El Desvío

Over the last couple of years, we have witnessed a deliberate erosion of our freedoms, and now it's clear that women's health and access to appropriate health choices are in question.  On May 2nd, an initial draft majority opinion was leaked showing that the Supreme Court has voted to strike down Roe w. Wade, the court case that 50 years ago guaranteed federal constitutional protections of abortion rights but the leak has led to widespread concern nationwide about the decline in reproductive rights in recent years. Today we want to use our podcast to try and understand the implications this will have for women in the labor force and how access to healthcare, contraceptives, preventative care, and birth control impact working families.     

March is Women’s History Month, a time we dedicate to the accomplishments, contributions, and the role that women play in the labor movement. In this episode, our guests discuss their leadership, what inspires them to continue en La Lucha, and how we are all part of the efforts towards a more prosperous and inclusive future. Featuring: Clayola Brown, President, A. Philip Randolph Institute (APRI) Denise Berkley, Statewide Executive Vice President, Civil Service Employees Association (CSEA) Elise Bryant, President, Coalition of Labor Union Women Yanira Merino,National President, LCLAA   Hosts: Jose Vargas, LCLAA Executive Director Andrea Arenas, LCLAA Director of Communications and Policy

In this episode, we explore the multifaceted aspects of the covid-19 vaccine and analyze the role that bilingual information plays in the process of allowing black and brown communities to make informed decisions as well as the historical reasons for fear and mistrust that communities of color have regarding this vaccine. Finally, we talk about the role that unions play in helping that members get vaccinated.   Featuring: Michael Mulgrew, president of the United Federation of Teachers Eva Galvez, MD from the Virginia Garcia Memorial Health Center Jelisa Timmons, MD who practices Family Medicine at St. Francis Family Medicine Veronica Segovia Bedon, AARP Multicultural Leadership, Senior Advisor, Hispanic/Latino Audience   Hosts: Jose Vargas, LCLAA Executive Director Andrea Arenas, LCLAA Director of Communications and Policy

This episode covers the high-stakes 2020 Georgia runoff election, which could provide Democrats a majority in both the Senate and the House of Representatives. This would give President Elect Biden an important advantage in implementing the agenda he and Vice-President Elect Harris have set forward for our country.   Featuring: Hector Flores, Las Cafeteras (a Chicano band from East Los Angeles) Susana Duran, Georgia State Director for Poder Latinx and a former LCLAA Trabajadoras Fellow Maria Rosario Palacios, Director for Georgia Familias Unidas   Hosts: Jose Vargas, LCLAA Executive Director Andrea Arenas, LCLAA Director of Communications and Policy

For the past few years, the current administration has attempted to terminate the Obama-era program Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), which shields undocumented immigrants who came to the US as children from deportation. On November 14, 2020, New York Attorney General Letitia James ruled that Chad Wolf was not lawfully serving as Acting Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security when he signed rules that limited the number of applications and renewals for DACA, therefore invalidating his suspension to the program. Across the nation, DREAMers and immigrant rights advocates celebrated this ruling. But what does this ruling really mean particularly taking into account the results of the recent elections? Featuring: Natalie Vargas, DREAMer, and former LCLAA Intern Karen Reyes, DREAMer and AFT member Shannon Lederer, AFL-CIO Director of Immigration Policy Letitia James, New York State Attorney General Hosts: Jose Vargas, LCLAA Executive Director Andrea Arenas, LCLAA Director of Communications and Policy

This episode focuses on the importance of civic engagement, union efforts to increase voter turnout, and the crucial role that Latino voters played this election cycle. We also reflect on the importance of keeping our communities civically engaged in order to achieve a more equal and just nation.   Hosts: Jose Vargas, LCLAA Executive Director Andrea Arenas, LCLAA Director of Communications and Policy

COVID-19 has disproportionately impacted black and brown communities and highlighted racial and economic inequalities. We discuss these inequities and their intersection with the Black Lives Matter protests inspired by the murder of George Floyd. We also discuss the role of the Latino community in the BLM movement and the precautions Latinos participating in this movement can take in order to ensure their health. Featuring: Janella Hinds - UFT Vice President Academic High School Esmeralda Flores - Immigrant Rights and Binational Affairs Advocate ASLU San Diego Hosts: Jose Vargas, LCLAA Executive Director Andrea Arenas, LCLAA Director of Communications and Policy

In partnership with Ely Lilly, LCLAA presents Mi Salud a Mi Manera, a powerful conversation on obesity, its impact on Latino workers, and how we can fight stigma together.  Join us as we explore with Priscila Nieves-Otero, Manager, Cardio Metabolic Health Business Unit, Innovation Readiness, and Bill Reid, Ely Lilly Vice President - State Government Affairs - West Region, how this critical health issue affects emotional well-being and job performance, and what unions can do to support healthier and inclusive workplaces.  Acompáñenos! 

