Organizer in Action: Jessica Valenzuela
Organizing Focus: Grocery Stores |
Jessica says that although she’s only been employed by the UFCW a short while, she has been involved with the union her whole life. “My mom and dad were representatives at Local 8-Golden State. So I’ve been aware of how unions help people and the problems that workers experience for pretty much my whole life, as long as I can remember.” For Jessica, the job isn’t about just helping workers. It’s about empowering them to help themselves and to realize the power they have to change their working conditions. For Jessica, that moment—when a worker is empowered and ready to make change in their workplace—is the best part of being an organizer with the UFCW. “It’s great when you can help people realize they really do have power when they speak out. These are hard jobs, no doubt about it. But it’s great when you can help make them a little bit better.” “When you’re an organizer,” says Jessica, “you really know that it’s not just about you. You get to meet all kinds of people and really get a bigger picture of the world than just what’s right around you. You see that things are wrong, people are mistreated, and you work to fix that, to change it. That’s what I love about this job.” |
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