On Aug. 21, the SoCal Black Worker Hub and the organizations’ California Black Worker Outreach Project (CWOP) hosted the the #EchoBlackVoices CWOP 4.0 Black August Event, at The Beehive.
The Black-owned venue in the historic Goodyear Tract of South L.A., set the stage for organizations and community partners to celebrate the progress made in improving working conditions, recruitment, training, and retention of Black workers across the state’s industries.
One hundred and fifty attendees from across San Diego, Los Angeles, and Long Beach, as well as the Inland Empire and High Desert, gathered to network, socialize, and learn about ongoing efforts to tackle anti-Blackness in the workplace, including Senate Bill 1340 and the importance of self-care practices. Key presentations included a preview of the 2024 #EchoBlackVoices Docu-Series (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=my5DXNar_CI) , which profiles 19 Black workers; the results of a survey of California’s Black workers; and a discussion by labor leaders and stakeholders moderated by actor and activist Kendrick Sampson.
Related Stories:
The history of Black August was also shared as a commemoration of the murder of political prisoner George Jackson, who was fatally shot while incarcerated at San Quentin on Aug. 21, 1971. Today, Black August is observed with events honoring the tradition of resistance against anti-Black violence and systemic oppression.
Dawn Modkins, director of the Southern California Black Worker Hub, highlighted the need for Senate Bill 1340, which has been in limbo for years, and if signed by Governor Newsom, would provide localized and timely responses to reports of discrimination against Black workers.
“Currently, when someone experiences discrimination … the only resource is the State Human Rights Department, and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission,” said Modkins.
“They are bottlenecked for eight months, just to talk to someone about whether or not you have a case. We are sending a message to [the governor] to sign the bill this time; we have been waiting for far too long.”
The Black Worker Survey, conducted through a partnership between the UCLA Center for Advancement of Racial Equity (CARE) at Work and the SoCal Black Worker Hub, provided data from 1,300 Black workers across the Southern California region, painting a picture of their experiences, and contributions to the state’s workforce and economy.
“This overall research is meant to explain what Black workers are experiencing in terms of ability to be promoted and have career advancement,” said Déjà Thomas, CARE program manager at the UCLA Labor Center.
“It translates directly into our economy and how we’re all able to support each other.”
The panel discussion featured perspectives and solidarity among Black workers and Latino and Asian workers in California. Participants included Anthony Holmes, a sanitation worker for the City of Long Beach; Gisele Fong, senior program manager for inclusive community development, The California Endowment; Jorge Placencia, California Coalition for Worker Power; Kevin Cosney, co-founder and associate director, California Black Power Network; and Simboa Wright, vice president, SEIU 721.
Sampson, who is featured in the Emmy-nominated series, “Insecure,” co-founded BLD PWR, which includes a production company and social impact arm whose mission is to organize Hollywood, “shifting the culture toward nourishing and protecting nuanced Black, Indigenous, and marginalized leaders, especially storytellers and their stories.”
Cosney highlighted not only the importance of voter participation to bring about change, but the responsibility of workers to take their message straight to the top.
“…What our work is about is making sure that the people show up day in and day out,” he said. “You don’t get six-pack abs by getting a gym membership, you go to the gym and work it out.
“So, go vote at the polls,” urged Cosney. “But on the next day, go to city council. Go to Sacramento. Engage your legislators, engage your representatives in Congress. They need to hear from us. We can’t make them come down here all the time – we wish they would. But if they’re not going to come to us, we’re going to bring it to them.”
