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WSLC president April Sims ties Juneteenth to labor organizing and defending democracy
Summary
April Sims, president of the Washington State Labor Council AFL-CIO, told the Juneteenth audience that labor's struggle is tied to voting rights and civil rights and warned of efforts to criminalize dissent and weaken democratic protections.
April Sims, president of the Washington State Labor Council AFL-CIO, addressed the Juneteenth crowd in Spokane and urged organizers to see Juneteenth as a call to ongoing civic action.
"Juneteenth reminds us that freedom doesn't arrive on its own," Sims said, stressing that gains in rights require organizing and vigilance. She linked labor organizing to civil-rights victories and cautioned about current efforts "to criminalize dissent, to intimidate activists, and to make people afraid to speak out."
Sims framed protecting democracy as part of broader work that also includes economic and racial justice, encouraging attendees to organize and defend voting and worker rights at local and state levels.
