In June 2006, the annual Labor Summer Internship Program (LSIP) began its sixth summer with an orientation that included a panel of past LSIP graduates who shared their perspectives on the social justice movement. Joining this community were this year’s fourteen undergraduate, six graduate, and four law student interns.

Each Monday, these participants met at the UCLA Downtown Labor Center for in-depth discussions of issues within the labor movement. Guest speakers engaged students with topics such as labor history, immigrant rights, multi-ethnic organizing, gender and sexuality, strategic research, worker health and safety, and transnational solidarity work. During the rest of the week, interns worked on a range of projects, from the campaign to unionize Los Angeles security officers to community organizing around gentrification.

Host organizations for the interns included the L.A. County Federation of Labor, AFSCME Local 3299, American Rights at Work, Bus Riders Union, Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights of LA, Collective Space, Community Coalition, Enlace, International Union of Painters and Allied Trades Local 36, Los Angeles Alliance for a New Economy, Maintenance Cooperation Trust Fund, National Day Labor Organizing Network, SCOPE, SEIU Locals 1877, 347, 660, and 434B, South Asian Network, Sweatshop Watch, Union de Vecinos, and UNITE HERE Locals 11 and 52.

During the program, participants spoke of powerful experiences meeting working people engaged in the struggle for economic justice, respect at work, and livable communities. Through these hands-on encounters, the interns discovered new aspects of themselves and of the larger community of Los Angeles.