Albuquerque will host the inaugural Southwest Regional Socialism Conference this weekend, presented by The Party for Socialism and Liberation.
The free all-day event will run from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. on Saturday at N’MPower, located at 136 Washington St. SE.
Chris Banks, a member of the PSL Southwest chapter, said this is the first time a conference will be held in the region.
“After four years of being involved in the social justice movement in Albuquerque, we’re taking this very ambitious step to try to organize a socialist conference in the Southwest,” Banks said.
Gloria La Riva, convention speaker and Albuquerque native, was involved in the original founding of the PSL in June 2004, and ran for U.S. president in 2008 as a socialist candidate.
As an organization, the PSL believes in and works to create a system and society where the wealth that workers and farmers create can benefit all people, she said.
“To defeat capitalism and build a society of true peace and social justice, organization is needed, a party that embodies all the ideals of that new system and society, of socialism,” La Riva said. “And many people are wanting to know, just what is socialism? We think the conference will be an educational and inspiring event.”
The PSL is heavily involved in anti-war and anti-police brutality movements along with opposing racism and attacks on women’s rights, and supporting LGBTQ rights, La Riva said.
Banks stressed that the conference is not solely for activists or people who identify as socialists, but is open to anyone who wants to learn more about the ideology and the progressive movement in America and around the world.
“It’s a conference for every person who is opposed to endless war, racism, poverty, the destruction of the environment and all injustices,” Banks said. “All are welcome and there is no level of experience required, just a desire to create a better world — one based on cooperation, instead of the one we live in which is based on life-and-death competition.”
The schedule includes programs, panel discussions, workshops and presentations, including a keynote speech on the recent bombings in Syria, he said.
The speakers, some of whom are local, vary widely along with the topics they will address, he said.
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The conference begins at 9 a.m. with an opening from La Riva titled “The Exploited Will Fight Back!”
La Riva will also give a speech early in the day addressing issues regarding Latin America, Cuba and their governments’ role in making real changes within the region, she said.
Next on the agenda is Brian Becker, the national coordinator for Act Now to Stop War and End Racism, or A.N.S.W.E.R. Becker will speak on “Building a revolutionary movement in the U.S.: perspectives, strategies and tactics.”
Lunch will be provided to attendees with workshops beginning directly afterward, Banks said.
Subjects for the workshops include: “Putting an end to sexism and anti-LGBTQ bigotry,” “Busting the myths about socialism” and “Native resistance lives!” he said.
After the workshops a panel will be held, titled “Resisting the imperialist war machine.”
Speakers Eugene Puryear, who ran as La Riva’s vice president, and Preston Wood, a leading members of the PSL, will close out the event with a speech entitled “Next Steps in the Socialist Movement.”
Rebecca Hamilton, a member of Red Student Faction, said the organization will have a few of its members attending the conference.
Red Student Faction is a student organization, a leftist group in support of anti-colonial socialism and its uses to eradicate inequality in our society, she said.
Though not directly involved, the Red Student Faction is supportive of the conference coming to our region.
“We all think that socialism is important to introduce to the Southwest. We support Socialism and have some ideological similarities to PSL,” she said.
La Riva said socialism is important to the region and especially to Albuquerque, being one of the Southwest’s key economic and political centers.
“We have a rich history of struggle in this state, and being a native of Albuquerque I am very happy to see that we have such a dynamic presence, especially of young activists, who are so involved in many social justice causes,” she said. “Albuquerque and all New Mexico need a real change. We are up for the challenge.”
Matthew Reisen is a staff reporter at the Daily Lobo. He can be contacted at news@dailylobo.com, or on Twitter @DailyLobo.
