LVDSA Mutual Aid Event – Free Brake Light Repair
As a part of their Mutual & Community Aid Priority, the Las Vegas chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America held a free brake light clinic on Saturday afternoon.
Outside Masjid As-Sabur, a local Mosque and community space in the Historic Westside, volunteers from LVDSA worked to replace brake lights and headlights for cars at no cost. Those that came out either heard about it ahead of time online or just happened to be driving by and saw signs held by volunteers.
One person there only found out they had a broken headlight that same day. “I saw it this morning, and I was immediately so worried about getting pulled over by police. Thank goodness this was here.” And they weren’t alone in their concern about the police. Las Vegas Metropolitan Police stop cars for non-functioning lights all the time. Ultimately this leads to unnecessary trauma and trouble, heavy fines, and unjust searches. In some tragic situations, it even escalates to the point of death.
LVDSA is well aware of this. In fact, it was one of their primary intentions when organizing the clinic. Shaun Navarro, a member of LVDSA’s steering committee, spoke about this clinic’s value to the community. “Cops use broken tail lights as a pretext to pull over folks. I think we fixed about fifteen lights so far; fifteen fixed lights would mean fifteen less dangerous interactions with police.”
Working With Other DSA Chapters to Organize the Event
Navarro also credited the event’s smooth operation to the New Orleans chapter of DSA, which successfully organized a brake light clinic and created a freely-available guide for other chapters or groups to plan a clinic of their own. In addition to this guide, LVDSA met virtually with a DSA chapter in Bakersfield, CA to learn from their experience with running a brake light clinic.
Regarding that discussion, one volunteer said, “The biggest takeaway was that we just had to get together and do it. We already have people willing to help; we just had to do it and get the ball rolling.”
This pairs nicely with a changing attitude across the US. Many Americans have given up on slow-moving elections and government to make headway on immediate issues in their community. Instead, they now seek to make direct change through their own efforts and organizing.
Shifting the Focus to Mutual Aid Efforts
People have been taking it into their own hands to ‘get the ball rolling.’ On a local level, LVDSA’s Mutual & Community Aid Priority is one reflection of that shift in attitude, as well, from LVDSA’s website: “The Mutual & Community Aid Priority Campaign aims to address some of the damages that capitalism has inflicted on all of us by reinforcing the value of solidarity, selflessness, and comradery, especially among those with shared struggle.”
Though the brake light clinic is a direct product of this priority, LVDSA has provided direct support for the houseless community in Vegas as well. Volunteers who care about the unhoused community in Las Vegas have taken to LVDSA events like the monthly Sunday Solidarity to aid people experiencing homelessness directly.
While DSA as a national organization is still widely criticized for its faith in electoralism, LVDSA seems to be heading in the right direction. Rather than waiting for the City of Las Vegas to provide relief for us on issues like housing or over-policing, LVDSA has chosen to get into the proverbial trenches and lead the community in building a better world through direct action.
#GetinMotion with LVDSA
There are many ways to get involved with the LVDSA! Visit their website at https://lvdsa.org/ to learn more, and follow them on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.
LVDSA also accepts donations for their general fund and mutual aid projects via Venmo @lasvegas-dsa-2. Just add a note stating “Sunday Solidarity” or “Mutual Aid” to specify what the donated funds are for.
