El Cafecito del Día

Understanding Diversity in the Latino Community

February is Black History Month, a time to pay tribute to and honor the legacies of Black and Afro-latino/a leaders, both past and present. Hear from Janella T. Hinds, an outstanding labor leader, long-standing LCLAA member, and Vice President for Academic High Schools for the United Federation of Teachers (UFT) to learn about her experience in the labor movement. Listen to learn more about the importance of centering Afro-Latino/a voices and intersectionality in the labor movement

Public Involvement: a Critical Tool for Unions and Community Activists

The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) is more than just an environmental law - it is a tool that helps advance civil rights. Hear from  Stephen Schima, the senior legislative council at EarthJustice to learn about how unions and community activists have utilized the law to create good paying union jobs and make environmental justice a reality.

Reweaving the Garment Industry: A conversation with the Garment Worker Center

Learn about the FABRIC Act - which stands for The Fashion Accountability and Building Real Institutional Change, and what it could mean for the Latino community. Hear from the executive director of the Garment Worker Center, and organization that supports Los Angeles garment workers as they transform the fashion industry to eliminate sweatshop labor.
 

Our Voices Decide: AARP on the 2022 Midterm Elections

We share this Cafecito with Maggie Castro, Senior Audience Manager for Hispanic Latino Strategies of AARP. AARP is the nation’s largest organization dedicated to empowering people 50 and older to choose how they live as they age. With a nationwide presence and nearly 38 million members, AARP is a non-profit and non-partisan organization that strengthens communities and advocates for what matters most to families: health security, financial stability and personal fulfillment. To learn more, visit www.aarp.org or follow @AARP and @AARPadvocates on social media. 
 

Everything You Need to Know about the Illinois Workers Rights Amendment

Illinois ballots in the November election will include a vote on an amendment to the state's constitution known as the Workers' Rights Amendment, or Amendment 1, but what does it do and why does it matter? Listen to this bilingual episode to hear from Secretary-Treasurer of the Chicago Federation of Labor Don Vilar and Jose Alcala, President of Painter's Local 184 and LCLAA’s Chicago Metro Chapter to learn more!

Unionizing while Undocumented: What You Need to Know!

Did you know that undocumented folks can benefit from the higher wages, benefits and protections that come with a union contract? In this episode, we interview AFL-CIO Immigration and Labor specialist Stephanie Sepulveda to breakdown a recently released guidance by the Department of Labor for undocumented workers engaged in labor disputes. Listen in to learn more about deferred action and other legal protections granted to undocumented folks that speak out against unfair working conditions!

No Contract, No Coffee! A Conversation with Starbucks Union Leaders

Hear from Sam Amato and Christian Miranda, two Starbucks union leaders, about their fight for better wages and living conditions. Sam worked at Starbucks for 13 years before he was fired in retaliation for his union leadership. After watching management fire him in the cafe, Sam's coworkers immediately walked out on strike. Christian's leadership led to the second Starbucks union win in Miami Springs, Florida.

Women in the Trades: Resilience, Sisterhood & Mentorship

In 2021, the Bureau of Labor Statistics found that Latinos made up 9% of all union members - and that there were roughly 1 million fewer women in the movement when compared to their male counterparts. It is clear that Latinas are under-represented in these spaces. Hear the stories of two Latina leaders in the trades, Liliana Calderon and Cristina Barillas-McEntee, as they share their stories of resilience, sisterhood and mentorship.

The Fight for Housing Justice in Virginia: A Conversation with Tenants and Workers United

Housing costs have continued to rise across the United States. In this cafecito, we focus on Northern Virginia’s housing issues with Evelin Urrutia, Executive Director of Tenants and Workers United. We discuss their work, the current local housing policies in place, and what housing justice would mean for our Latino working class communities.

Women in the Labor Movement: Alejandra Morales Reynoso

In this cafecito, we discuss the historic independent union win that happened this past February in Silao Guanajuato, Mexico. 6400 workers at a General Motors plant voted to be represented by SINTTIA, an Independent Union of Auto Industry Workers. This episode includes an interview with the organizations’ secretary general, Alejandra Morales Reynoso. Our conversation was conducted in her native language, Spanish – but at the end, I provide a summary of our conversation in English. The collective sheds light on previous leadership and how their failure led to the historic nomination of a new union representative, SINITTA.