Author: Libertarian Socialist Caucus of DSA San Diego

By the San Diego Libertarian Socialist Caucus’ Mutual Aid Committee

As socialist organizers, we know that building collective power is relationship building, and mutual aid is a critical component of doing so. At the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic and the shelter-in-place orders, the Libertarian Socialist Caucus recognized an immediate need, as well as an opportunity to build camaraderie, and thus began our Grocery Shopping project. 

What has blossomed forth is so much more than the organizers could’ve hoped, thanks to the work of dedicated coordinators, and the people who comprise the network. However, our work is far from over. The worsening COVID-19 crisis in San Diego is taking its toll on working class people. With quarantine being in full […]

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What is Mutual Aid?

Mutual aid is an organizational strategy with the goal of building the strength and resilience of a given community through the reciprocal exchange of goods and/or services. The core value that undergirds mutual aid projects is one of reciprocity, as opposed to charity, where aid typically flows only in one direction. 

The practice of mutual aid has existed since hunter-gatherer societies, where individuals within a collective unit provided various skills to contribute to the success of the whole. In a more modern context, mutual aid structures have been built in times of crisis, hardship, and when existing civic institutions have withdrawn from a given community. Some more recent examples of mutual aid can be found in […]

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