It was a hopeful, unifying, si se puede moment when the 300 delegates and guests closed the 31st CPUSA convention with a heartfelt rendering of  the International’s chorus calling on the working class and poor to “Rise up” and fight for “a better in world in birth.”

For the communists gathered in Chicago the focus was on assisting the defeat of Trump and Co. in next year’s election.  Basing itself on the concept that the extreme right’s defeat is “central to social progress,”  the convention prioritized electoral work as the party celebrates its 100th anniversary.

On the whole, the convention marked a turn in the party’s work toward greater initiative and activity.  In fact activity at the club, district and national level had gathered strength prior to the pre-convention period becoming a material force in the event itself as a rich exchange of experiences and ideas took place.

Coming on the heels of a national party building conference in 2017,  delegates identified issues like the Green New Deal, immigration, reproductive rights, and Medicare-for-All as key issues for involvement. Members were encouraged to work with existing coalitions and assist in the building of new ones where needed.

Noting the emergence of a socialist moment and welcoming the candidacy of Bernie Sanders as well as women, African American, Latino and labor oriented candidates, delegates decided to focus on issues and not endorse candidates other than the party’s own. Members were urged to run in local races.

In addition to mass work, strengthening the party’s outlook and organizational status was at the center of the convention’s deliberations.  A new draft political program that updated party’s outlook on current issues while reaffirming its revolutionary working-class character was reviewed. Significant improvements in developing consistent membership outreach, education and consolidation including club building in the period before the convention were emphasized as the convention adopted resolutions calling for additional measures including a department.

The party’s work among young people also received considerable attention as socialist sentiment has increased dramatically among millennials. Delegates agreed with demands for greater involvement in leadership of younger generations as well as taking steps to lay the basis for rebuilding the Young Communist League.

A “communist youth project” outlining concrete steps such as schools, conferences, campus focus etc was adopted.

An important focus in this regard is the CPUSA’s approach to social media where the lion’s share of its public engagement and recruitment takes place.  The convention reaffirmed the need for peoplesworld.org as well as cpusa.org and asked its young members to make it their own and find ways to relate it to the youth run Specter podcast.

A new National Committee was elected along with two co-chairs, Rossana Cambron and Joe Sims.

The convention affirmed that the 100th anniversary regional celebrations would be prioritized as close as possible to the party’s September birthday. Happy birthday CPUSA!