I delivered a version of this speech yesterday evening as I chaired my first general body meeting of the Austin Democratic Socialists of America. I hope you’ll join us as we do the challenging & enriching work of building the socialist movement in the United States.

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Good evening comrades—

Welcome to the first Austin DSA general body meeting of the 2026-27 term. Whether it’s your first meeting or your hundredth, you’re right where you’re supposed to be. I’m Andrew Hairston, one of your chapter co-chairs from 2026 to 2027.

The road to the Austin DSA Leadership Committee – much like my broader journey to socialism – undulated. As a child, I received instruction in Black Baptist churches across the American South and Midwest that reinforced that every person deserves authentic dignity simply because they are breathing. Accordingly, I intrinsically fought for housing, healthcare, education, public spaces, and meaningful democratic governance for all across my life – even if I didn’t explicitly call myself as socialist until 2021. In my mid-thirties, I now look back on what I did across the decades – fighting against the death penalty in college and for racial justice after the murder of Trayvon Martin – and recognize that it all fit within the traditions of socialism and Black liberation. 

I am well accustomed to the joy & pain of this journey. I ran for office as a proud & open socialist in Texas at the ages of 30 & 34. I technically lost both contests, but I gained so much in the process. I achieved deep clarity that the fight for a true public infrastructure, rooted in the demands of a multiracial, multigender, multinational movement of working people, is where I intend to devote my energy for the rest of my life. 

I found a political home here within Austin DSA as I matured. As one of your 2026-27 co-chairs, I am especially so excited to give back to a chapter that has brought so much good into my life. I saw our Afrosocialists and Socialists of Color Caucus come back to life with full force, marching alongside my fellow congregants from Ebenezer Third Baptist Church in the MLK Day & Juneteenth parades. As I testified against draconian school discipline bills in the Texas Legislature in 2025, I existed in parallel with comrades who were speaking up for queer liberation, trans rights, & bodily autonomy in the halls of the Texas State Capitol – and against the corrupt school voucher scam. I joined a picket line organized by Starbucks Workers United, as well as one in front of Rebel Cheese.

I witnessed campaigns like Austin Against Apartheid continue to grow and sustain themselves. That being said, please visit Lau Lau and the other amazing organizations that have signed onto the apartheid-free zone pledge. I beheld initiatives like our neighborhood organizing committees admirably work hard to meet comrades where they are. I’ve seen comrades build relationships, organize, and nimbly respond to the forces of privatization & fascism that characterize this moment. I’m honored to continually do all of these things in my own way, with the recognition that greater depth and breadth await us all.

Whatever brought you in – Palestinian liberation, the need for abortion access for all, opposition to America’s endless imperial wars, or electoral campaigns here in Texas or across the country (Zohran’s primary victory was pretty much a year ago)  – know that it is indeed just the beginning. I commend you for taking that step with clarity and conviction to come here tonight – whether in-person or over Zoom – and do the work with other socialists. The educator and prison abolitionist, Mariame Kaba, reminds  us of the timeless wisdom that no one does it alone. As you embark upon the challenging, yet enriching work of organizing here with Austin DSA, be reminded that your efforts – no, ours – will yield a better world.

When the world feels exceptionally heavy, join comrades at a socialist happy hour to debrief & unwind. When you need to take a break from cracking the nut of a trickier element of a campaign, run, hike, or play a video game with comrades. When you are tired, please rest and know that comrades got you. When you encounter the inevitable conflict that comes in any human institution, approach comrades on a timeline that feels right and be open to embarking upon roads of vulnerability & repair. I am honored to be with y’all, striving as the imperfect human I am toward the socialist future that I know awaits us. I can’t wait to witness what we’ll do together in 2026, 2027, & beyond. Solidarity forever.