My dear brothers and sisters in the struggle,

As we commemorate Labor Day this year, let us not forget its origins. It was born in the crucible of toil and strife, sprouting from the sweat and sacrifice of our laboring forebears. Labor Day is not just a holiday for barbecues; it is a clarion call to honor the worker, the backbone of this American experiment!

In these turbulent times, with workers stretching their spirits across picket lines and standing tall in the face of oppressive corporate machinery, we bear witness to a modern-day David and Goliath. This year, strikes erupted across the land—from sanitation workers in Tennessee to Oregon nurses to Starbucks workers to Hollywood actors and screenwriters—sounding the trumpet that enough is enough! The labor movement, my friends, is not merely an artifact of history; it is a living, breathing, fighting force shaping the contours of our present and future.

It is incumbent upon us, the orchestra of democratic voices, to stand in unwavering solidarity with our brothers and sisters on the strike lines. They are not just fighting for a paycheck; they are fighting for dignity, for respect, for the very soul of a nation that often forgets the sanctity of its laboring class.

So this Labor Day, let us not just take a day off. Let us amplify our commitment to the labor movement, recognizing that when workers rise, we all rise! Stand strong, stand together, and embrace an unapologetic love of justice!

In solidarity and love,

Dr. Cornel West