We Are People Shaped By History Who Make History
As we celebrate Black Futures Month, we must also honor the leaders shaping the future of Black labor rights and economic justice. Black Worker Centers have long been vital spaces for advancing Black liberation, and this month, we are honored to spotlight Brittany Alston, Executive Director of the Philly Black Worker Project, and Delores Williams, Executive Director of ROC High Desert Black Worker Center. These leaders are carrying forward the legacy of Black labor organizers like A. Philip Randolph while also building movements that envision a more just future for Black workers.
Brittany and Delores are working alongside their communities to cultivate spaces for organizing, advocacy, and Black power. Through training programs, community-building, and bold campaigns, they are transforming the economic realities of Black workers and paving the way for generations to thrive. Check out their full spotlights to learn more about the powerful work they are leading.
Brittany Alston
Executive Director, Philly Black Worker Project
Organize! Organize! Organize! Workers need to organize their workplaces and communities. In this fight, we need to find political homes where we can learn and grow together. I believe organizations build community around our resistance, and they hold us up when we need support.
When we began, Philadelphia was one of the only major cities with a substantial population of Black workers and without a Black Worker Center. Unions have been a driving factor in the existence of a Black middle class in our city, but so many Black workers are employed in industries that fall outside the purview of existing union organizing or are employed in non-traditional industries with historically under-developed organizing infrastructure. We needed a vehicle to support worker organizing in emerging industries and industries that have thrived on the extraction of Black labor.
There are so many people who inspire my work! A. Phillip Randolph comes to mind at this moment. Randolph was an ambitious and strategic organizer. He built deep relationships that allowed him to make big asks at a grasstops level and inspired people to take risks in their workplaces because they knew he would not ask anyone to take an action he wouldn’t take himself. Randolph recognized the need for Pullman porters to organize and understand the leverage they had in the industry. He also understood how unionization would transform the lives of the Black workers in the industry and their families. We are building an inclusive movement that transforms low-wage industries, like the temp industry! We know it’s possible because of the Pullman Porters!
We are up against a concerted effort to dismantle the freedoms of Black people, queer people, immigrants, and marginalized identities. Without a Black liberatory counterforce, we will not see the transformation we deserve! Organize where you can and join an organizing home!
No matter the political environment, Black liberation is the goal. We are engaged in a protracted struggle that requires constant commitment to transformative demands, so now is not the time to feel defeated! I am energized by our members and staff at the Philly Black Worker Project. We are building up strong committees to take down bad bosses, and we are seeding beautiful campaigns like our guaranteed income campaign so our people have what we need to thrive.
I also know that no matter the world around me, we can always find joy. My family and community keep me grounded because I know how much I am loved.
No matter the political environment, Black liberation is the goal. We are engaged in a protracted struggle that requires constant commitment to transformative demands, so now is not the time to feel defeated! I am energized by our members and staff at the Philly Black Worker Project. We are building up strong committees to take down bad bosses, and we are seeding beautiful campaigns like our guaranteed income campaign so our people have what we need to thrive.
I also know that no matter the world around me, we can always find joy. My family and community keep me grounded because I know how much I am loved.
I hope that Black workers join organizations en masse! We need strong membership bodies ready to learn and work to fight back against the decaying corpse of capitalism. With powerful organizations, we can make bold demands that will reshape our world.
Delores Williams
Executive Director of ROC High Desert Black Worker Center
This nation, after all, was built on the labor of free individuals who were involuntarily and forcibly enslaved. Yet, even today, we find ourselves in a system that often refuses to recognize and honor the significant contributions Black individuals have made—and continue to make—to the fabric of this country.
The decision to establish a Black Worker Center in the High Desert area of San Bernardino County stems from several critical factors that highlight the economic and social disparities within the community. The High Desert region is home to some of the highest poverty rates in the county, with many families struggling to make ends meet. Despite ongoing major construction projects, such as the Brightline High-Speed Train and the Barstow modal rail station, African American residents are notably absent from the workforce involved in
these initiatives.
The ROC High Desert Black Worker Center (HDBWC) seeks to tackle this inequity by providing local residents with access to comprehensive training programs and resources aimed at developing a skilled and capable workforce necessary to support these significant projects. Currently, a majority of the workers on these construction sites are being brought in from outside areas, underscoring the urgent need for targeted local workforce development efforts. By empowering residents with the appropriate skills and certifications, the HDBWC aspires to enhance economic opportunities for African Americans in the High Desert, ultimately contributing to a more equitable local economy and community representation in high-profile construction endeavors.
