Houston socialist group to open organizing center
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Party for Socialism and Liberation Houston chapter members working on the new center. Photo: Courtesy of PSL Houston.
The Houston chapter of the Party for Socialism and Liberation (PSL) is opening an community center early this year.
Why it matters: The Houston Liberation Center in the Wayside/Gulfgate area will be a base that can be used for organizing, political education and cultural programming — at a time when a lot of organizing happens in the digital space.
How it works: The mission for the center is functioning both as a drop-in community space that has Wi-Fi and a venue for scheduled programming — from working class organizing to film screenings.
- The roughly 2,100-square-foot space at 2903 Telephone Road will be run by PSL volunteers. The layout includes a large room that can seat 60-70 people.
- A fundraising effort for the center is ongoing. The organization declined to disclose local membership numbers and the cost of the center.
What they're saying: "We want it to be a free third space where people can come in, read a book, hang out, work — and also engage in political education and organizing and learn about the fight for a socialist future, which is what the PSL is focused on," Vivek Venkatraman, an organizer with PSL Houston, tells Axios, adding he hopes visitors are "nourished."
Flashback: The PSL Houston chapter, formed more than seven years ago, has organized or supported efforts tied to the Palestinian movement, opposition to the state takeover of Houston ISD, advocacy around deaths in custody at the Harris County Jail, and anti-war organizing, including recent protests tied to Venezuela.
State of play: Houston's center joins a national network of PSL-affiliated "liberation centers" operating in cities including Austin, San Antonio, Dallas–Fort Worth and others nationwide.
- The Party for Socialism and Liberation is a national political organization focused on socialist organizing, anti-war efforts and labor rights.
Zoom out: Texas remains largely Republican, with state leaders pushing for deeper GOP control through congressional redistricting. Gov. Greg Abbott has vowed to spend millions to turn Harris County "dark red."
What's next: The group expects to open the space in the coming months.