Contemporary Labor Organizing in Washington State

This digital exhibit was created by the Winter 2023 cohort of Building a Movement (BAM) undergraduate interns at the UW Harry Bridges Center for Labor Studies. We wanted to highlight contemporary labor organizing efforts in Washington State and expand the definition of labor organizing by bringing attention to community activism that has not often been considered as a part of the labor movement. The goal of this exhibit is to showcase the richness of labor organizing and encourage community members, and especially UW students, to explore their own relationship to labor and labor activism.

Please visit our physical exhibit at the 2nd floor of Odegaard Libraries. Unfortunately, the Odegaard Libraries currently only grants access to UW faculty, students, and staff. However, we are in the process of arranging Community Hours for non-UW community members to access the physical exhibit. Please stay tuned and return to this link for more information!

The physical exhibit is available from April 1, 2023 to May 31, 2023.

Matt interned with UFCW 3000, the largest UFCW local in the U.S., with more than 50,000 members. They are best known to represent grocery store workers, but also cover other industries such as healthcare and cannabis workers.

He studies Politics, Philosophy, and Economics and has a pet bird!

Maya interned with the Rainbow Center, a LGBTQ2SA+ advocacy and community center in Tacoma. Through education, advocacy, and celebration they provide various resources and a safe place for LGBTQ2SA+ and BIPOC communities.

She studies Psychology with a minor in Gender and Sexuality Studies and is still slowly getting over her childhood fear of mascots.

Ben interned with Rainbow Center, a LGBTQ+ advocacy and community center in Tacoma. They provide various types of assistance and support, as well as a safe space for the LGBTQ+ and BIPOC communities.

Ben studies Labor Studies/Politics, Philosophy, & Economics. They are double jointed in both their arms which will cause people to sometimes think they broke them.

Alix interned with UAW 4121, who represents academic student workers across the UW campus, including Research Assistants, Teaching Assistants, Graders, Tutors, and more.

They study History and CHID with a Labor Studies minor, and their favorite animal is a grizzly bear.

Yolanda worked with UAW 4121, which is the Academic Student Employees and Postdocs Union at UW. It strives to increase minimum wage for the ASEs including RAs, TAs, Tutors, and Graders, and focuses on other agendas such as housing justice and child care benefits.

Yolanda studies JSIS and History and once, she got lost on UW campus in her senior year and still had to rely on google map having spend 4 years here.

Erika interned with Legacy of Equality, Leadership and Organizing (LELO), a multicultural organization with international ties, focusing on empowering low-income workers of color and providing knowledge about their rights.

Erika studies Political Science and Law, Societies, and Justice. She used to have a bag with her Chipotle order on it, but no longer likes Chipotle.

Ahshah interned with the Washington State Labor Council Racial Justice Committee. The Racial Justice Committee at WSLC is determined make the labor movement anti-racist and ensure economic and social justice for all.

She studies Nutrition at Public Health and she once sprained her ankle while sleeping...

Sophie worked with SEIU 1199 NW, a healthcare union that represents the interests of healthcare workers in various positions across Washington state.

She studies History and loves backpacking!

Kimberly worked with Massage Parlor Outreach Project (MPOP), which organizes for Asian migrant women massage workers and sex workers and is based in Chinatown ID.

They study Political Science and GWSS and likes to play the electric guitar.