Back at work today.  I thought that I would be completely wiped out, but I am still on a Summer School high.  A night sleeping in my own bed really helped, too.  Maybe some of you are also feeling the way I am today.  I feel renewed and am looking at the "same old, same old" with new eyes. 

I want to thank all of you, my sisters, for a truly life-changing experience.  As a child and through my teens, I was extremely shy and guarded.  I always had my head in a book.  What happened, right?  Sometimes when I get in new situations, I go back to that persona.  Somehow, that did not happen at Summer School.  I'm convinced that has something to do with the excellent programming done by the staff, and to the way we worked together toward the goal of celebrating and affirming our solidarity. 

In the last Mother Jones leadership session on Thursday, Anneta pointed out that union membership levels in the 1930's were similar to what they are now; labor went through a period of intense organizing around issues that were critical to workers and the overall political and capitalist climate.  So, sisters, I think it's fair to say that this is again OUR TIME.

We have got to reach out to our youth and to the unorganized.  And it's not just about work: it's about overall dignity and respect for all of us, every human being.  We want a better world.  That takes constant work.   So, we need to take advantage of opportunities like Summer School, coalition building and activism to feed our minds and our souls and to help us stay on the course.


The Mother Jones Leadership Workshop