Dungeons, dragons and democratic socialists: a leftist fundraiser in Hollywood

Six far-left candidates in Los Angeles municipal elections played an election-themed Dungeons & Dragons game at the Fonda Theatre before about 400 people. The event featured candidates endorsed by the Los Angeles chapter of Democratic Socialists of America and raised $30,000 in campaign contributions. The fundraiser emphasized voter engagement over large-scale fundraising, using the game to introduce the slate to a wider audience. The unconventional format was described as building community between voters and candidates, increasing investment in the race. Participants were characterized as becoming activated and more engaged, rather than only writing checks. Dungeons & Dragons involves creating fantasy characters and using dice to determine outcomes of actions and arguments.

"Dressed in witch hats and long green robes, and bathed in spooky red light, six far-left candidates in the Los Angeles municipal elections June 2 played an election-themed Dungeons & Dragons game at the Fonda Theatre before 400 people. The event, starring candidates endorsed by the L.A. chapter of Democratic Socialists of America, raised $30,000 in campaign contributions - small change compared to the millions of dollars hauled in at the star-studded fundraisers Los Angeles is famous for."

"But this event was less about hauling in cash than about engaging D&D aficionados with the DSA's progressive politics. "It was exciting to introduce our slate of candidates to a wider audience," said Leslie Chang, co-chair of the socialist group's Los Angeles chapter. Kamy Akhavan, managing director of the USC Dornsife Center for the Political Future, said the unconventional nature of the event creates community between voters and their candidates, getting them invested in the race and making them more likely to donate, vote and get their friends and family involved."

""The people who participate in this experience are not just passively writing a check to a candidate. Those people have become activated to become more engaged in the campaign," Akhavan said. Dungeons & Dragons is a tabletop roleplaying game where players create fantasy characters and roll dice to determine whether their actions, like a sword attack or a persuasive argument, are successful against their foes."

Read at Los Angeles Times