El Desvío regresa con un episodio que transmite el sentir de muchas comunidades inmigrantes en el país. Cuatro jóvenes, líderes comunitarios de Gainesville, Georgia, nos cuentan cómo el miedo a la deportación y las medidas migratorias extremas están afectando la economía local y la vida cotidiana. Escucha en este nuevo Desvío, cómo las políticas migratorias represivas están dejando cicatrices en la comunidad Latina y por qué debemos alzar nuestras voces. 

Los trabajadores inmigrantes se ven afectados de manera desproporcionada por las violaciones de los derechos humanos en el lugar de trabajo y enfrentan mayores represalias por exponerlas. Escuche este podcast para conocer las nuevas protecciones legales que buscan proteger a los trabajadores no ciudadanos de la explotación laboral. Este podcast cuenta con la participación de un abogado de inmigración de la AFL-CIO y la directora ejecutiva de Georgia Familias Unidas. Es una valiosa fuente de información y análisis sobre los desafíos legales que enfrentan los trabajadores inmigrantes y las protecciones disponibles para ellos.

The 2022 midterms elections gave Americans the opportunity to reshape Congress and determine the direction of the country for years to come. So, it’s important we unpack what happened last year. In this episode, Marissa Martinez, Politico State Politics and Policy Reporter, Jesus Rubio, Georgia State Director at Mi Familia Vota, and Maria Starr, LCLAA Greater Lansing Chapter President, discuss how many Latinos voted, for whom, and what inspires them to continue en la lucha.

Every four years the world tunes in to watch the FIFA World Cup, the most widely viewed and followed sporting event in the world. While the brilliant game continues to inspire and entertain millions, the 2022 World Cup has been surrounded by controversy, taking place in a nation that lacks LGBTQ+, women’s, and labor rights.  In this episode, we discuss and learn about the labor violations that took place as Qatar prepared to host this year’s tournament and we speak to labor leaders to discuss the efforts that are taking place as preparation ramps up for the 2026 FIFA World Cup in Canada, Mexico, and the United States.

Latinos are one of the largest populations in the United States, but for years barriers have been put in place to make it harder for us to vote. At the same time, organizations have underestimated our political power for decades. This month we sat down with Arturo Vargas and Clarissa Martinez, two of the nation’s leading experts on Latino voting, to learn how we can mobilize our communities this November.

Latina women are disproportionately found working low-wage jobs with inconsistent schedules that make it challenging to find affordable child care. This in turn hinders Latina mothers from continuing their education, receiving professional development training, or staying in the workforce. Join us as we discuss the childcare crisis in America and other factor that contribute to the Latina Pay Gap.   Featuring KC Muñoz, LCLAA Trabajadora Fellow Irasema Garza, Attorney and Co-Author of an AAUW report on the pandemic's impact on Latinas Hosts: Jose Vargas, Executive Director, LCLAA Pablo Stein, Director of Communications and Policy, LCLAA

The Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) recent decision to ban the use of Chlorpyrifos in agriculture is a monumental victory for Latino farmworkers, many of whom were forced to handle this toxin on a regular basis to maintain their livelihood. In this episode, we review the history of this struggle, discuss what our victory means for our comunidad, and talk about the next steps we’ll need to take to protect workers from this dangerous chemical. We also take the opportunity to reflect on the role of Latino trade unionists in eliminating workplace hazards like Chlorpyrifos and the opportunities and limitations that come with a legal advocacy approach.   Featuring: Iris Figueroa, Farmworker Justice Andrea Delgado, UFW Foundation Raul García, Earthjustice Hosts: Jose Vargas, Executive Director, LCLAA Pablo Stein, Director of Communications and Policy, LCLAA