Tag: resolutions

Resolution written by: Anthony Rivera-Colón and Austin Rojas
Submitted to: Savannah Democratic Socialists of America General Membership Body
Date: 11/09/2025

Whereas, Savannah DSA needs clear, consistent, and principled public messaging that
reflects positions and campaigns adopted by the General Membership (or other bodies
authorized by the bylaws); and
Whereas, effective use of social media, websites, blogs, email, press outreach, and other
communications tools is necessary to educate, recruit, and retain members and to build
working-class power in Savannah and the surrounding area; and
Whereas, design and visual storytelling (including graphics, layouts, photography, and
video) are essential to communicating our politics, building a recognizable chapter
identity, and supporting chapter campaigns and events, and the importance of this work
is reflected in national DSA’s own design guides and standards, which we seek to
implement locally; and
Whereas, coordinating communications and design work across committees, working
groups, and campaigns helps prevent mixed messages, burnout, and duplication of
effort; and
Whereas, there are many members with creative talents that would be extremely
beneficial to our socialist movement;

Therefore, be it resolved:
Savannah DSA hereby establishes a Communications & Design Committee (“C&D
Committee”) as a standing committee of the chapter, with the following structure and
responsibilities.

Purpose
1.1 The purpose of the Communications & Design Committee is to plan, coordinate, and
carry out external communications and design work for Savannah DSA in order to:
1.1.1 Advance the chapter’s democratically decided campaigns and priorities; and
1.1.2 Clearly communicate our politics and demands to the broader public; and
1.1.3 Maintain and develop the chapter’s website and other digital platforms as reliable,
up-to-date hubs for information, resources, and calls to action; and
1.1.4 Develop and steward a coherent visual identity for the chapter across print and
digital media.
1.2 The Comms & Design Committee may also assist with internal communications and
design (e.g., graphics, layouts, templates) when requested by other committees,
working groups, or the General Membership.
1.3 The Comms & Design Committee shall operate in accordance with National and
Savannah DSA’s bylaws, policies, and all guidelines adopted by the General Membership
and Steering Committee.

Implementation
2.1 Upon adoption of this resolution, the Steering Committee shall: 6.1.1 Announce the creation of the Communications & Design Committee;
2.1.2 Solicit members in good standing to join; and
2.1.3 Schedule an initial organizing meeting where members will adopt internal
procedures and elect committee officers.
2.2 Within thirty (30) days of this resolution’s adoption, the Comms & Design
Committee shall:
2.2.1 Hold an organizing meeting at which members of the Comms & Design Committee
elect Co-Chairs, who shall appoint a Secretary from among the committee’s members;
2.2.2 Inventory existing communications and design assets (social media accounts,
website, email lists, branding and design materials, templates, and access credentials);
2.2.3 Develop draft communications, design, and branding guidelines and a basic annual
communications and design work plan; and
2.2.4 Present these to the General Membership or Steering Committee for feedback and
approval.
2.3 Within 180 days of this resolution’s adoption, the Comms & Design Committee may:
2.3.1 Pilot a video and/or audio episodic program to platform persons, campaigns, and initiatives as desired by the General Membership.

Scope of Work
3.1 The Comms & Design Committee is responsible for the chapter’s external and
internal communications and design infrastructure, including but not limited to:
3.1.1 Social media: Managing and posting to official chapter social media accounts,
developing platform-appropriate content, and moderating comments consistent with
chapter policies.
3.1.2 Website and email: Maintaining and updating the chapter website; coordinating
mass email, newsletters, and event announcements in collaboration with relevant
committees and officers.
3.1.3 Messaging, design, and materials: Developing key messages, talking points,
graphics, layouts, flyers, print pieces, and digital assets for chapter campaigns and
events, in coordination with relevant committees and working groups.
3.1.4 Design and visual identity: Creating and maintaining chapter-wide design
templates and style guides (logos, colors, fonts, layouts), and supporting visual consistency across all chapter materials, including The People’s Report and campaign
collateral.
3.1.5 Press and media relations: Maintaining a local media list; drafting and distributing
press releases and media advisories; fielding press inquiries in coordination with
Steering Committee Co-Chairs or their designees.
3.1.6 Internal communications: Supporting clear communication to members about
meetings, decisions, campaigns, and political education opportunities, in coordination
with Membership, Political Education, Labor, Electoral, and other committees as
appropriate.
3.1.7 Digital security and accessibility: Promoting best practices for password
management, account access, and digital security; and working toward making chapter
communications and designs accessible (including alt text, captions, and screen-reader–
friendly formats) whenever feasible.
3.1.8 Publications and The People’s Report: Coordinating the regular creation, design,
editing, and distribution of The People’s Report as an official chapter publication;
soliciting, accepting, reviewing, and editing written and visual submissions from
members; and ensuring that published content is consistent with positions and
campaigns adopted by the General Membership and any editorial policies approved by
the chapter.
3.1.9 Protest messaging and art builds: Supporting creative messaging and visual design
for demonstrations and art builds (e.g., banners, posters, signage, chant sheets,
projections, and merchandise for chapter use), in collaboration with relevant
committees and working groups.
3.1.10 Multilingual communication: Striving, as capacity allows, to provide translations
of key public-facing materials, announcements, and resources (especially between
English and Spanish) when feasible and requested, and clearly indicating when
translations are available and how members and community members can request
them.
3.2 The Comms & Design Committee may propose communications and design policies
(e.g., branding and design guidelines, social media norms, account security practices,
and translation practices) to the Steering Committee and General Membership for
adoption.
3.3 The Comms & Design Committee does not have the authority to make political
endorsements, take new public positions, or contradict democratically adopted chapter
positions. Public statements that commit the chapter to a new political stance or
endorse candidates must follow the procedures in the bylaws and relevant resolutions.

