March 5, 2018
Harry Bridges Center for Labor Studies to hold ‘Re-imagining Solidarity’ conference March 10
Immigrant rights, environmental concerns and racial, class, gender and sexual justice will be the focus of a daylong conference hosted by the Harry Bridges Center for Labor Studies at the University of Washington.
The conference, gathering activists, academics, union leaders and policymakers, is titled “Re-Imagining Solidarity: Fighting for Social Justice Amidst the Crisis for Democracy.” It will be held from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, March 10, in Kane 225, the Walker-Ames Room.
Megan Ming Francis, UW associate professor of political science, will moderate a panel discussion on “Transforming Politics as Usual: Electoral Politics.” Participants will be Dulce Gutiérrez of the Yakima City Council, Rosalinda Guillen of Community to Community Development, Washington State Rep. Bob Hasegawa (D — Seattle) and Nikkita Oliver of the Seattle Peoples Party.
Sarah Quinn, UW assistant professor of sociology, will moderate a panel discussion on “Retaking Ownership of the Company Town.” Participants will be Kshama Sawant of the Seattle City Council, Nicole Grant of the M. L. King County Labor Council, KJ Moon of the Democratic Socialists of America and Matt Remle of Mazaska Talks.
Author and activist Jonathan Rosenblum will moderate a panel discussion on “Challenging Strategies for Advancing Social Justice Unionism.” Others participating are Faye Guenther of the United Food and Commercial Workers, Local 21; Eunice How of UNITE-HERE, Local 8; Dean McGrath of the International Longshore and Warehouse Union, Local 23; Sandy Restrepo of Colectiva Legal del Pueblo; and Rev. John Stean of the Ebenezer A.M.E. Zion Church in Seattle.
The welcoming and closing remarks will be by Michael McCann, UW professor of political science and director of the Harry Bridges Center. Lynne Dodson of the Washington State Labor Council, AFL-CIO will provide some opening remarks, followed by the opening keynote address by activist and author Bill Fletcher, Jr. The lunchtime keynote address will be by Kent Wong, author, activist, and director of the UCLA Labor Center.
The conference is dedicated, promotion notes say, “to conversations among local activists on ways to join commitments and collaborate on transformative projects fighting for social justice, racial justice, gender justice and workers’ empowerment in the current political moment.”
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For more information, call 206-543-7946 or email hbcls@uw.edu. Press interested in attending or interviewing participants may contact organizer Michael McCann at mwmccann@uw.edu.
Tag(s): College of Arts & Sciences • Department of Political Science • Department of Sociology • Harry Bridges Center for Labor Studies • Megan Ming Francis • Michael McCann • Sarah Quinn
