Synopsis:  Uncovering the Hidden Stories of Disaster Recovery Workers: Discover the true stories of immigrant workers rebuilding America after hurricanes, floods, fires, and other disasters, and learn about initiatives like Resilience Force working towards a million-strong, skilled workforce with fair labor practices.

Description [Rewind Full Uncut Conversation Originally released February 2023]:  “THE GREAT ESCAPE: A True Story of Forced Labor and Immigrant Dreams in America” tells the story of one of the largest human trafficking schemes in modern American history and how the traffickers were finally held to account. Saket Soni was the co-founder of The New Orleans Workers Center for Racial Justice in the post-Katrina years. Today he’s the founder and director of Resilience Force, a project that comes directly out of his experience working with the men in this book. The U.S. is experiencing a labor shortage, and climate catastrophe will increase the need for disaster recovery workers. How can we build the resilient workforce we need, with the rights and equity workers deserve? Join Laura and Saket for this urgent conversation on the future of labor.

Guest:  Saket Soni: Author, THE GREAT ESCAPE: A True Story of Forced Labor and Immigrant Dreams in America; Founder & Director, Resilience Force

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*Recommended book:

“The Great Escape: A True Story of Forced Labor and Immigrant Dreams in America” by Saket Soni,  Get the Book Here

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Related Laura Flanders Shows:

• •  Unforget, Dream, Build   Watch / Download Podcast
• •  Ecology: The Infrastructure of the Future?  Watch / Download Podcast
• •  Labor Looks Up After Amazon Union Vote Watch / Download Podcast
• •  Saket Soni:  Fighting For a Better Future After Sandy  Watch

Related Articles and Resources:

•  Populations around the world are declining. Migration is the solution, says economist, by Kai McNamee, Matt Ozug & Ari Shaprio for All Things Considered, NPR

Listen / Read

•  Supply Chain Disruptions, Trade Costs, and Labor Markets, by Andrés Rodriquez-Clare, Mauricio Ulate, and Jose P. Vasquez; Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco.  Read Here

•  $20million settlement agreement reached in labor trafficking cases coordinated by SPLC on behalf of exploited Indian guest workers, by Southern Poverty Law Center, Read Here

•  Close to Slavery:  Guestowrker Programs in the United State, Report by Southern Poverty Law Center, Read Here

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