On this episode we’re joined by Elise Bryant. She’s an accomplished playwright who’s turned the experiences of women and workers into theater.

Her autobiographical one-woman play “Queen of the Night” recounts her experiences growing up in a working-class Black family during the civil rights movement and the Detroit rebellion.

Elise is also a composer, and recording artist who lectures on Black spiritual music and freedom songs. She’s also served as the president of the Coalition of Labor Union Women and executive director of the Labor Heritage Foundation and former professor at the National Labor College.

For more information about the work of Elise Bryant, head to the Labor Heritage Foundation's website. And to learn more about the Labor Education Center's website and to get involved, reach out. We’d love to hear from you.

Today on South Coast Working we have something a little different for you.

The UMass Dartmouth Dubin Labor Education Center recently celebrated its 50th anniversary, where AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler received the Dubin award.

As the proud and aggressive leader of fifteen million workers, she has worked to unite their unions, advance the organizing of new unions and pursue justice for them and the majority of Americans. She’s also shown that every union member can aspire to leadership in America’s labor movement.

Today we’re sharing her speech from the banquet honoring her work.

For more information on the Labor Education Center, check out our website. You can also follow us on Instagram for updates on our work or subscribe to our YouTube channel.

On today’s episode of South Coast Working, we’re talking with Lisa Lemieux. Lemieux is president of the Greater Southeastern Massachusetts Labor Council, AFL-CIO. The labor council serves a coalition of over 40 affiliated unions and 40,000 affiliated members across Southeastern Massachusetts. She is part of an all-female team that includes Chrissy Lynch, president of the Massachusetts AFL-CIO, and Liz Shuler, president of the National AFL-CIO.

For more information about the Greater Southeastern Massachusetts Labor Council, check out their website: gsmlaborcouncil.org/.

It’s the 50th anniversary of the Arnold M. Dubin Labor Education Center at UMass Dartmouth. To learn more about the work of the center head to their website: umassd.edu/labored/

And if you’re interested in attending upcoming 50th anniversary celebrations, reach out to Labor Ed Center director Kim Wilson at kwilson@umassd.edu.