Justice This Week

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Standing Up for Workers

September 7, 2026


My first job was at a performing arts school when I was 14 years old. In exchange for a discount on dance classes, I swept the floors, set up the tables for dinner theater, and put costumes and props away. I’m sure my parents were grateful for a break on the expensive lessons, but I was excited to be backstage—and to be a small part of the work that kept a community arts program in business.


Without the hard-fought wins of American workers over the decades, my first job might have been very different. What started in the late 1800s during the Industrial Revolution as a push for better pay and work conditions turned into labor ([link removed]) unions and, in turn, the labor movement that’s changed the landscape of worker rights.


In this installment of Justice This Week, we honor Labor Day with stories of workers from farmers ([link removed]) to architects ([link removed]) . From the worsening student loan crisis ([link removed]) to how pawn shops ([link removed]) represent community need in a gentrifying city, work is changing, but the need for worker rights and solidarity remains just as urgent as ever. And improving working conditions for one means better conditions for all—a fight we both celebrate and continue to strive for.


Dr. Alison Stine

Senior Editor

Climate Justice, Disability, and Education

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** Must-Read Articles
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A Telling Tale of Brooklyn: Pawn Shops As Neighborhood Keepers
by Damaly Gonzalez

“The continued existence of pawn shops reflects a deeper story of residents who are still struggling under the guise of neighborhood upscaling.”
Read Article ([link removed])
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Fit for (re)Purpose: The Future of Community-Centered Architecture

by Deanna Van Buren

“What would you have said, if someone had handed you the pen instead of the finished design?”
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A System Once Worked, But Now Student Loan Defaults Are Again Surging

by María Constanza Costa

“Today, repayment terms have become harsher, with borrowers expected to pay for 20 or even 30 years.”
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Forging a Path to Democracy with Labor and Solidarity at the Center

by Darrick Hamilton and Dorian Warren

“We are living through a profound struggle over power in the United States….In this struggle, labor’s role in organizing people is key.”
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Justice This Week is your essential weekly read for all things social justice. Get powerful stories, actionable insights, and vital updates from nonprofits, philanthropies, and movements working across health, racial, economic, climate, immigration, and LGBTQ+ justice.

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