Livestreaming on YouTube at bit.ly/watchbw
English captions and a call line for live interpretation into Spanish will be available.
6:55 PM Pre-show - Test your audio/video and say "hi" in the chat
7 PM Opening Welcome with Host Dr. Patricia Campos-Medina
Reflections on the Year from Brandworkers Members
Remembering Juan Nito Castillo
Dr. Patricia Campos-Medina in Conversation with Brandworkers Executive Director, Daniel Gross
Brandworkers Members on How We Build Solidarity
Conversations with Champion of Economic Justice Honorees Rebecca Dixon & the Children of Smithfield
Live pledge raising funds for Brandworkers with special guest Phela Townsend
7:45 PM Closing Celebration with Host Dr. Patricia Campos-Medina
Dr. Patricia Campos-Medina is a visionary leader, activist and educator with a rich background in field research, policy, and the development of strategic union organizing, electoral and worker justice community campaigns. Currently, she is the Co-Director of The Worker Institute, ILR-Cornell University where she leads research and education to advance collective bargaining, workers rights, and economic and racial justice. Dr. Campos-Medina is a policy expert on workplace and labor issues, women rights, voting rights, trade and US immigration policy. She serves as the current President of Latinas United for Political Empowerment Inc., is a board member of PODER PAC, an Advisory Committee Member for Eleccion Latina/Ready to Run, and host of Activista Rise Up, a forum for activists to engage everyday people on the work of promoting social and economic justice. Dr. Campos-Medina has been recognized as one of New Jersey’s most influential political leaders by several publications and can be found on Twitter at @Dr.CamposMedina.
Rebecca Dixon, Executive Director, National Employment Law Project
As executive director of the National Employment Law Project (NELP), Rebecca leads NELP’s work to build and contribute to a strong workers’ rights movement that dismantles structural racism, eliminates economic inequality, and builds worker power. When Brandworkers members from Tom Cat Bakery decided to organize in the wake of an ICE I-9 audit in 2017, NELP provided critical solidarity to support their campaign. NELP’s guidance for employers faced with I-9 audits helped workers envision a concrete path toward protecting their coworkers and raising a higher standard throughout the industry. Rebecca’s motivation for advancing workers’ rights and commitment to economic justice is deeply rooted in her lived experience growing up in rural Mississippi at the intersection of race, class and gender—characteristics that have long defined our ability to participate in our democracy and economy.
The Children of Smithfield
The Children of Smithfield is a group that was born during COVID-19 out of a common concern for the health and safety of their parents who are employees of Smithfield Foods, a company that operates meatpacking plants. They believe people are their own best advocates and they encourage people to use their own voice, but they are here to advocate for the people who are not ready to use theirs. In a time when workers face life-threatening danger at work, the Children of Smithfield have modeled solidarity by bringing attention to the risks their parents and loved ones face. By connecting their struggle to the struggle of other meatpacking workers and collaborating with movement allies, they have amplified their voices and helped build their power.
Thank you to the sponsors of the Brandworkers Awards!
- Visionary -
Tom Cramer & Michele Burger
- Movement Builder -
Shelley Levine & Larry Schwartz
Myrna & Steve Greenberg
- Trailblazer -
Anne Clark & Tom Hyland
- Catalyst -
- Solidarity Partner -
Jake Ratner
Gladstein, Reif & Meginniss LLP
Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union (RWDSU)
Pasternack Tilker Ziegler Walsh Stanton & Romano LLP Attorneys at Law
Schotter, Millican, Sinaniyeva & Masilela, LLP
- Ally -
Russell Pearce
Henry Kaminer
Jennifer Martinez
Ana & Mark Langer
Paul Duke
Gwynne A. Wilcox
Cristina E. Gallo
Evan Hudson-Plush
Irene Ribner
The Labor and Employment Committee of the National Lawyers Guild (NLG)
- Sustainer -
Zan Jacobus
Ted Auerbach
Alice & Nahum Lainer
Eric Dirnbach
Beth Baltimore
Carmi & Shelly Fredman
Karen Ranucci
George Suttles
Harvey Weiss
Rajesh Nayak
Jews for Racial & Economic Justice
CAAAV Organizing Asian Communities
Thank you to the Brandworkers Awards Host Committee!
Alexa Aviles
Amelia Tuminaro
Amy Engeler
Anne Clark
Beth Baltimore
Christa Tandana
Cristina Gallo
Daniel Ucko
Eric Dirnbach
Evan Hudson-Plush
Frank Gattie
Garrett Kaske
Gwynne Wilcox
Henry Kaminer
Janice Chua
Jezz Bold
Josh Lee
Larry Schwartz & Shelley Levine
Marisa Holmes
Marni Halasa
Melanie Greenberg
Melissa Lardo Stewart
Naomi Heisler
Ria Julien
Sean Reilly-Wood
Sonia Singh
Tom Cramer & Michele Burger
Yasmine Shihab