I’ve been a member of Make the Road NY since 2007 when I joined the fight for housing and worker justice. Our organizing alongside allies has led to many wins for workers: passing statewide wage theft prevention legislation, raising the minimum wage in NY, ensuring paid sick time for millions in NYC, and more.

These victories have inspired me to continue fighting for workplace justice.

Will you support our organizing with a donation today?

During the pandemic, the restaurant I worked at closed down, and I struggled to support my family. At the time, over 131,000 workers in the state faced similar struggles and were excluded from pandemic unemployment relief.

We fought hard for the Excluded Workers Fund, and I was thrilled when we won! I was so relieved to be able to support my children. I also personally helped over 100 excluded families fill out their applications, and I loved being able to offer people a sense of relief and security.

I am an excluded worker, and I am reclaiming my right to the social safety net. This year, we are going back to make it permanent – we will pass the first Unemployment Bridge Program, a permanent unemployment insurance program for workers like me. 

Join me and support this work today.