LA // Session B

SEIU Group A

Elizabeth

Themes

  • Immigrants (especially refugees) have a leg up on people born in the community because of help they get from the government to start a business
  • STRONG belief in the union as being the key to their success—helping with every aspect of their life
  • Lots of enthusiasm and authentic care for each other and the unity of striving toward a common goal
  • Best idea heard to date -- teach SEIU members on how to conduct their own listening sessions!
  • Similar to teens talked about how they have to take personal responsibility and become a community that people want to invest in...when wealth African-Americans see their community they see violence and bad behavior and so why would they want to give back?

Stories

  • Heated discussion at the table when Kristina (white and Armenian) talked about education being the key and getting push back from every African-American at the table–they shared stories of not getting government help while immigrants who come over with money are also given government support—belief that this is why Trump won on anti-immigrant platform
  • Somewhat disheartening comment from Julius (older African-American man) at beginning when asked to draw his "dream" – said it's "too late for that"

Changes

  • No changes...liked how we mixed it up at the end and didn't do voting and instead had each team share out

Trey

  • The biggest points of support when building the best life for myself is the SEIU and my church.
  • The lingering threat of my family or other families that I care about being torn apart by deportation is a source of daily stress.
  • The cost of owning and maintaining a car in LA is so high. It's a barrier to finding work and a barrier to paying for my other necessities. 
  • The SEIU is a way to have my voice heard by those in power. They give me several ways to be vocal.
Jonathan Ota