Celebrating Women's History Month - My Salute to Roz Pelles



Roz Pelles



Following on the heels of the Interfaith Worker Justice, a Civil Rights organization that “advances the rights of workers by engaging diverse faith communities into action, from grassroots organizing….” in celebrating Women’s History Month and honoring Roz Pelles, I, too, would like to take a moment to tip my hat to my dear friend and mentor and recognize her and all of her achievements as she enters this new phase of her life.

Roz, a trailblazer in the struggle for equality, has been a tremendous asset to the Civil and Human Rights Movement in many capacities. An attorney by trade, she has served as Executive Director of the National Rainbow Coalition and as a Special Assistant to Rev. Jesse Jackson. She is currently a member of the Board of Directors of the prestigious Highlander Research and Education Center located in Tennessee. This is the center where Civil Rights legends Septima Clark, Rosa Parks, Rev. James Lawson, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and many others trained. She also serves as the Board Chair of the Interfaith Worker Justice.

I was fortunate to meet and develop a relationship with Roz while she served as the Director of the national AFL-CIO Civil, Human, and Women’s Rights Department. Through her work there, she has done an exceptional job carrying on the legacy that Civil Rights and Labor Leader A. Philip Randolph and Bayard Rustin established in moving the AFL-CIO to the forefront of the American Civil Rights Movement.

Working for social justice and fighting for equality is no easy task.  The work requires us each to be a dedicated and loyal activist, with a strong commitment to serving others. We are often asked to make great personal sacrifices. In my experiences working with Roz, I have often seen her go well above the call of duty in this majestic struggle. Last fall we worked hand-in-hand in Pennsylvania, educating voters on the new rules regarding the repressive Voter ID Law that had been enacted. For the past five years, I have worked closely with her on the annual AFL-CIO Martin Luther King Holiday Observance. This year the festivities were held in Philadelphia, PA and I knew that it would be special because when you work with Roz, that is just how things flow. However, what I did not know is this year would be my last observance working with Roz as our leader. After a long, illustrious career, I hope that you enjoy your retirement my friend, my mentor, and my sister in the struggle. I salute you on a job well done!!! 

To read the article from the Interfaith Worker Justice on Roz click here:

http://www.iwj.org/blog/international-womens-day 



Roz and I at the 2013 AFL-CIO

Martin Luther King Holiday Observance



Celebrating Black History

By Rebecca Wells-Gonzalez

McKeesport, PA (February 22, 2013) –With

To celebrate Black History Month, ResCare

Workforce Services in McKeesport, PA,

invited civil rights historian and labor

rights activist Jamaal Craig to speak to the

youth about African American history and

the Freedom Riders.



holidays such as Groundhog Day, Valentine’s Day, Mardi Gras and President’s Day, February is truly a month to celebrate. It’s also a month to remember. Beginning in 1976, Black History Month is a time to celebrate and recognize the

contributions and important roles of African

Americans in our country’s history.



To celebrate, ResCare Workforce Services in McKeesport invited Jamaal Craig, a civil rights historian and labor rights activist, to speak to the youth in their program about African American history in the United States, specifically the Freedom Riders.



“The youth were quite surprised with the

information Mr. Craig provided and were

surprisingly unaware, before his visit, of many aspects of the civil rights movement,” Kathleen McGrath McQuillan, project manager for the ResCare Workforce Services operation, said. “Through his visits with us at Mon Valley Bridge and also the New Kensington site, he has become a valuable resource for our youth in all areas of civil rights, as well as history, politics and how all of it relates to them as individuals.”

Mr. Craig did such a wonderful job that he has been invited back to

share the movie “Freedom Riders” with the youth. After showing the movie, he will lead a discussion focused on how concepts from the movie relate to the youths’ lives today.

Mr. Craig left the display that he used for his presentation for students to read at their own pace. The display details information about the Freedom Riders and their stories. Kathleen McGrath McQuillan, project manager, was pleased that he left the display.

“Everyone who visits the Mon Valley Bridge will benefit from this display on the Freedom Riders,” Ms. McQuillan said.

African-American Literature that has Shaped Black Culture

As we continue to celebrate Black History Month I wanted to share some insight into the types of literature that have helped shape the way that I view race, class, and culture. I have listed my very own personal top ten most influential authors along with the specific work that has impacted me the most. It is no secret that the power and forces of bigotry in American society has inflicted many scars on black culture. These authors however, have been able to use their creativity to bring to the surface issues that we as a society both black and white have often times chosen not to confront and frequently have turned our heads the other way in. Their creative genius and literary talents have helped us define and discuss a wide range of issues that many people struggle with such as inferiority complexes, racial uplift, invisibility, rejection, religion, repression, sexism, educational disparities, and trauma. I invite you to take some time to learn more about these authors and their impressive contributions to literature and Black Culture.

·        Richard Wright - Native Son and Black Boy

·        Toni Morrison - The Bluest Eye

·        Ralph Ellison – Invisible Man

·        James Baldwin – Go Tell It on the Mountain

·        Paul Laurence Dunbar – We Wear the Mask

·        Maya Angelou - I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings

·        Claude McKay – Home to Harlem

·        W.E.B. DuBois - The Souls of Black Folks

·        Zora Neal Hurston - Their Eyes Were Watching God

·        Michael Eric Dyson - Debating Race with Michael Eric Dyson