The JHU Foreign Affairs Symposium is pleased to announce a panel on workers’ rights, featuring Chris Smalls. He will be joined by moderator Maximillian Alvarez (The Real News) and a representative from the JHU dining worker union, Unite Here, and a representative from the JHU graduate worker union, TRU-UE.

Chris Smalls is the president and founder of Amazon Labor Union where he is respected as an eminent advocate for workers’ rights. He is best known for his role in organizing a walkout of workers at the Amazon warehouse in Staten Island, New York in 2020, in response to what he and other workers saw as inadequate safety measures during the COVID-19 pandemic. He has been an outspoken critic of Amazon’s labor practices and has called for better working conditions and fair wages for Amazon workers. Smalls also works as a labor consultant and has been involved in various labor campaigns and advocacy groups.

Maximillian Alvarez used to work 12-hour days as a warehouse temp in Southern California, while his family struggled to survive after the Great Recession, resulting in the loss of their house. Realizing the importance of workers rights through experiencing extreme hardships first-handed, Alvarez has since dedicated their life to uplifting the voices and humanity of workers by starting the podcast Working People, working as an Associate Editor at the Chronicle Review, and currently serving as the Editor-in-Chief at The Real News Network.

Following the event, there will be a reception (refreshments served) with the speakers.

Co-sponsored by the Program in Racism, Immigration, and Citizenship

Location: Hodson 110