The Southwest Workers Union is celebrating its 20th anniversary Saturday, Dec. 6 in the Immaculate Heart of Mary Church Hall, 602 Urban Loop, near the intersection of I-35 and Durango downtown.
It has a lot of activism to celebrate.
Over the years, SWU has represented workers, especially those in the lowest paying jobs, including janitors at local school districts. The union has been involved in a number of social justice issues, including migrant and border rights, economic fairness issues, such as one involving the Bill Miller company, and environmental work, specifically hazardous waste dumps and polluting businesses in areas where poor people of color live. Those in the Kelly AFB area have been of special concern and involvement.
SWU also has focused on young leaders. The goals of its Youth Leadership Organization are "to build a permanent strong base of youth leaders within public schools and the community to address the systemic barriers of poverty, militarization and marginalization, and simultaneously create alternatives though political education, art and cultural and movement-building." One of their projects is the Roots of Change Community Garden.
The union conducts a lot of training sessions around union organizing, the history of educational struggles, "Connecting the Local to the Global" and understanding the cause and effect of climate change, among others.
But on Dec. 6, it will focus on celebrating two decades of work. The event begins at 5 p.m. with a political program. Music by Bombasta and Los Conjunto Kingz de Flavio Longoria begins at about 8, and it's free. Call (210) 299-2666 for more.
Elaine Ayala
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