Orlando Democratic Socialists of America is a chapter of the national Democratic Socialists of America, the largest socialist organization in the United States. Since DSA’s 2016 We Need Bernie campaign, our chapter has been a part of the explosive growth of the socialist movement in the United States and the progressive gains made by it.
We organize to build workplace democracy, demand a right to housing, to protect the environment and fight against climate change, work for racial justice, and much more. We also invest in creating a space to learn, grow, and build solidarity, by putting on political education, internal organizing, and social events. Check out our Events Calendar to find upcoming ways to get involved, learn more about the work we do, and join DSA to help build a better future for us all.
Democratic Socialists of America has its roots in the New Left movement of the 1960s. It arose from the Socialist Party of America and the New American Movement, under the leadership of Left activist Michael Harrington, who formed the Democratic Socialist Organizing Committee (DSOC). The Democratic Socialist Organizing Committee emerged from the Socialist Party in the 1970s, from a left riven by the Vietnam War.
Harrington, author of The Other America, led DSOC as it joined with other left organizations to become DSA in 1980. Michael Harrington and socialist feminist author Barbara Ehrenreich served as DSA’s first co-chairs.
DSA’s membership is currently the largest in our history, with approximately 90,000 national members and growing every day. Our organization is ever-evolving to confront the challenges presented by capitalism, fascism, and systemic inequality.
A comprehensive account of our organization’s history is available on the national DSA website.
We advocate for democratic socialism, a radical restructuring of our economic and political systems to value people over profits. Rather than our current economy, which is controlled by the wealthy few for their own benefit, we envision an economy that is democratically controlled. By working toward change that rejects heterosexist, patriarchal, imperialist capitalism, we believe that we can create a free, democratic, humane society for us all.