askchapo

Depends heavily on chapter from what I've seen. If they're the only organizing in your area you'll likely find a chapter undeveloped enough where if you aren't irritating you could easily influence it's political character. Watch out for SMC and Groundworks caucuses, those are the ideologically committed right-of-Menshiviks. NYCDSA is ran by their coalition for example. If your local chapter is ran by them, you're probably cooked. (Follow-up reading on this: https://cosmonautmag.com/2026/01/dredging-the-southern-earth-4-years-later)

Expect chauvinism and opportunism, comes with the territory, catch people on the way in and encourage political development towards your ideas, if you're luckily you'll find some somewhat ideological allies(Maoists/MLs -> Neo-Kauts/Trots from closest to furthest. Libertarian Socialists are somewhere in there depending on how much you like anarchism).

Godspeed and good luck.

I'm finally trying to do something about not being involved in any sort of real world organizing,

Yes it's worth it. Go to some meetings. Talk to people. Ask them questions and bring up your concerns. Maybe you'll be disappointed. Maybe you'll wind up somewhere else. But these are all necessary steps.

Apply to join PSL. Even if there isn't a branch, you can build one if you're willing to put in the effort.

Meet other marxists by any means neccesary. Mine is full of maoists and folks whose red line is democratic party entryism. Give them a shot, you might be pleasantly surprised. Get into a reading group. Its better than nothing (unless they're doing democratic party opportunism then it might be worse than finding something else but at least find some other marxists to talk to).

I left a few years ago. I'm considering rejoining. Not really because of anything they did but because I think it'll be useful to what I'm trying to do in labor organizing and maybe I can rejuvenate the chapter's political education program.

Red Star, a faction of the organization, has good politics if you're looking for comrades. Not sure how friendly they are but check them out.

DSA isn’t a political party so I’m not really sure what “joining” even means but probably worth checking out.

Yes, if anything you'll be closer to finding a group that may be a better fit for you, and there's nothing wrong with being a good influence on people who are more liberal than you.

My chapter is fairly big and in a fairly radical part of the US. So there's always other working groups wanting to do something other than electoralism even if thats still the most public. We're also big enough to have a standing reading group and mobilizer group which will sometimes host different social events for new members.

If your chapter is modestly big enough there should be some way for you to find out more. DSA is going through a growth spurt nationally so your local chapter should have surplus new members. If you're intrepid enough you could meet some and make a new working group.

National caucuses are basically not mentioned/invisible at the local level. Maybe in bigger cities that's different. But afaik most DSAers aren't in a caucus or even know all the different caucuses. Internal political divisions do tend to manifest by working group affiliation. Usually Labor and Electoral vs Everyone Else.

It really depends on the chapter and if you truly don't have any other options available. my local chapter has a lot of zionists, white people who don't think Indigenous people deserve land back, and other types of reactionaries posing as socialists. if I didn't have other organizing options, I still wouldn't work with them

If you find a good causus to join in your area sure