Young, Female, and Activated

(Metropolitan Washington Council, AFL-CIO)

By Sara Wallace-Keeshen

As a young female activist, last Friday’s “Get a CLUW” conference was a tremendous opportunity to network with generations of knowledgeable women organizers from across the country. More than anything else, I learned about the tremendous importance of sharing resources and skills between generations and the power of generational solidarity at the picket line and in the workplace. The June 16 conference, sponsored by the Coalition of Labor Union Women (CLUW) was focused on the central question of how to involve more young women in CLUW and in the labor movement. An opening panel that included Kim Miller of the United Steelworkers Rapid Response Network and Mackenzie Baris from DC Jobs with Justice highlighted employment and volunteer opportunities in the labor movement, while conference workshops such as The Future of Feminist Activism developed constructive ideas to bridge relationships between generations of women. Though I began the conference as a curious participant, the day of networking, panels and workshops helped show me how I can be an active part of increasing the involvement of young women in the labor movement, and the challenges we face in attempting to bridge the race and class divisions.