OUR FUTURE NOW! PODCAST EPISODE # 3
#YourWorkersMyFamily! Young people lead the fair-pay fight for essential workers is the title of third episode of the recently launched Our Future: Now! A National Children’s Campaign Podcast. The show’s co-host Jonah Gottlieb and Natalie Mebane are joined by University of North Texas students Yolian Ogbu and Victory Nwabufo. They have teamed up with the National Children’s Campaign (NCC) for an initiative called #YourWorkersMyFamily.
listen to the Podcast you go here. It can also be heard on Apple Podcast, Spotify, Google Podcasts and at the National Children’s Campaign and Parentology website.
Yolian and Victory discuss their youth-powered movement demanding personal protective equipment (PPE) and universal hazard pay for all coronavirus essential employees. These days you can’t turn on the television without seeing heartfelt commercials applauding essential workers who take care of the sick and help our country function during these trying times. Yet, the federal government has failed to use its powers (i.e. invoking the Defense Production Act) to increase the supply of PPEs or treated essential employees like members of the military who get compensated for performing hazardous duties.
#YourWorkersMy Family are comprised of labor activists, working people, and concerned family members from across the country. They were inspired by the story of a wildcat strike led by Texas healthcare workers that went viral of social media back on April 14th. In response they mobilized within 48 hours to create a campaign in support of these workers.
Then during the week of April 27th they launched #YourWorkersMyFamily on social media, which has subsequently tweet bombed their demands and shared stories from essential workers and their families. In terms of garnering media attention, their biggest hit to date was a feature article on CNN called “Young activists are fighting for coronavirus hazard pay for their essential employee parents”. They closed out their week of action on May 1st, which happens to be International Workers’ Day, to foster engagement with #CoronaStrike, #MayDay2020 and other nationwide efforts.
The advocacy of #YourWorkersMyFamily will continue well beyond the coronavirus pandemic, which has shined a harsh light on the mistreatment of so many workers. For example, many of those involved in these critically important jobs don’t have paid sick leave. We are heeding the advice of Margaret Mead, who once said, “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful committed citizens can change the world. Indeed it’s the only thing that ever has.” This is a cause we will ultimately win thanks to young activists fighting for what is right.