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PRESS ROOM: AFSCME’s Saunders at NAACP Labor Luncheon: We Must Vote for Candidates Who Believe, As Dr. King Said, that ‘All Labor Has Dignity’
NNPA NEWSWIRE — County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) President Lee Saunders delivered a speech on the importance of civic activism, especially in this critical election year.
The post PRESS ROOM: AFSCME’s Saunders at NAACP Labor Luncheon: We Must Vote for Candidates Who Believe, As Dr. King Said, that ‘All Labor Has Dignity’ first appeared on BlackPressUSA.
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LAS VEGAS, NV – At a labor luncheon hosted as part of the NAACP’s national convention, American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) President Lee Saunders delivered a speech on the importance of civic activism, especially in this critical election year. During the event, William “Bill” Lucy — a key organizer of the 1968 Memphis Sanitation strike and former secretary-treasurer of AFSCME — was awarded the prestigious NAACP Inaugural Legacy Award, which he accepted via video. In his speech that followed, AFSCME President Saunders outlined the historic organizing work Lucy did to build lasting bridges between civil rights and labor rights:
“At the age of 34, [Bill Lucy] was AFSCME’s representative on the ground during the 1968 Memphis Sanitation strike. Thirteen hundred Black men represented by AFSCME Local 1733 had walked off the job to protest poverty wages and degrading working conditions. This wasn’t just about getting paid a few more cents an hour, as Bill Lucy has often said. This was about dignity and respect. It wasn’t just about recognition of their union, but recognition of their basic humanity. That was reflected in their iconic slogan that Bill helped develop — four simple but powerful words: I AM A MAN.”
Saunders also honored the memory of the late Rev. James Lawson, who passed away in June and was instrumental in persuading Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. to join the striking workers in Memphis:
“Thanks to visionaries like Bill and Rev. Lawson, there has been meaningful progress on civil rights, labor rights, and human rights in our country over the last several decades. But we know – all of us in this room know – that the fight continues. We all know that structural racism is alive and well in America. We know the system is often rigged against working people.”
To close his remarks, Saunders affirmed that the best way to honor the legacy of Bill Lucy and the Rev. James Lawson is to continue their work by organizing and mobilizing:
“We must vote for candidates up and down the ballot who believe, as Dr. King said, that ‘all labor has dignity’; candidates willing to walk the picket line, not those who have spent decades busting unions and stiffing working people; candidates who believe diversity is our strength, who seek to unite us around common values — not those who thrive on divisiveness and resentment. That’s what Rev. Lawson would ask us to do at this pivotal moment for the nation. And if Bill Lucy were able to be at this convention, he’d be urging us to do the same.”
The National Convention of the NAACP, the nation’s foremost civil rights organization, is a gathering of civil rights leaders, change-makers, influencers, creatives, and more to network and exchange ideas. AFSCME President Lee Saunders, the first African American president of the 1.4-million-member public service union, is also a proud NAACP member.
The post PRESS ROOM: AFSCME’s Saunders at NAACP Labor Luncheon: We Must Vote for Candidates Who Believe, As Dr. King Said, that ‘All Labor Has Dignity’ first appeared on BlackPressUSA.
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#LET IT BE KNOWN — LIVE FROM THE DEMOCRATIC NATIONAL CONVENTION
#LET IT BE KNOWN — LIVE FROM THE DEMOCRATIC NATIONAL CONVENTION
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Democrats Call for Fierce Defense of Democracy and Working-Class Values
NNPA NEWSWIRE — Democrats from all political backgrounds came together to honor President Biden’s legacy, which includes unwavering efforts to reduce costs for middle-class Americans, repair a deteriorating infrastructure, and defend democracy from unprecedented threats.
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By Stacy M. Brown
NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent
@StacyBrownMedia
In an electrifying moment at the Democratic National Convention (DNC) that likely set the tone for the party’s campaign, Vice President Kamala Harris made a surprise appearance on the opening night, seizing the stage to the triumphant anthem of Beyoncé’s “Freedom.” The crowd erupted with fire in her voice as Harris declared, “I want to kick us off by celebrating our incredible president, Joe Biden. Thank you for your historic leadership, for your lifetime of service to our nation, and for all you will continue to do. We are forever grateful to you.” The first night of the DNC was more than a celebration; it was a battle cry. Democrats from all political backgrounds came together to honor President Biden’s legacy, which includes unwavering efforts to reduce costs for middle-class Americans, repair a deteriorating infrastructure, and defend democracy from unprecedented threats. The message was clear: Biden’s work is not done, and Vice President Kamala Harris and Governor Tim Walz are ready to continue that fight.
