Gen Z Wants a Union and More
Columbia University’s 150 Resident Advisors, or RAs, live in the dorms and help their fellow students navigate the challenges of moving away from home and entering collegiate life. The RAs overwhelmingly come from lower-income families. Over the past year, they have organized to win better pay and working conditions. On Monday, they held a rally and march to announce they were petitioning for union recognition so they can bargain for a first contract and lock in their gains. We looked at how they did it.
How Columbia’s Resident Advisors Built Their Union
By Blake McMillan
One RA’s Story (Video)
By Sue Brisk
Assemblymember Zohran Mamdani on What’s at Stake in Columbia RA Union Battle (Video)
By Sue Brisk
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Young people are not only bringing a new fervor to the union movement. They are running for office as socialists and fighting for bold public policy inside the halls of power. The Indypendent News Hour recently spoke with State Senator Kristen Gonzalez about the Build Public Renewables Act, which has been approved by the State Senate for the second consecutive year and now goes to the State Assembly. Gonzalez represents a district that runs down the East River from Astoria to Williamsburg, and she is the youngest female state senator in New York history.
Interview with Kristen Gonzalez (Audio)
By John Tarleton
New York City Council primaries will be held in four months. This week we focused on a hotly-contested race in a district in Western Queens that has overwhelmingly backed Gonzalez, NY Assemblymember Zohran Mamdani and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.
Community Organizer Hailie Kim Takes on School Defunder Julie Won in Contested Queens Council race
By John Tarleton
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Ukraine
Yesterday marked the first anniversary of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. We spoke with a cross-section of New Yorkers about the war and whether the United States should continue its military support for the Ukrainian government.
On the Russo-Ukrainian War’s First Anniversary, New Yorkers Are Divided on Whether U.S. Involvement Should Continue
By Katie Pruden with Amba Guerguerian
On Thursday night, members of NYC’s Ukrainian community sang and held a candlelight vigil outside the Russian consulate in Manhattan. They were joined by Russians who also called on Vladimir Putin to end the war.
Video from Thursday Night’s Candlelight Vigil
By Sue Brisk
Look for more coverage of anti-war protests and other breaking news on Indy Twitter and Instagram. And, if you enjoy receiving this newsletter, please share it with a friend.