Work for YDS!
Job Opening: YDS National Organizer

Job Description:
The YDS National Organizer position is an exciting opportunity for a young person and/or recent college graduate who has great organizing, speaking, and social skills and who wants to build a strong left in the United States.

The National Organizer is primarily responsible for the maintenance and growth of the Young Democratic Socialists of America, the campus and youth wing of the Democratic Socialists of America.

YDS is an organization of campus-based chapters and regionally-based groupings of younger (under 30) socialists who wish to develop a political and cultural space of their own (but one that is an integral part of the Democratic Socialists of America, the largest socialist organization in the US and an affiliate of the global Socialist International). The organizer works out of DSA's national office in New York City and also travels across the United States to speak to both new and experienced YDS campus chapters, as well as to independent progressive students interested in learning about democratic socialism. The organizer also represents DSA at the conferences and demonstrations attended by independent radical young activists.

Applicants should have excellent public speaking skills and feel comfortable explaining democratic socialism and YDS's politics and projects to a broad audience. Among the YDS National Organizer's most important responsibilities are identifying new leaders, helping to start new chapters, and fostering the talents and skills of members of existing chapters. An important qualification is therefore excellent interpersonal and administrative skills (i.e., an understanding that detailed grunt work is an integral part of organizing, as is building friendship and social networks of people who will help do these tasks).

The organizer also puts together a winter 'outreach' conference and a summer YDS activist conference. Both conferences introduce folks to democratic socialist history and politics and the summer conference maps out YDS's strategy for the coming political year. The ability to work with the YDS leadership to organize such conferences and a willingness to do "whatever is necessary" to get folks to attend is a must.

We recognize that while many people share our democratic socialist politics, not everyone has had the previous opportunity to work directly with YDS. People who have organizing experience within various movements (anti-racist, campus organizing, feminist, trade unions, etc.) and are willing to learn more about the ins and outs of democratic socialism in theory and practice are good candidates.

If you want to get to know the next generation of radical activists across the country (and the globe) and want a chance to organize, travel, work in coalitions with other progressive groups, and build the US left, this could well be the job for you! Self-identified women, LGBTQ and people of color are especially encouraged to apply. If interested and/or want to know more, contact DSA National Director, Frank Llewellyn at fllewellyn@dsausa.org or call 212-727-8610 ext. 30

Send resumes and a cover letter by Monday, August 15th to: fllewellyn@dsausa.org , or fax to: 212-608-6955 or via mail to: 198 Broadway, Suite 700, New York, NY 10038 Early applications are strongly encouraged.

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