While Labor Day can be a moment of reflection and appreciation for the U.S. labor movement’s considerable contributions to our society, we must also recognize its pivotal role this year.

This Labor Day marked a shift into an unrelenting sprint toward the November election. Now, more than ever, we must come together to win for our fellow members and strengthen worker power. We must stand up for workers like the brave fighters at Laguna Honda Hospital, who not only dedicate their lives to caring for vulnerable seniors and people with disabilities but also saved the hospital from shutting down and displacing hundreds.

The outcome of this election will not only shape our future but also the future of our cause. We must stay resolute in our goals and unwavering in our principles, understanding the weight of our responsibility in this crucial moment. We must defend our hard-won civil rights, including women’s rights, LGBTQIA rights, voting rights, and workers’ rights. 

Shirley Chisholm, the first Black Woman in Congress and the first Black woman from a major party to run for President, said, “At present, our country needs women’s idealism and determination, perhaps more in politics than anywhere else.” Those words are as true and relevant now as they were in 1972.

We must also remember our activist roots and the dogged determination of past and current labor activists: Hattie Canty, Mother Jones, Larry Itliong, A. Phillip Randolph, Leslie Feinberg, Cesar Chavez, Sue Ko Lee, Judy Heumann, Dolores Huerta, Mary K. Henry, and the many courageous and heroic workers, immigrants, Black and brown people who built this country and continue to do so every day. Where would we be without our frontline workers who are still dealing with the ongoing difficulties of the pandemic? 

We can look to our forebearers’ wins and refusal to back down for inspiration. It is our duty to pick up the mantle and continue pushing this fight forward. It is the fight of a lifetime, and I know we are ready for it.

In the words of Shirley Chisholm, “You don’t make progress by standing on the sidelines, whimpering and complaining; you make progress by implementing ideas.” 

Let’s stand up and fight for what we believe in racial justice, social and economic justice, climate justice, improved healthcare, retirement security, and reproductive rights. The future is filled with boundless opportunities for growth and triumph. We fight for a better life and future for all and must not shy away from the challenges ahead.

Together, we can overcome these obstacles and enact the change we seek. The time is now. Let us move forward with determination to cross that finish line united and victorious for each other and our communities.