Speakers who are most familiar with Biden, such as Senators Raphael Warnock and Chris Coons, as well as Dr. Jill Biden and Ashley Biden, shared stories that painted a picture of a president who is unwaveringly dedicated to the American people. “In public and in private, President Biden never backed down from his vision for an America where everyone has a fair shot,” Warnock emphasized. Dr. Biden and Ashley Biden gave heartfelt tributes to the man who led the nation and his family with steadfast devotion. The emotional high point of the evening came when Biden, introduced by his daughter Ashley, took the stage to a thunderous ovation as “Your Love Has Lifted Me Higher” filled the arena. The crowd’s response was deafening, with chants of “We love Joe” and “Thank You, Joe” reverberating throughout the hall, a powerful testament to Biden’s connection with the American people.
In a speech that was as much a rallying cry as it was a reflection on his presidency, Biden delivered a stark reminder of what’s at stake. “Let me ask you… Are you ready to vote for freedom? Are you ready to vote for democracy and America? Are you ready to elect Kamala Harris and Tim Walz?” Biden’s words resonated as he recalled the perilous moment of his inauguration, just weeks after supporters of the twice-impeached former president stormed the U.S. Capitol. “You cannot say I love my country only when you win,” Biden asserted. “The winter of peril and possibility has passed, and with a grateful heart, I stand before you to report that democracy has prevailed. But now, democracy must be preserved.” Biden highlighted the progress made under his administration, pointing to economic recovery, healthcare expansion, and the battle against corporate greed. He singled out Harris’s critical role in these achievements. “We’ve gone from economic crisis to the strongest economy in the world… More Americans have health insurance than at any time in American history. And we finally beat big pharma. Guess who cast the tie-breaking vote? Vice President and soon-to-be President Kamala Harris. Now it’s the law of the land—$35 a month for insulin.”
The evening was charged with passionate speeches that struck the heart of the nation’s issues. Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton delivered a searing indictment of Donald Trump, contrasting Harris’s steadfast dedication to American values with Trump’s chaotic legacy. “Kamala won’t disrespect our military and our veterans,” Clinton declared to thunderous applause. “She will defend democracy and our Constitution and will protect America from enemies foreign and domestic. Donald Trump fell asleep at his own trial, and when he woke up, he made history as the first person to run for president with 34 felony convictions.” Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez delivered a fiery endorsement of Harris, framing her as the champion of the middle-class needs. “In Kamala Harris, we have a chance to elect a president who is for the middle class because she is from the middle class,” Ocasio-Cortez proclaimed. “She understands the urgency of rent checks, groceries, and prescriptions. She is as committed to our reproductive and civil rights as she is to taking on corporate greed. She is working tirelessly to secure a ceasefire in Gaza and bring hostages home.”
Ocasio-Cortez didn’t hold back in her critique of Trump, accusing him of being a self-serving demagogue. “Donald Trump would sell this country for a dollar if it meant lining his own pockets and greasing the palms of his Wall Street friends,” she said. “I, for one, am tired of hearing about how a two-bit union buster thinks of himself as more of a patriot than the woman who fights every single day to lift working people out from under the boots of greed trampling on our way of life.” The night was filled with moments that galvanized the crowd. Golden State Warriors Head Coach Steve Kerr, invoking the words of Steph Curry, declared, “After the results are tallied that night, we can tell Donald Trump, ‘Night, night.’“UAW President Shawn Fain tore off his jacket to reveal a shirt emblazoned with the words “TRUMP IS A SCAB,” igniting the crowd into a fervent chant of “Trump’s a scab! Trump’s a scab!”
In one of the night’s most pointed moments, Rep. Jasmine Crockett drew a stark contrast between Harris and Trump: “She became a career prosecutor while he became a career criminal. Who would you hire? Donald Trump or Kamala Harris? Kamala Harris has a resume, and Donald Trump has a rap sheet with 34 felonies, 2 impeachments, and 1 porn star to prove it.” The NAACP President Derrick Johnson and Melanie Campbell, the President and CEO of the National Coalition on Black Civic Participation, led a standing ovation for civil rights icon Rev. Jesse Jackson during the celebration.
Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson also delivered a powerful message that resonated deeply with the audience. “I know that my daughter will see not only a reflection of herself in the White House, but she will experience the deepest part of American values… Kamala Harris—she’s got us.” Harris’s words from earlier in the night echoed as the event ended: “We are at a pivotal moment. The choices we make now will determine the future of our nation. Together, we will fight for the soul of America and build a future where everyone has a fair shot. Our best days are still ahead, and we are ready to lead.”
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L#LET IT BE KNOWN — LIVE FROM THE DEMOCRATIC NATIONAL CONVENTION — DAY 2
L#LET IT BE KNOWN — LIVE FROM THE DEMOCRATIC NATIONAL CONVENTION — DAY 2
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