Membership and Leadership
4.1 Membership in the Comms & Design Committee is open to all Savannah DSA
members in good standing who wish to contribute to communications and design work.
4.2 The Comms & Design Committee shall elect from among its members Co-Chairs,
responsible for convening meetings, coordinating work, and serving as the primary
liaisons to the Steering Committee. The Co-Chairs shall appoint a Secretary from among
the committee’s members, who is responsible for taking minutes, maintaining records,
maintaining access credentials and documentation, and submitting reports.
4.3 Committee officers shall be elected at a regularly noticed Comms & Design
Committee meeting and confirmed according to the procedures for committee
leadership in the chapter bylaws or standing rules. Committee officers are recallable by
a majority vote of the Comms & Design Committee membership, subject to appeal
under chapter grievance or conflict-resolution procedures.
4.4 The Comms & Design Committee shall strive for leadership that reflects the diversity
of the working class in Savannah and shall make deliberate efforts to recruit and
develop members from historically marginalized communities into communications and
design work and leadership.
4.5 The Comms & Design Committee may, by majority vote, designate additional
coordinators or leads from among its members to take responsibility for specific areas
of work, such as:
4.5.1 A Web Administrator responsible for day-to-day website updates and technical
maintenance;
4.5.2 A Social Media Coordinator responsible for organizing content and scheduling
across social platforms;
4.5.3 A Publications Editor (or editorial team) responsible for coordinating The People’s
Report and other publications, including managing member submissions in line with any
editorial policies adopted by the chapter; 3.5.4 A Design Lead or Creative Coordinator responsible for visual identity, design
templates, graphics, layouts, and support for protest art builds.
4.6 These coordinators are accountable to the Comms & Design Committee as a whole
and may be replaced or restructured by the committee as needed.

Accountability and Decision-Making
5.1 The Comms & Design Committee is accountable to the Savannah DSA General
Membership and Steering Committee. It is responsible for implementing democratically
adopted positions and priorities, not setting them unilaterally.
5.2 Routine posts and materials (event reminders, meeting announcements, live-posting
during events, sharing campaign materials already approved by the relevant committee,
updating the website, and routine design work consistent with existing campaigns and
policies) may be approved through procedures adopted by the Comms & Design
Committee, as long as they remain consistent with chapter positions and messaging
guidelines adopted by the General Membership or Steering Committee.
5.3 Public statements that:
5.3.1 Announce new chapter-wide initiatives,
5.3.2 Respond to major political developments in the name of the chapter, or
5.3.3 Have a reasonable likelihood of being interpreted as a new chapter position
must be coordinated with and approved by the Steering Committee or the General
Membership, consistent with chapter bylaws and policies.
5.4 Rapid response statements on major political developments:
5.4.1 Electorate and notice: The electorate shall be all members in good standing. The
24-hour clock starts when the Comms & Design Committee sends notice, with the
proposed position and draft messaging, to the chapter email list and posts it in official
channels.
5.4.2 Thresholds: A valid vote requires quorum per the bylaws (10 percent of members
in good standing). Adoption requires at least two-thirds approval of votes cast.
5.4.3 At 24 hours:
5.4.3.1 If quorum is met and two-thirds approve, the committee may issue the position
statement. 4.4.3.2 If quorum is met but two-thirds do not approve, no position statement is issued.
5.4.3.3 If quorum is not met, the committee may issue an informational notice that
acknowledges the development without taking a position.
5.4.4 Extended window: The ballot remains open for up to five (5) days from notice. If
within that period quorum is reached and two-thirds approve, the committee may issue
the position statement.
5.4.5 Issuance and recordkeeping: Approved statements are issued by the Co-Chairs (or
their designee) as the chapter’s spokespersons. The committee records totals and
turnout and reports to Steering and the next General Membership meeting. Statements
must be consistent with positions previously adopted by the General Membership and
the bylaws.
5.5 The Comms & Design Committee shall provide written or oral reports to each
General Membership meeting, summarizing recent work, upcoming plans, and any
proposals requiring membership decision.

Finances and Resources
6.1 All funds for communications and design work (e.g., website hosting, printing,
advertising, software subscriptions, design tools, and production of materials) shall be
held in and disbursed from Savannah DSA’s regular accounts under the supervision of
the Chapter Treasurer, in accordance with chapter financial policies and applicable law.
6.2 The Comms & Design Committee may:
6.2.1 Submit budget requests to the Treasurer and Steering Committee; and
6.2.2 Recommend communications- and design-related expenditures to the General
Membership and Steering Committee, which retain final authority over chapter
finances.
6.3 Any fundraising explicitly for communications or design projects shall be conducted
through normal chapter financial processes, and any funds raised shall remain the
property of Savannah DSA.