Please say hello to the new Steering Committee. The new Administrative Committee was elected on March 14th. The Administrative Committee is composed of six officers, whose duties are defined in the chapters’ constitution. The Branch Reps were all elected by their branches on April 10th. You can read more about them below:
Chi Anunwa, Co-chair
Chi Anunwa was one of the founders and lead organizers of NYC-DSA’s campaign for single payer healthcare. She joined DSA in early 2017 and has also served on the organizing committees of the South Brooklyn branch and the Socialist Feminist working group. Originally from New Jersey, she is a first generation Nigerian-American who loves to make a good to-do list.
Sumathy Kumar, Co-chair
Sumathy Kumar has been organizing in New York City since 2014. She is a housing organizer and joined DSA in 2018. Before becoming co-chair she was on the organizing committees for the Afrosocialist and Socialists of Color Caucus and the Central Brooklyn Branch. When she’s not organizing, she’s pouring her frustrations about capitalism into baking projects.
Annalisa Wilde, Secretary
Annalisa is a Central Brooklyn member who found hope through knocking doors for Bernie and hasn’t stopped since. While Annalisa most enjoys talking to voters on their doorsteps about how we’re going to take down landlords, when she is not doing that they are writing agendas, newsletters, recruiting for admin work, or streamlining inputs for things like the calendar and social media team.
You can contact Annalisa at info [at] socialists.nyc
Devin McManus, Treasurer
Devin has been a member of NYC-DSA since 2017, and during that time he has supported our data and field programs for candidates such as Julia Salazar, Tiffany Cabán, and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. Devin works for Blue State as an analyst and in his free time he is learning how to swim.
Contact Devin at treasurer [at] socialists.nyc
James N, Working Group Coordinator
James N joined DSA in December 2016 and has supported internal organizing and member development at the branch level, electoral campaigns, and issue-based campaigns like Public Power (publicpower.nyc). As Working Group Coordinator, James supports NYC-DSA’s working groups in developing campaigns and carrying out their work.
You can contact him at WGCoordinator [at] socialists.nyc
Marian Jones, Membership Coordinator
Marian Jones is the membership coordinator. She has been a member of DSA since 2017. Most of her work in DSA has been on political education, specifically regarding issues of gender, race, and class. Marian is originally from California.
Marsha Niemeijer, Labor Branch Representative
Marsha Niemeijer is the Steering Committee representative for the Labor Branch. Marsha joined DSA in 2017. She was elected to the first NYC CLC, as well as the first Steering Committee for the national DSA Democratic Socialist Labor Commission. Marsha has been active in the socialist revolutionary left since the early 2000s, when she also became involved in the troublemaking wing of the labor movement by joining the Labor Notes staff. She currently works as a Labor Educator for a union. Marsha lives in Brooklyn, with her partner and teenage daughter, both who are also DSA members. You can contact Marsha at labor [at] socialists.nyc.
Jake Colosa, Young Democratic Socialists of America Representative
Jake is the YDSA Steering Committee representative. As a history student at NYU, Jake hopes to become a rank-and-file teacher after he graduates from school. Prior to being elected to the Steering Committee he has served as the YDSA Liaison for the Lower Manhattan branch, delegate to the NYC-DSA Convention, and NYU YDSA organizing committee member. Jake hopes to continue the rapid growth of YDSA chapters in NYC and foster greater communication and collaboration between chapters across campuses and between YDSA and DSA.
Are you a student? Join YDSA and organize with us! You can contact Jake at ydsa [at] socialists.nyc.
Lichi D’Amelio, Bronx/Upper Manhattan Branch Representative
Lichi D’Amelio is the Steering Committee representative for the Bronx/Upper Manhattan Branch. Lichi joined DSA in 2018 after realizing that AOC – and before her, Bernie – had completely changed the game for the left and we had an opportunity to think much bigger than previously imagined. Lichi kicked off the Bernie subcommittee for the Electoral Working group in her branch, was elected to her branch’s Organizing Committee, and enjoys door-knocking for socialist candidates. Lichi works in the housing unit of a legal service organization and is an 1199 union member.
You can contact Lichi at bronx.uptown [at] socialists.nyc.
Susan Kang, Queens Branch Representative
Susan Kang is the Steering Committee representative for the Queens Branch. Susan joined DSA in January 2017 and has been active in the Queens Electoral Working Group, contributing to the branch’s canvassing efforts for Bernie Sanders, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Tiffany Cabán. She works as an associate professor of political science at CUNY and is the mother of two young children. Susan lives in Jackson Heights, the best neighborhood in New York City.
You can contact Susan at queens [at] socialists.nyc.
Nina Svirsky, Lower Manhattan Branch Representative
Nina Svirsky is the Steering Committee representative for the Lower Manhattan Branch. Nina joined DSA in January 2018 and helped found the NYU Young Democratic Socialists of America chapter. Prior to being elected to the SC, she served as Co-Chair of NYC YDSA and helped launch the national YDSA for Bernie campaign. This year marks her third term on the Citywide Leadership Committee. She is currently studying to become a public-school math teacher. Nina grew up in the Lower East Side, loves to dance, and looks forward to building working-class power in NYC.
You can contact Nina at lower.manhattan [at] socialists.nyc.
Jeremy Cohan, North Brooklyn Branch Representative
Jeremy Cohan is the Steering Committee Representative for the North Brooklyn branch. Jeremy joined DSA in November 2016. He has been active in political education as a founder of the North Brooklyn Night School, in student organizing as a founder of the NYU and SVA YDSAs, and as a foot soldier for our electoral, healthcare, and housing campaigns. He is a professor of sociology at the School of Visual Arts, and is working on his book on neoliberal education reform and the 2012 Chicago teachers strike. He loves his cat Mimi – with whom he is bonding nonstop during this pandemic and his building’s rent strike – as well as literature, philosophy, and music.
You can contact Jeremy at north.brooklyn [at] socialists.nyc.
Fainan Lakha, Central Brooklyn Branch Representative
Fainan Lakha is the Steering Committee Representative for the Central Brooklyn Branch. Fainan joined DSA in January 2019 when she was working as a tenant advocate inspired by the powerful role Julia Salazar was playing in the housing justice movement. Fainan joined the organizing committee for the Healthcare Working Group shortly after, and helped lead the successful campaign to pressure Hakeem Jeffries to cosponsor Medicare for All. She now works as campaign manager for DSA endorsed candidate Jabari Brisport.
You can contact Fainan at central.brooklyn [at] socialists.nyc.
Asher Ross, South Brooklyn Branch Representative
You can contact Asher at south.brooklyn [at] socialists.nyc.
Julie Bowen, Staten Island Branch Representative
Julie joined DSA in 2017 and was one of the earliest members of the Staten Island Branch. She is the Steering Committee and CLC Rep for Staten Island. She has been a delegate to the NYC and National Conventions. She is also involved in various WG’s like SocFem and Healthcare. When not talking politics, she can be found with the cats in her feral cat colony. Her charity, Planned Kittenhood, has the motto “Spay the Strays and Neuter the Suitors!” She also likes to knit and crochet.
You can contact Julie at staten.island [at] socialists.nyc.