Speakers
- Valerie Wilson (Moderator), Economic Policy Institute
- Tarn Goelling, International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers
- William Jones, University of Minnesota
- Tanya Wallace-Gobern, National Black Worker Center
Session Description
The plenary will educate conference attendees about the history of Black, Latinx and AAPI workers’ involvement in labor unions and labor organizing and the important role labor unions can play in proactively advancing racial and gender equity in the labor market. The panel will also address constructive ways for the labor movement to reconcile those goals with its own complex history of racism and sexism.
Welcome and introductions
- Dave Cooper, Economic Policy Institute
- Blaine Griffin, Cleveland City Council
- Amanda Posson, Every Texan
Keynote speaker
Speakers
- Daniel Ortiz, Policy Matters Ohio (Moderator)
- Isbel Alvarado, Central Ohio Worker Center
- Colleen Damerell, Northeast Ohio Worker Center
- Bree Easterling, Policy Matters Ohio
- Hannah Halbert, Policy Matters Ohio
- J Sanchez, Columbus Education Association
- Gabe Santohir, Starbucks Workers United
Session Description
Our opening plenary will welcome you to Cleveland and ground this conference in the work being done in Ohio to rebuild worker power and civic engagement. Ohio has a rich history of worker-led movements for economic justice. The newest incarnations of those movements are inspiring change every day, and we will hear speakers from some of those efforts this evening.
The Executive Directors’ Strategy Meeting is an opportunity for leaders from the network to strengthen relationships; learn about their peers’ work; learn about EPI’s projects and plans for EARN; and strategize together on how we can drive progressive economic and racial justice policymaking at the state and local level.
Speakers
- Anu Kumar (Moderator), Economic Analysis and Research Network (EARN)
- Caitlin Johnson, Policy Matters Ohio
- Elaine Mejia, Topos Partnership
- Maki Somosot, Ohio Organizing Collaborative
Session Description
This session will explore the use of the Race Class Narrative with organizers from Ohio, describe key lessons from narrative research, and will discuss how to develop an effective narrative strategy in your locality to push for pro-worker policies.