LIFT Learning Days 2025: Full Schedule

Learning Days 2025
May 27-29, Minneapolis, MN

5:00pm CDT

Welcome & Opening Plenary | Bienvenida y plenario

Tuesday May 27, 2025 5:00pm - 6:00pm CDT

Speakers

Rep. Ilhan Omar

Rep. Ilhan Omar represents Minnesota’s 5th Congressional District, including Minneapolis and surrounding suburbs, and made history in 2019 as the first African refugee in Congress, the first woman of color to represent Minnesota, and one of the first two Muslim-American women elected... Read More →

raj s

consultant, Workers Confluence Fund

Listens and learns with and from communities in the trenches. Community and healing focused engagements.

Chelsie Glaubitz Gabiou

President, Minneapolis Regional Labor Federation, AFL-CIO

Chelsie Glaubitz Gabiou currently serves as the President of the Minneapolis Regional Labor Federation, AFL-CIO. She was elected President in 2015 after a decade of work on strategic campaigns and labor organizing.

Casey Hudek

Director, Workers Confluence Fund

Casey Hudek is the Director of the Workers Confluence Fund, a strategy table and resource hub of unions, community groups, and philanthropy partnering to build power for workers. Prior to joining Workers Confluence, Casey worked in various staff roles in Minnesota's labor movement... Read More →

Megan S Caswell (Megatron)

Organizer, ROC-MN/Unite Here! Local 17

I’ve been in the service industry for 25+ years, and I’ve been organizing and empowering service industry workers for 5+ years.

Rod Adams

Executive Director, New Justice Project

Rod Adams is committed to building economic power for Black and brown communities. Growing up in Chicago, he saw how poverty and crime affected people differently based on their race and these early experiences shaped his awareness of systemic disparities. Now, he is the founder and... Read More →

Tuesday May 27, 2025 5:00pm - 6:00pm CDT
Stone Arch Ballroom

Bilingual (bilingüe)

9:00am CDT

Big Wins in Small(er) Places | Victorias grandes en lugares pequeños

Wednesday May 28, 2025 9:00am - 10:15am CDT

Stone Arch III

Come join us for a riveting discussion of what it means to organize in places overlooked by traditional models, specifically rural and conservative communities. We will look at how to succeed but also what it means to defy expectations and assumptions.

Acompáñenos a un apasionante debate sobre lo que significa organizarse en lugares ignorados por los modelos tradicionales, en particular en comunidades rurales y conservadoras. Analizaremos cómo tener éxito, pero también qué significa desafiar las expectativas y las suposiciones.

Speakers

Pamela Wood

Development, Step Up Louisiana

27 year career in fundraising and philanthropy as a consultant for non profits and foundations.I've done extensive work in creating development strategies, programs, and departments for entities such as F.I.T., National Urban League, Gates Foundation, and The United Way. In my career... Read More →

Jordan Bridges

Organizing Director, The New Orleans’ Workers Center for Racial Justice

Jordan Bridges is a passionate catalyst for change. He skillfully blends artistic expression with advocacy to amplify marginalized voices and tackle systemic injustices. Through his creativity and advocacy, he inspires transformative action that resonates deeply, and sparks hope for... Read More →

Wednesday May 28, 2025 9:00am - 10:15am CDT
Stone Arch III

Bilingual (bilingüe)

9:00am CDT

Seguridad y protección comunitaria parte 1 | Community Safety and Security Part 1

Wednesday May 28, 2025 9:00am - 10:15am CDT

Stone Arch I

Este taller será en español (This workshop will be in Spanish)

Esta sesión de seguridad personal ofrece información práctica y orientación para comprender y mitigar las amenazas físicas (por ejemplo: tocando puertas, doxxing, vigilancia personal, riesgos de viaje), centrándose en medidas prácticas para protegerse y proteger su información. Dirigida a cualquier persona que desee fortalecer su seguridad personal y su conciencia situacional, esta sesión se centra en cómo operar en contextos sensibles.

This personal security session offers practical information and guidance on understanding and mitigating physical threats (for example: canvassing, doxxing, personal surveillance, travel risks) with a focus on actionable steps to protect yourself and your information. Open to anyone wanting to strengthen their overall personal security and situational awareness, this session focuses on operating in sensitive contexts.

