Summer Update

So apparently I've been lacking on the blog frontier, and decided it was time to contribute my two cents. Life in San Jose has been really interesting. I'm learning a lot, constantly surrounded by action, and really getting to try out all sorts of different ways to be involved in justice work.

A brief summary of what's been filling my days...
*Multiple San Jose City Council meetings on the city budget (like 4-5, over 2 hours every time), speaking for the lowest paid workers in San Jose, fighting for unions etc. Surprisingly, it's been really interesting. Ironic that the first time I've ever gone to city hall, and it's in a place that I'm not an actual resident in. But, never-the-less, I've gotten a real taste of the political power struggle, the problems of a bureaucracy, and a handful of politicians who despite it all, really do care about the vulnerable of society. Unfortunately, not enough to make majority, so the mayor's budget passed. Cutting 10%+ from all city workers' wages, closing down police and fire stations, and firing 75 city janitors- to have them outsourced for 1/2 the wages and no benefits. Life and politics can be cruel sometimes.

*Justice for Mercado Workers campaign. Just starting off trying to organize spanish mercado workers for better pay and benefits, to receive lunch breaks, overtime, the pay they deserve etc. There are a lot of really bad examples of wage theft going on. One store closed down, and didn't pay any of the workers for the full time they worked the last week. If they were lucky they got 25% of the wages they deserved.

*Hotel Worker Rising- as we already know, the Hyatt Hotel is a really bad corporate chain that abuses its workers all over the US, and San Jose is no exception. Here in San Jose, they've been working for 2 years trying to unionize. Many of the problems are similar to the ones we heard about in Chicago. My first week there was an action called "Banquet in the Streets" with a dinner, speakers, and then a delegation to the management. Next Monday I have a planning meeting for the National Day of action at the end of July. I’m giving a presentation on non-violence and civil disobedience to the Hyatt Hotel Workers committee (mostly faith leaders). In San Jose, the action will involve a sit-in and civil disobedience.

*I’m also organizing Labor in the Pulpits, which is an event where over Labor Day weekend 165+ services in San Jose will have speakers come and talk about labor and the connection with faith. It’s a really cool idea, and lots of leg work to organize 165+ services and speakers etc. It's too bad that I won't be around in September to actually see the fruits of my labor (no pun intended).

*I've been making lots of phone calls. I’m an expert on ‘cold calls’ now. I could practically be a telemarketer. Except I would die if I was a telemarketer.

The most challenging aspect has probably been my social life. I knew what relocating meant, but I don’t think I really registered how hard it would be. I don’t really have any friends. I think adjusting to that has also been the weirdest part. By now I’ve gather a few people who are more of acquaintances, but I’ve kinda forced myself upon them. Almost everyone I meet is out of college and quite a few years older than me, which is also different. So, that’s been hard. I really miss everyone from school. But, it's getting better with time. And my host family is really nice.

Most unexpected is how political my work is. The fact that I’ve spent so much time at city council, and the office does phone banking for elections, and endorses political candidates, and I’ve met quite a few of the local politicians. That was a surprise. But an interesting one for sure. We are located in an office building with a) the Interfaith Council on Economics and Justice, b) Working Partnerships USA ( a collaboration of different non-profits working on social policy issues and community organizing (which includes the interfaith council) and c) the Labor Council-- not a non-profit, but rather part of the AFL-CIO working for the unions, which means it can be more political-- endorsing political campaigns, etc.

Well, that's all for now!

Paz,
Becca

p.s. I have no idea why this is in different fonts...sorry!