The year 2024 marked a significant turning point for the Detroit Club, as it undertook transformative structural changes, strengthened its partnerships with key community organizations, and worked to implement a committee-based approach to address critical areas of mass work: peace, labor, and community organizing. In anticipation of a national election year, the club strategically integrated electoral work into each committee’s efforts, ensuring that our work aligned with the broader struggle against the rising tide of fascism.

By adopting a committee structure, the club aimed to empower members to focus on areas of mass work they were most passionate about, while maintaining a centralized framework to ensure cohesion and alignment. Each committee concentrated on specific struggles and organizations, ensuring that their efforts were both consistent and impactful. At our recent club conference, they gave reports on their respective areas of work, detailing the terrain of struggle and the major challenges facing the working class and people of Detroit and Michigan.

Committee highlights

Our Labor Committee discussed the local labor scene, as well as the broader trade union movement, highlighting the ongoing fight back against the consolidation of fascism under the Trump administration and its network of oligarchs. Last year, the committee organized strike support, including for Teamsters Local 283 at Marathon in Southwest Detroit. Its members also held educationals and workshops on Project 2025 with the Detroit Union Education League, and circulated People’s World at workplaces, union halls, and picket lines. One of our club members ran a campaign for their local union office and nearly won the election.

The Peace Committee detailed the crisis of imperialism, sharing insights into the Move the Money Coalition’s efforts, the long-standing struggle against genocide in Palestine, and the ruling class’ continued hostility toward Cuba.

The Community Committee highlighted their work in building lasting alliances with Detroiters for Tax Justice (DFTJ) and the Detroit Tenants Association (DTA), focusing on empowering Detroiters to reclaim their wealth and strengthen their institutions, rather than allowing resources to remain concentrated in the hands of a privileged few.

Strengthening relationships, building alliances

Throughout the year, the Detroit Club prioritized building consistent and mutually beneficial relationships with grassroots organizations. Early in 2024, the club reconnected with the General Baker Institute (GBI), a historic and revolutionary institution dedicated to providing a community space for working class Detroiters. In collaboration with GBI and the Detroit Union Education League (D.U.E.L.), the club hosted several events, including an educational panel on Project 2025 and a discussion on Comrade Bennet Shoops’ new book, Half the World: A Century of Communist Women’s Writing.

Our club strived to build working class unity in the fight against fascism at the electoral level. During early voting, comrades volunteered with the A. Philip Randolph Institute to support voter outreach efforts, ensuring Detroiters had access to essential information about polling locations, required materials, and early voting options. However, we did not mobilize enough to meet the political moment. Moving forward, the Detroit club must remain committed to unity with grassroots and labor organizations as we approach the Detroit elections this year.

The national elections

The 2024 national election year brought new challenges and complexities to the club’s work. Recognizing Detroit’s historically low voter turnout — a result of undemocratic and racist voter suppression tactics, as well as widespread distrust of ruling class political institutions — the club made it a priority to ensure that Detroiters’ voices were heard. Over the summer, comrades distributed informational pamphlets and electoral materials across neighborhoods, sparking conversations about critical issues such as democratic rights, labor rights, and peace. These efforts also provided an opportunity to introduce the People’s World print edition, which was well received in union locals, coffee shops, campuses, and homes throughout the city.

While the 2024 election results were troubling, the club remains steadfast in its commitment to organizing against the new administration’s efforts to consolidate fascist rule under a regime characterized by racism, transphobia, xenophobia, and chauvinism. Despite these challenges, the strengthened unity, expanded membership, and community participation are a testament to our resilience and dedication to our working class.

Looking ahead

In 2025, the Detroit Club’s work is more critical than ever. Fascism must be defeated, our immigrant communities defended, and our trade unions mobilized to fight back.

Our new proposed plan of work reflects this urgency, emphasizing clarity, focus, and adherence to the democratic centralist nature of the Communist Party USA. Together, we will continue to build on the foundation laid by the past and advance the struggle for peace, equality, democracy, and socialism.

Images: Detroit CPUSA

Comments