Democratic Socialists of America

Building the People’s Banks: A Virtual Discussion with David Dayen, Courtney “CJ” Jenkins, Melissa Rakestraw, and Flynn Murray

Wednesday, August 26 at 8pm ET/7pm CT/6pm MT/5pm PT  

Join the Democratic Socialists of America Fund, Dissent magazine, The New Press, DSA’s Democratic Socialist Labor Commission (DSLC), Save Our Postal Service, Labor Notes, and The American Prospect for the next installment in an ongoing series of virtual discussions based on the recently released We Own the Future: Democratic Socialism—American Style. This month’s discussion will focus on David Dayen’s chapter in the book titled: “Building the People’s Banks.”

After you sign up, we'll send you an email with information for joining the call on August 26.

Amidst an unprecedented pandemic and in the face of a racist police state, we must chart a new course. In We Own the Future: Democratic Socialism—American Style, leading  thinkers and activists come together to examine the democratic socialist history of the United States and how we might achieve a world where every human being is guaranteed a life of safety, health, dignity, and even joy, free from the commodification of basic necessities. The chapters of this timely and urgent volume tackle climate change, foreign policy, gender and the family, healthcare, election reform, socialist governance, reparations, and more. 

Our event on August 26 will focus on the need for democratic socialists to fight to democratize the financial system through campaigns for public financial institutions, especially postal banking.

David Dayen is the executive editor of The American Prospect magazine. He is the author of Chain of Title: How Three Ordinary Americans Uncovered Wall Street's Great Foreclosure Fraud (2016), winner of the Studs and Ida Terkel Prize; and Monopolized: Life in the Age of Corporate Power, released in July. He lives in Los Angeles.

Courtney "CJ" Jenkins is a clerk at the United States Postal Service and Local Officer for the Baltimore Local #181 of the American Postal Workers Union, AFL-CIO.  During his twelve years at the postal service, CJ has worked to help educate and organize his coworkers to realize their true power as working people.

Melissa Rakestraw has been a letter carrier for over twenty years. She is a shop steward with the National Association of Letter Carriers (NALC) and is a socialist organizer. 

Flynn Murray is a writer and labor solidarity activist in New York City. She is involved with the save the post office campaign, and serves as the publishing director of Dissent magazine.

This event could go as late at 9:30pm Eastern.

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