Greta and I had just about 24 hours together Thursday afternoon and into Friday, as I was in New York City for a work event and she was bored during Spring Break at American and hopped the bus from D.C. PEF put me up in a financial district hotel that had no great amenities, but was convenient to work for an evening reception feting the international labor delegates to the U.N. Status Conference on Women. They came from Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Chad, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ireland, Jamaica, Malawi, Mexico, Norway and the U.K. to enjoy a selection of NYC foods like knishes, cannolis and an authentic Sabrett hot dog cart, followed by a discussion about issues facing organized labor around the world. The big takeaway: We need to develop the muscles we last used in a large-scale way during the Civil Rights Era. Mass mobilization and protests are the only things that will affect change. We can't count on the courts, Congress is in the bag, and most Americans are choosing to turtle and pray.
None of that diminishes the fact that Greta's generation is determined to not let this country give up on all its gains since 1776. She was a big hit among the union leaders I introduced her to, and may have made a contact or two that will pay off down the road. Most importantly, she drank a couple coffees with me, jogged 5 miles around the lower tip of Manhattan, and enjoyed brekkie at an Australian place called Hole in the Wall.
 |
| @ the reception. I took photos and videos, Greta was my key grip. |
 |
| Tiny Lady Liberty |
No comments:
Post a Comment