MP

I think it’s extremely important for the DSA and its members to be talking about the role of the justice system in everyday people’s lives. The justice system, especially in the lives of poor and working folks, is very present. I think that it’s really important to talk about the role that capital plays in the justice system, oftentimes a corrosive and really corrupting influence — the cash bail industry, for-profit prisons, tech industries’ surveillance and policing, all pushing back against the notion that a lot of these problems can be solved through more of a social work model. More of an understanding and empathetic view toward the folks who are accused of committing crimes. Or are impoverished and resort to theft. Are depressed and resort to drug use. So I think it’s extremely important for the DSA and its members to really focus on the justice system and think about how we can make an impact within the judiciary.

When I ran, a lot of folks were saying, “District judge, there’s twelve of you in the city, forty-six of you in the county, you really don’t get to make an impact. You really should just run for legislature. Don’t run for district judge, there’s not an opportunity to make change there.”

Those same folks who were saying, “You can’t make an impact as a district judge,” once I was in office, immediately were up in arms over the impact I was making. They felt the impact immediately. That’s the trick that the political establishment wants to play: “Don’t do this now, do something else later because you can have more impact.” But once you get in there, they realize things can work differently and better.

Socialism in America is growing because people are ready for change that benefits the majority, not just the few. And they see socialism as a genuine, real response to that demand.

DSA-endorsed candidates are talking about the issues that matter to people. They’re really focusing on issues that resonate with people across geographic and socioeconomic landscapes. My district is extremely diverse: we have affluent neighborhoods, we have neighborhoods of primarily people of color, low-income neighborhoods, working civil-servant neighborhoods. But when I’m knocking on doors, I can relate to everybody about addiction and how it’s impacted their lives directly. DSA-endorsed candidates are talking about issues that relate to everybody and bring people together.