Learning event: Who are the Democratic Socialists of America?

The Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) have become important actors of the US body politic and, consequently, spur lively debate. This event provides an opportunity for Democrats in the Marseille/Aix-en-Provence area to gain a balanced understanding of the DSA. It will feature Drew Lombardi (bio below), who will present the background, attributes, and current status of the DSA, as well as answer questions about the organization. The talk will be moderated by Cole Stangler (bio below), American journalist living in Marseille, who has reported substantially on American and French politics. 

WHEN: Saturday, October 10, 2026 at 2 pm Paris Time.

WHERE: The location for the event will be at a private home in Marseille. The address and directions will be shared with confirmed guests. There will be refreshments. 

RSVP. Attendance will be limited to 30. However, there will be a waiting list and if the weather permits a larger outside gathering will be possible.

If you have questions you would like to have addressed during the event, please send them to [email protected].

Voter registration and voting assistance will be available on site.

 

Drew Lombardi has been a rank-and-file member of DSA since 2019. He was part of the core France for Bernie volunteer team during the 2020 Democratic Party primary, which helped mobilize volunteers and voters in both the US and abroad to deliver primary victories for Bernie Sanders. In 2021, he was elected and briefly served as Second and then First Vice Chair of Democrats Abroad France before stepping down due to a change in work status that required political neutrality. From 2020 to 2021, Drew was an active member of the DSA International Committee. 

In 2021, Drew and other former France for Bernie volunteers formed the DSA in France group, which remains informal due to administrative restrictions that preclude chapters abroad. DSA in France has nonetheless held or contributed to educational discussions and political and labor organizing efforts on the left in both the US and France.

Drew completed his master's at Sciences Po Paris in 2019 and subsequently worked at the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) in Paris as a policy analyst focused on addressing urban inequalities until September 2026. Before coming to France, he worked as a community liaison for former Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer. Prior to this, he worked in Boston and New York as an educator and organizer training high school and college students in political organizing skills. 

Cole Stangler is a French-American journalist based in Marseille, France covering politics and culture and a contributor to outlets such as The Nation, Foreign Policy, The New York Times, Mediapart and others. He is the author of Le Miroir américain (Les Arènes, 2025), Paris Is Not Dead (The New Press, Saqi Books, 2023) and La solidarité et ses limites : la CFDT et les travailleurs immigrés dans les années 68 (Arbre bleu, 2022). He also teaches classes on the media and French politics at the American College of the Mediterranean in Aix-en-Provence.

 

WHEN

Saturday, October 10, 2026 at 02:00 PM Paris Time

WHERE

Private home in Marseille. Address and directions will be shared with confirmed guests.
Marseille, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur
France
Google map and directions

CONTACT

Michel Welmond
[email protected]