COVID-19 Call for Submissions

The global COVID-19 pandemic and the uncertainty around it is terrifying, but in this moment  socialists must take solace in each other and in our work to build a movement. We draw our strength from solidarity. Meeting in person, the foundation of organizing, is not an option right now. But we can still discuss and debate the conditions that confront us. The Activist exists to serve this purpose, especially in a time of crisis. As your national publication, we remain dedicated to soliciting and broadcasting the writing of socialist students from around the country.

Toward that end, the Activist Editorial Board calls for submissions on the following subjects. If you’ve found yourself with free time, please consider writing an article making an argument about these or other topics!

• What does a pro-student, pro-worker response to the pandemic look like, on our campuses and from the government? What demands should we raise?
• How do we successfully carry out pressure campaigns when we are not able to assemble on our campuses?
• How do we make sure universities are accessible and affordable while preventing austerity and reversing the shift toward precarious hiring practices? 
• How do we maintain our members when many of our members have been sent home? How can we keep recruiting?
• What are “digital organizing” best practices that we can use now, and continue to employ when the pandemic is over?
• How do we relate to the uptick in activity (e.g., petitions being circulated) by students outside of YDSA chapters? 
• What types of mutual aid are most effective and necessary right now, considering both the scale of the upcoming public health and unemployment shocks and that any given group of YDSA members only has so many resources?
• Though its fortunes in the primaries have fallen, the Bernie campaign continues on shifted terrain. How did your chapter relate to the Bernie campaign? What are the strengths and weaknesses of the Bernie campaign, and how should YDSA relate to it going forward?

While we’re interested in publishing work on the above topics, feel free to take the suggestions as prompts, and to submit other articles on the topic of COVID-19 (or other topics) as well. We’re also interested in highlighting work chapters are doing to respond to COVID-19 in their campuses and communities. If you and your chapter have a story to tell, please send us a chapter report so we can send them out in our monthly newsletter! Information about how to submit both full-length articles and chapter reports can be found on our website. If you want to talk through an idea with us, please email [email protected].

In solidarity,

The Activist Editorial Board