One activist said that the information presented in the campaign planning workshop “is essential to all chapters.” Later that evening, the activists gathered to hear Professor Joe Schwartz make a long story short by giving the history of the American Left in less than 45 minutes.
Afterwards, YDSers settled down for a night of comradely comradery. Theygathered around the campfire to sing socialist classics like “There’s Power in a Union,” “This Land is Your Land,” “Union Maid,” and “I ain’t Marching Anymore,” among others. This crazy time was only surpassed by Saturday night’s midnight pool party.
Saturday during the day, YDSers were able to go to the skills building workshops they missed Friday and also discussed various issues including but not limited to Green Socialism, Student Debt, and the Nature of Capitalism. That night they listened to Professor Frances Fox Piven and journalist Mark Engler as they compared the political climate during Franklin Delano Roosevelt and Bill Clinton’s presidency to Barack Obama’s.
Sunday Morning, David Duhalde and Kenny Grand presented a resolution outlining steps to strengthen the bonds between YDS and DSA that was unanimously adopted . This resolution was of special significance as it was an official acknowledgment that the success of DSA and YDS are interdependent and one group cannot exist without the other. This vote was followed by the election of the new Coordinating Committee, YDS’ volunteer leadership. Participants also chose a campaign for free higher education as the YDS activist agenda (the official expression of the YDS national priorities for this year). As previously mentioned, a 5 year strategic plan was formally adopted.
With the official business complete, participants sat down for a goodbye lunch and the new Coordinating Committee discussed plans for implementing the new strategic plan. Cadre left sad to leave their friends and comrades, but excited to begin a new year of socialist activism.
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When: July 30-August 2, 2009
Where: The Valley Brook Inn and Cottages (201 Kingston Avenue, Route 209,Wurtsboro, NY)
Registration and Scholarships (register before July 15 and save up to $30):http://www.dsausa.org/yds/Aug2009/confreg.html
Click here to see a provisional schedule
Click here for the Conference Flyer
If you have any questions or comments please call the YDS National Office at 212 727 8610 or email us at yds@dsausa.org.
POLITICAL CONTEXT
Now is an important time to be a socialist. As the economic crisis worsens, more and more people are questioning the capitalist system. The Right’s characterizations of Obama as a socialist, although spurious, have also helped tilt the spotlight towards our movement. It is up to us to make the most of this momentum.
As we predicted, Obama is no radical and shows little inclination to move the center of American politics even slightly to the left. Although he signed the Lily Ledbetter act to protect women in the workplace and SCHIP, which expanded healthcare to children, he has escalated the war in Afghanistan, maintained military tribunals for terror suspects, withheld torture photographs, and has pandered to the private health insurance companies and conservative Democrats. Not to mention, he gave the perpetrators of this financial crisis billions upon billions of American tax payer money thus making the American people foot the bill for Wall Street’s irresponsible speculation. Despite his promises, he has failed to show leadership on the issue of gay rights. Yet this behavior also follows our prediction that without pressure from strong grassroots social movements, Obama will settle in the center. Young Democratic Socialists have a responsibility, not only to call Obama out on his shortcomings, but to build the movements that will pull him to the left.
This Summer Conference will focus on nuts and bolts organizing skills, skills needed to take advantage of this political moment and grow our organization and our movement. It will also be a good time to get away from it all and enjoy beautiful upstate New York in the good company of good comrades. We will go swimming, embarrass ourselves in pickup wiffleball and soccer games, make campfires, and party. We will hold workshops on how to plan a campaign, map out a year’s worth of activism, start a chapter, and maintain a healthy one. Participants will also learn about democratic socialist theory and how to teach others about socialism.
We are in the midst of a political opportunity that won’t come around again soon. We must be ready.
Click here to register! Register before July 15 and save up to$30!
WHAT TO EXPECT
Click here to see the provisional schedule.
The 2009 Socialist Summer Retreat is a unique opportunity for YDS members and activists to get away from it all, remember why we do what we do, and to learn how to better acheive our goals. There will be workshops and discussions on building YDS, strategic planning, organizing on campuses, creating a progressive majority, socialist analysis, socialist education, anti-oppression, campaign planning, organizing strategies, as well as other political and social priorities for youth and student activists.
Come to the retreat to meet young and veteran organizers from around the country in a wonderful outdoor setting. We’ll partake in partying, video screenings, and plenty of out-door fun (like swimming and volleyball) in between workshops and trainings. Most importantly, this is a great way to wrap up the summer, make new (and sometimes life-long) friends, and get ready for a fall of campus and community activism.
CURRENT PROGRAM
Take a look at our provisional schedule. It’s still being developed, so we welcome your questions and comments. We do intend to cover a range of issues related to student and youth activism, including labor rights, the educational system, exploitation, oppression, privilege, the environment, and more. On Sunday, we’ll vote on adopting our annual Activist Agenda, which outlines YDS’s national priorities. We’ll also consider constitutional amendments and elect the coming year’s volunteer leadership body.
SCHEDULE
YDSers will arrive at the Valley Brook Inn on Thursday, July 30 in the afternoon for fun and relaxation. Conference programming will begin on Friday, July 31 at 10 AM after breakfast. The conference ends Sunday afternoon. If you wish to hang out with other YDSers before or after the retreat, please let us know and we will see what is possible. Please let us know when you plan to arrive at the conference and when you plan to leave.
