More than 3,500 LGBTQ+ activists convened in New Orleans on Jan. 17-21 for the annual Creating Change Conference, a one-of-a-kind organizing and skills-building event.
For the first time, the program included an all-day Labor Institute, which was coordinated by Pride at Work, the AFL-CIO constituency group that builds power for LGBTQ+ workers. The institute was comprised of workshops and panels led by members of multiple unions, including the USW, SEIU, Unite Here, AFA-CWA, UFCW, and more.
Pride at Work Co-President Brittani Murray, who is also a member of USW Local 3657, helped lead the institute and spoke on a panel about the intersections of queer, Black, and labor liberation.
“The diversity in the room shed light on our cultural differences, but also on our connections, and how we can utilize both to build an even stronger, more inclusive movement going forward,” Murray said. “At the end of the day, the time is now to stand up as working people, to recognize each other and our humanity, and to stop letting divisive talking points keep us from enacting the labor laws and rights that this movement has uplifted for decades.”
Learn more about Pride at Work by visiting www.prideatwork.org.