What is Slack?

Slack is a group messaging app which helps keep us connected between meetings.

How do I get added to Slack?

Forward us a copy of your membership confirmation email from National to dsariograndevalley@gmail.com and we will send you an invite link.

Guidelines for DSA RGV Slack Use

In order to join Slack, you must be a dues-paying member of DSA RGV. You can become a member here.
Members should adhere to the DSA RGV Code of Conduct, found here.
If you are not comfortable posting your message to a public internet forum with your full name attached, do not post it in Slack.
If the message or discussion is sensitive, we recommend meeting in person.
As a default, everyone is added to all the public channels when they join Slack. If you do not want to be in a channel, you can mute the channel’s notifications or leave the channel.
The DSA RGV Slack is not an anonymous forum. In order to build community and solidarity with each other and also to minimize the risk of infiltrators, we must know who we’re talking to. Therefore, we encourage all members to introduce themselves in #introductions and use a real name in their profile.

Discussion Guidelines

Assume good intent from your comrades.

We are all in different places in our political journey, and we should work to help one another learn and grow.

Know whether you need to “step up” or “step back”.

Frequent posting by the same users (even in disagreement with each other) – especially when aggressive – can prevent other members from joining the discussion, robbing the discussion of voices that should be heard. Members should do their best to start discussions off on the “right foot” – including a lead-off article, asking questions in good faith, requesting a discussion that may invite specific chapter examples but does not attack those specific examples.

Ask yourself “Why am I Posting?”

Does your post add to the discussion by bringing in new opinions or points? Consider using Slack emoji reactions to agree with your comrades instead of repeating another comrade’s post. Consider how your post may come off to others in the discussion or viewing the discussion and avoid escalating conflict. Is your post dismissive of another poster’s opinion based on their background? Consider explaining your point of view clearly, even if only for the benefit of other members viewing the discussion.

Please recognize and respect the feelings, background, and cultures of others.

While we don’t all have to agree on everything, we should respect our diversity of opinions. Recognize that everyone has a piece of the truth, everyone can learn, and everyone has the ability to teach and share something. The work DSA is doing is deeply personal for many of our members and it is important to keep that in mind when discussing our work, but it is also important to keep in mind that those criticizing work are not making personal attacks.

We are a socialist organization, so we expect members to be socialists or leftists interested in learning more about socialism and/or other anti-capitalist tendencies.

At a minimum, we expect each other to be open-minded about socialism. We want to create a vibrant space of open debate and discussion, but we see little to be gained by engaging with apologists for capitalism, neoliberalism, or imperialism, and we will absolutely not tolerate far right-wing ideologies, such as fascism.

We are socialists, meaning we stand up for those most oppressed by capitalism.

We are committed to actively dismantling the social structures of domination and oppression. We should not engage in speech—even ironically—that reinforces systems of oppression based on gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, body size and physical appearance, disability, race, ethnicity, caste, color, religion, national origin, class, age, or profession.

Slack 101

Slack can be accessed via the web, desktop, iOS and Android apps.

Navigation

On the left is the channel list. If you click the word “Channels” you can see all publicly joinable channels. There are channels for each committee, issues, and projects.

Notifications

Click the small down-arrow next to the Slack Team name and click Preferences (desktop and web) or click the additional options vertical ellipsis at the top right (on mobile) to adjust notification settings. You can also adjust channel-specific settings by clicking the gear icon next to the search bar in a channel (desktop and web) or the small down arrow underneath the channel title (on mobile).

Threads

If you want to get involved in a conversation, please join or start a thread in the appropriate channel. If there is an extant thread for a discussion, please comment within it to contain discussion.

Training

For additional help, check out Slack’s 101 training here.

Public Slack Channels

#general

Community-wide announcements and organizing-based matters like chapter business/meetings/events.

#introductions

Welcome to DSA-RGV! Please feel welcome to use this space to tell us a little bit about yourself, or ask any questions you might have.

#eco-socialistwg

#electoralwg

Anything and everything elections related. From voter registrations to the endorsement process. The electoral working group is important in making sure our electoral working plan works for us.

#labor-wg

Channel for discussing labor organizing and union news in the US and across the world. Workers of the World, Unite!

#m4awg

Medicare for All Updates and project planning.

#morc

Membership Onboarding Retention Committee discussion channel.

#mutual aid

We believe that mutual aid is a key component in building community resilience, solidarity, and power. Use this channel to organize mutual aid that benefits the working class of the RGV and beyond.

#protest-rallies

Discuss and organize local protests or rallies. Can be counter-protests or tools of mobilization for our campaigns. Feel free to share media (or toolkits) on protests & rallies happening around the world.

#random

Non-work banter and water cooler conversation

#readinggroup

Channel for what the chapter is reading and studying at the time.

#socfemworkinggroup

#ydsautrgv

Channel and online organizing space for the YDSA chapter(s) in the RGV.

Notes About Channels

Some discussions may be relevant to multiple channels, but try to keep the discussion in one channel. If you’d like to draw eyes to the discussion, feel free to post in other channels to direct people to check it out.

Moderator Interactions & Actions

The members of the Executive Committee (EC) moderate the Slack.
- If you need a moderator’s attention, you can direct message (DM) one of them. DM a user by searching for the user in the list below the channel list. The moderator(s) you DM will respond as soon as they can. They may take action immediately or investigate further, and they will update you with actions taken if appropriate.
Need to report something that you feel violates the Code of Conduct?
- Directly message one of the moderators.
- The moderators will determine what action, if any, needs to be taken.
- Be respectful. Sending multiple reports or abusing the reporting system will be considered a violation of the Code of Conduct and may result in disciplinary action.

If you have a concern about a moderator, you can DM or email another moderator or email an Executive Committee (EC) member.