A. Philip Randolph, a pioneering labor leader and civil rights activist, has inspired my work to implement the High Desert Black Worker Center initiative. Randolph’s legacy of advocating for workers’ rights and racial justice during the Civil Rights era of 1963 is as relevant—if not more so—in 2025. The pervasive racist policies that shift the definition of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion as it relates to Black people and other marginalized groups have diluted the true value of cultivating diverse talents that benefit everyone and every business, leading to negative
stereotypes, misplaced blame, and barriers to accessing and sustaining highly skilled and mortgage-paying careers and jobs.
Randolph’s efforts in founding the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters, the first predominantly Black labor union, and his role in organizing the 1963 March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom have set a powerful example for contemporary labor movements. The ROC High Desert Black Worker Center draws from Randolph’s principles by focusing on improving working conditions, fighting for fair wages, and promoting economic justice for Black workers. His belief in the interconnectedness of labor rights and civil rights aligns with my own and continues to guide the center’s mission to empower and uplift the Black community through advocacy and support.
Our vote is our currency, and it remains a powerful tool for change. We must inspire all people to vote and actively participate in the democratic process. Complacency is no longer an option.
A vision of the HDBWC is to instill hope in those facing challenges in the job market. Our support encompasses access to education for those with special needs, connections to apprenticeship and career technical training programs, and advocacy for policy changes that create equitable opportunities for all who wish to engage. Now is the time for the Black community to invest in itself through education and training. We must set a standard of exemplary service delivered by exceptionally skilled workers.
I feel a profound spiritual call to serve my community, a calling deeply rooted in my engineering training, which has taught me that solutions can emerge even for the most intricate of challenges. These solutions often reveal themselves when we embark on a thorough root cause analysis that places issues within their relevant historical context.
My aspiration for a brighter future for my grandchildren is accompanied by my growing concern about the increasingly targeted attempts to dismantle Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives. This focus sends a troubling, implicit message: that individuals from marginalized backgrounds are not deemed worthy to hold influential positions in both public and private sectors.
We must acknowledge this history and its impact, ensuring that every voice is valued in our collective journey toward justice and equity.
I hope that Black Workers receive the best opportunity possible to demonstrate their excellence to the world. It’s crucial for Black workers to recognize the opportunities available and to assert themselves, even in spaces where they may feel unwelcome. By doing so, they can demonstrate their capabilities and challenge the unfair so-called merit-based systems in place. It’s important to remember that we are no longer bound by the past. We have the freedom to disrupt and dismantle systems of white supremacy. We must push forward and make our voices heard.
New Year, Same Bullsh*t: The Fight for Black Workers Continues
By Tanya Wallace-Gobern
Executive Director, National Black Worker Center
As we step into a new year, I wish I could greet it with the optimism and fresh hope many associate with January 1st. But let’s be real: the challenges we face as Black workers didn’t magically disappear at midnight.
The truth is, 2024 was a reminder of how much work lies ahead – from anti-worker policies, to systemic racism and attacks on labor unions: these challenges disproportionately impact Black workers. And now, we’re advocating for Black worker rights during a time where policies fighting racial inequities are being dismantled and corporate interests are protected at the expense of everyday people.
For Black workers, these threats aren’t abstract. They’re deeply personal and deeply felt. We see it consistently in the erosion of rights to organize, stagnant wages, and the persistent racial pay gap. We’ve seen it in the disproportionate number of Black workers forced into low-wage, high-risk jobs without adequate protections during the pandemic. And we’re reminded of it every time a Black worker faces discrimination or retaliation simply for demanding fairness on the job.
But this isn’t a post about despair. It’s a call to action.
At the National Black Worker Center, we know that the fight for Black workers is part of the larger fight for racial and economic justice. And in 2025, we’re doubling down on our commitment to end anti-blackness in the workplace by:
- Advancing Worker Protections: We’ll continue advocating for policies that ensure fair wages, safe workplaces, and the right to organize without fear of retaliation. This includes pushing for federal and state-level protections that address the unique challenges Black workers face.
- Organizing and Empowering Black Workers: We’re building power from the ground up, organizing workers in industries where exploitation runs rampant. Whether it’s warehouse workers, gig workers, or healthcare workers, we’re equipping Black workers with the tools to demand and win the respect they deserve.
- Holding Corporations Accountable: We’re not letting corporations off the hook. From addressing discriminatory hiring practices to challenging exploitative policies, we’re committed to making sure companies invest in Black workers, not just their bottom line.
- Building Solidarity Across Movements: The fight for worker justice intersects with the fight for housing justice, climate justice, and voting rights. We’re working alongside partners in these spaces to build a future where every Black worker can thrive.
This new year might feel like a continuation of the same old fight, but it’s one we’re ready for. I look forward to being alongside y’all: marching, organizing, and demanding better.
Let’s get to work. Learn ways you can join our movement at nationalblackworkercenters.org/get-involved/.