GETTING TO THE CONFERENCE
The conference is conveniently located at the Valley Brook Inn in Wurtsboro, NY (approx. 90 to 120 minutes drive north of New York City). The exact address is 201 Kingston Ave, Rt. 209. Wurtsboro, NY 12790-7705.
If you are taking a plane to get to the conference, the closest airport to the Valley Brook Inn is the Stewart International Airport. It is about 40 miles from Wurtsboro. If you plan on flying to Stewart, please call us at 212 727 8610 so we can help you arrange transportation to the conference site . You can also fly into the John F. Kennedy, LaGuardia and Newark, New Jersey airports. There is a bus (Short Line) that leaves regularly from Port Authority in Times Square in NYC stopping right by the conference location. The New Jersey Transit train, which leaves from New York Pennsylvania Station (commonly referred to as Penn Station), goes to Middletown, NY. Middletown is about 15 miles from Wurtsboro. For taxi service in Middletown, click here. It’s approximately a 20 minute ride and should cost around $25. You can get directions to Port Authority and Penn Station here.
With advanced notice, with the exception of airports, we can help coordinate rides. If you are coming from out of town and are in need of a ride, let us know and we can check to see if others planning to attend in your area can offer you one. If you are driving, you will be able to park your car at the retreat center. Please let us know if you can offer a ride to others. On the registration form you can indicate if you want or can give a ride. With the rising costs of gas, carpooling remains an excellent way to save money.
For directions from airports to Port Authority and Penn Station click here.
FUNDRAISING AND OTHER TRAVEL TIPS
Click the link below for great last minute tips on travel planning, economizing and fundraising, finding cheap plane tickets, hosting events to raise money, and hitting up your student government for funds. Please remember to book your travel early! Plane tickets tend to be more expensive the longer you wait. Keep this list of fundraising tips handy. http://www.ydsusa.org/news/tips-on-conference-economizing.html
We’re committed to ensuring that everyone who wants to come is able to attend. We are thus offering limited scholarships. YDS has a limited budget to help subsidize travel costs. Please consider fundraising to help cover costs (see above and ask us for tips on how to do this). Preference is given to YDS members and those wanting to start YDS chapters. If you request a travel scholarship, please fill out the appropriate information on the registration form or email your answers to yds@dsausa.org. Applications are due July 8th. We will contact you know by July 10th let you know if your scholarship request has been granted and how much financial assistance YDS can provide.
COST
Conference registration costs include housing accommodations, all meals, parties, and extensive resource materials. Pre-registration rate payments must be made online or postmarked by Thursday July 15th. A non-refundable deposit of $75 must be made by July 15th. If necessary, the rest can be paid on site.
Student/Unemployed Rates
$200 Thursday 7/30 to Sunday 8/2 ($230 after July 15th) Best Deal
$150 Friday 7/31 to Sunday 8/2 ($180 after July 15th)
$135 Saturday 8/1 to Sunday 8/2 ($150 after July 15th)
$185 Thursday 7/30 to Saturday 8/1 ($200 after July 15th)
$135 Friday 7/31 to Saturday 8/1 ($150 after July 15th)
$135Thursday 7/30 to Friday 7/31 ($150 after July 15th)
Youth Employed Rates
$255 Thursday 7/30 to Sunday 8/2 ($280 after July 15th) Best Deal
$185 Friday 7/31 to Sunday 8/2 ($210 after July 15th)
$165 Saturday 8/1 to Sunday 8/2 ($185 after July 15th)
$235 Thursday 7/30 to Saturday 8/1 ($255 after July 15th)
$165 Friday 7/31 to Saturday 8/1 ($185 after July 15th)
$165 Thursday 7/30 to Friday 7/31 ($185 after July 15th)
If you have special financial circumstances and need help with costs, you can let us know on the registration form. There is a scholarship application form with three questions. Applications are due by July 21st.
HOUSING ACCOMMODATIONS
Housing accommodations will be provided at the Valley Brook Inn.
Conference goers are encouraged to bring their own:
- Towels
- Toiletries
- Camera
- Flashlight
- Sunscreen
- Bathing Suit
Click here for more information and to register on-line.
(Contact us if you have any trouble registering).
COORDINATING COMMITTEE
Every year YDS democratically elects a new Coordinating Committee (CC) which helps provide political leadership and organizing support for the organization. All YDS members can run for these positions (including those who renew their membership or officially join YDS for the first time). Please let us know (212 727 8610 or yds@dsausa.org ) if you intend to run for the CC at the conference or in absentia. This is a great opportunity to help organize left-wing students and youth on a national scale. You can find out more about what Coordinating Committee members do and about the YDS’s constitution here: www.ydsusa.org/constitution.html
ACTIVIST AGENDA
We will adopt a new 2009-2010 Activist Agenda at the YDS Socialist Summer Retreat. We would like your input concerning YDS’s campaign strategy and organizing priorities for the coming academic calendar year. Activist Agenda items must be submitted by June 30th: alternative language to proposals must be submitted before the conference. We shall make new proposals available for public commenting. A good deal of our nationally coordinated actions stemmed from last year’s Activist Agenda.
Please plan ahead, help us spread the word to activists in your area, and see about bringing other committed organizers to our conference! Feel free to contact us with any questions you might have at 212-727-8610 or at yds@dsausa.org.
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