Born and raised in Brooklyn, I had a very humble upbringing. I wish I could say I grew up in a union household with a strong union foundation, but the truth is, I had no idea what a union was. It wasn’t until 2007, when I got hired at Con Edison, that I became a union member of Local 1-2. Even then, I wasn’t immediately involved or super pro-union; I was just a dues-paying member without a clear understanding of what it meant to be part of a union.
The defining moment in my career came in June 2012, when I was told I couldn’t come to work and found myself locked out by the company I thought cared about me. Confused, hurt, and angry, my eyes were opened, and it marked my birth into the labor movement. I learned that the benefits, wages, and rights I thought the company provided actually came from Local 1-2. This realization brought me to the front of the picket line daily, researching everything I could and getting involved in the union for the first time.
One thing I noticed was that the voices of the younger generation of workers weren’t being heard. It was then that I decided not to just complain but to make a change. The first day the lockout ended, I petitioned my department to become a shop steward. My mother always told me that in life, you don’t always get what you want, but God will put you exactly where you need to be. In that moment, I finally understood what she meant.
I have a passion for helping people and have been fighting my whole life. These principles have guided me daily, leading to my growth in the labor movement and helping many of my members. While I take pride in the titles I’ve achieved, the contracts I’ve helped negotiate, and the arbitration’s I’ve been part of, my greatest achievement has been showing that any member can make a difference and have a voice in this labor movement. Labor needs new ideas, younger members involved, and most importantly, every voice to be heard.
