LIJWJ’s main legislative effort is to establish an unemployment fund for workers currently excluded from traditional unemployment insurance by passing the Unemployment Bridge Program.  While the Unemployment Bridge Program has been excluded from the state budget, that doesn’t mean we’re stopping the fight for 750,000 NY workers with no unemployment safety net. One of the ways the LI Fund Excluded Workers Coalition keeps excluded workers in public view is through the Unsung Voices Art show. Unsung Voices features artwork from excluded workers, their families, and other community members who donate their work in solidarity.

This past weekend Unsung Voices was exhibited at LI FEW Coalition member HAFALI‘s arts-centered FEADing Circles event at Molloy College. Thank you to HAFALI for hosting, doing the community building you do, and helping keep attention on excluded workers!

We’re always on the lookout for other events and venues to show Unsung Voices, and have an open call for artwork! If you have a space in need of some worker-centered art, please let us know by emailing dcantave.lijwj@gmail.com! And if you have artwork you would like to submit, let us know through this form!

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The 2024 Women’s Diversity Summit

This Saturday April 20 #wearelongisland hub member Women’s Diversity Network is hosting their Annual Diversity Summit. Among the many fantastic workshops and discussions, LIJWJ’s own Ani Halasz and Juli Grey-Owens of Gender Equality NY (also a #wearelongisland hub member) will be leading a discussion on the many movement-building offerings of We Are Long Island!

“Do you want to deepen your connections with other social justice organizations and individuals on Long island? Do your advocacy and organizing projects need additional support to grow infrastructure, leadership development and/or organizational capacity? If so, come learn about the #WeAreLongIsland Organizing Hub, a new collaborative initiative on Long Island that is brining justice-focused organizations and individuals together to build relationships, share tools and resources, provide organizing skills and issue trainings, and build an empowered, fair, and just Long Island for everyone.”

Join in community with many other like-minded folks and fortify your local organizing skills! Use this link to register! And here’s a link to the We Are Long Island to learn more about the hub in the meantime.

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Become a LIJWJ Sustainer!

Among the many ways you can support LIJWJ and the workers we fight for is by becoming a monthly sustainer! This is a surefire way to help us continue doing the work we do. We don’t get big checks from ultrawealthy donors or corporations (they’re not too fond of us for some reason 😉). Instead, funding for LIJWJ’s work comes from community funders, partners and individuals like you.  Donating on a monthly basis can be the most sustainable way for both LIJWJ and you.

If you’re able, please go and sign up now to be a sustainer today! It goes a long way supporting the work you read about in these emails!

In solidarity,

Long Island Jobs with Justice