Can We Onboard the Working Class?

A Response to the GDC Report by a prior NYC-DSA Membership Coordinator

By J. Kraush and A. Zeren

Growth is not an accident. Drawing on their experience in NYC-DSA’s membership committee, J. Kraush and A. Zeren argue that certain organizing methods really do drive growth: building contact lists, consistent recruitment and retention work, and a strong internal culture. Responding to the DSA’s GDC report and Geese’s “We Can’t Onboard the Working Class,” they argue that while major political events create openings, chapters still have to seize them—through deliberate outreach, events, and credible political interventions like Zohran Mamdani’s historic mayoral campaign.