Speakers

Masho Deen

Director of International Programs, Collective Security Group

Masho Deen is an experienced Operational Security Advisor with a background in humanitarian response, crisis leadership, and safety coordination for high-risk environments. She has led security efforts for U.S. disaster response teams globally, and brings a practical, people-centered... Read More →

Tara Arthur

Chief Executive Officer, Collective Security Group

Tara Arthur is the Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Collective Security Group (CSG), where she leads the delivery of high-performing, human-centered, holistic security solutions to clients worldwide. With over 15 years of experience in security risk management, coordination... Read More →

Wednesday May 28, 2025 9:00am - 10:15am CDT
Stone Arch I

Bilingual (bilingüe)

10:45am CDT

Community Labor Partnerships | Colaboraciones entre los sindicatos y la comunidad

Wednesday May 28, 2025 10:45am - 12:00pm CDT

Stone Arch IV

Conversation with labor and community leaders from Seattle and Minneapolis sharing learnings, best practices and challenges around community labor partnerships. Seattle is focused on stadium, worker, organizing, workforce and transit oriented development, Minneapolis is focused on the construction sector and immigrant worker organizing.

Conversación con líderes sindicales y comunitarios de Seattle y Minneapolis, quienes comparten aprendizajes, mejores prácticas y desafíos en torno a las alianzas laborales comunitarias. Seattle se centra en el desarrollo orientado a estadios, trabajadores, organización, fuerza laboral y transporte público; Minneapolis se centra en el sector de la construcción y la organización de trabajadores inmigrantes.

Speakers

Rigo Valdez

Seattle POI Coordinator, MLK Labor

Rigo Valdez, is currently on loan to MLK Labor, to Coordinate the Presidents’ Organizing Initiative (a partnership of National Unions and local labor movements to pilot new external organizing strategies) from UFCW Local 3000. He has been a Union Organizer for almost 30 years. In... Read More →

Merle Payne

Executive Director, CTUL

As Co-Director of CTUL since 2007, Merle coordinates the corporate campaigns that build power for worker voice, as well as overseeing the infrastructure of the organization. Merle has worked as an organizer since 2000, when he co-founded the Student Farmworker Alliance in Immokalee... Read More →

Kevin Pranis

Marketing Manager - MN/ND, LIUNA

Kevin Pranis is the Marketing Manager for the Laborers’ International Union of North America (LIUNA) in Minnesota and North Dakota, where he has led legislative and organizing efforts to create high-quality clean energy jobs, combat wage theft and exploitation, and raise construction... Read More →

Wednesday May 28, 2025 10:45am - 12:00pm CDT
Stone Arch IV

Bilingual (bilingüe)

10:45am CDT

Organizando y defendiendo en ambientes anti-inmigrantes | Organizing and Advocacy in Anti-Immigrant Environments

Wednesday May 28, 2025 10:45am - 12:00pm CDT

Bryn Mawr

Este taller será en español (This workshop will be in Spanish)

Este taller reúne a organizaciones que trabajan con trabajadores inmigrantes para reflexionar sobre los desafíos compartidos, intercambiar estrategias eficaces y fortalecer la solidaridad ante la creciente hostilidad anti-inmigrante. Juntos, los participantes identificarán oportunidades de acción colectiva y resiliencia.

This workshop brings together organizations working with immigrant workers to reflect on shared challenges, exchange effective strategies, and strengthen solidarity in the face of rising anti-immigrant hostility. Together, participants will identify opportunities for collective action and resilience.

Speakers

Iris Mercado

Tennessee Immigrant & Refugee Rights Coalition

charlotte noss

Worker Center Program Director, NELP

Charlotte Noss is the director of the worker center program at NELP, where she supports worker centers nationwide and brings over fifteen years of experience advocating for workers, immigrants, and organizers. Before joining NELP, she served in a range of legal and organizing roles—including... Read More →

Wednesday May 28, 2025 10:45am - 12:00pm CDT
Bryn Mawr

Bilingual (bilingüe)