For 75 minutes on Wednesday night, June 24, an esteemed group of speakers and some of the best minds in labor, economics, and the environment came together for our latest Just Transition Listening Project webinar: Black Workers and Just Transition.
In the form of a TV talk show, the webinar was hosted by author and syndicated columnist Bill Fletcher Jr., and included an interview with Jhacova Williams, economist for the Program on Race, Ethnicity and the Economy (PREE) of the Economic Policy Institute, as well as a roundtable discussion with Nia Winston, General Vice President of UNITE HERE and Tanya Wallace Gobern, Executive Director of the National Black Workers Center.
This is the second in a special series of monthly webinars on Just Transition and is a part of the Just Transition Listening Project which runs through 2020. The recording of our first webinar The Pandemic, the Economic Crisis and Just Transition can be found here. With 40 million Americans currently unemployed, the need for a just transition has never been more urgent.
Praise
I’ve facilitated and attended more Zooms than I can count over the past months. And this was, if not the best, then right up there at the top. What powerful, articulate, smart, visionary people! Thanks you SO much.”
Nancy Greenman, Albany, Oregon, Retired, Service Employees International Union 503
“I thought this was outstanding and well worth my time to watch it. This is one of the best discussions I have ever seen, showing both passion and deep thinking.
“I’ve forwarded the link to our D candidate for governor, among others. I’m planning to share it with a number of state legislators and candidates today.
“I’m 75, live in Charleston, WV, and served as a social worker and planner for the state for over 24 years. Also editor of New Deal Photographs of West Virginia – 1934-1943, and a volunteer citizen advocate on social justice issues. I learned about the just transition work from the WV Center on Budget and Policy, which does such great work here on a wide range of issues.”
Betty Rivard
“Thank you I’m ready to share. I’ve watched a lot of good webinars in the past 3 months and this one stood out. As a white person I get tired of hearing white environmentalists say blacks aren’t involved in the climate movement. I’m on board with the “Justice Movement” and as a person of faith have been working across silos. I appreciate Bill mentioning the Post Office as I’ve also been concerned more generally about the Post Office, the state of abandonment by our government and it’s workers and those in rural areas and elsewhere for whom the Post Office is a lifeline. I periodically reach out to my legislators and ask what they’re doing about the Post Office and they just say there’s no bill to vote on. I’m going to reach out to my local Democratic Club and local League of Women Voters and ask how are the vote by mail ballots going to get to people.
“This is serious as we fight for everyone to have the right to vote. I’m thinking we ought to reach out to our congressional Black Caucus. Barbara Lee isn’t my rep, but we both live in the Bay Area. Let’s move forward, not one step back.”
Jan Warren
“Fantastic, thank you”
Timothy Welp
Watch it on Youtube