I first learned about the danger of a single story when I was leading diversity workshops in Providence and Boston. In a
widely acclaimed Ted Talk
Nigerian novelist Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie argued that so many of the world’s ills can be traced back to stories that mislead us into believing only one thing about an entire culture or people.
Were we to listen to the dominant single story in this country, for example, we would come away with the impression that the true victims of our political and economic system are white men. Undercut by trade deals, civil rights, immigrant rights, and the women’s and LTBTQ rights movements, it is white men, the story goes, who bear the burden of an unequal system.
But I know a different story. My parents are immigrants from the Philippines. My dad is a retired cook and my mom, a retired meat packing plant clerk. They worked 10-16 hour days for most of my life and were never able to afford anything more than public housing. All they had, they poured into me and my sister.
The UMass Amherst Labor Center welcomes and celebrates the stories of all working people, including people like my parents. We believe that the power of the labor movement is in joining all our stories. Workers who endure economic injustice may also suffer unfair treatment because they are women, elderly, disabled, queer, and/or people of color. Think of what we could do if we understood more fully that all of our struggles are connected.
In addition to our stories, we believe in sharing the wisdom, skills, and knowledge of labor movement activists who came before us. Labor Center students learn the principles of organizing, strategic research, and collective bargaining, while also learning the legal, economic, and historical contexts in which workers and their organizations operate.
Be a part of the next generation of progressive labor activists. Apply to the
Accelerated Master’s Program
in Labor Studies by March 1, 2020.
Tell us
your
story.
Cedric de Leon is Director of the UMass Amherst Labor Center. Associate Director Julie Rosier also contributed to this piece.
