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One's Struggle is a Shared Struggle

I have a vivid memory of my mother cleaning motel rooms at the L Motel, just off of Milton Road, and south of the railroad tracks, in Flagstaff, Arizona. I was preschool age and Mom couldn’t afford childcare, so I tagged along. That’s when I was first introduced to what working class looks like and gathered how it impacted my mother. Of course, it wasn’t until I was older that I appreciated the broader picture of what that meant to us and everyday Americans who have done the same. However, in these unprecedented times of billionaire-led oligarchy, what that means now is something new altogether.

L Motel in Flagstaff

I grew up watching my mother do whatever she needed to do in order to put herself through nursing school, at the local community college and, eventually, Arizona State University. And boy, was she put through the wringer. Late nights and early mornings studying is something I distinctly recall. She raised me on a shoestring budget where the slightest of misfortunes could have upended it all, and there were moments where that damn near happened. She was told by several, including a college dean, that they don’t graduate many Native American students, implying she would inevitably fail. So, after wiping away a few tears, she reared up and proved otherwise.

Working class is far more than an economic status; it is the untold stories of grit, grind and sacrifice, so loved ones can have a good and safe life. So, families can keep a roof over their heads, sleep safely at night, eat nutritious foods and have a quality education. It’s where one genuinely earns their keep and ensures the next person can achieve the same. It’s where fair exists and where justice can be had. It’s you and it’s me; it is the vast majority of Americans.

It’s been just over a decade now since my mother celebrated retirement from Indian Health Service, a 30-plus year testament of her devotion to family and community and healthy living beyond herself. However, in these very moments, she is deeply worried about her social security, health insurance, retirement and the communities to which she belongs and how they will fare in today’s Trump authoritarian government. Who would have thought she and many people like her would have to stress over what she earned by the sweat of her brow? She shouldn’t, by any means, and she’s not the only one. There are many like her and I won’t stand for it!

Join me as we fight to end authoritarianism, billionaire-led oligarchy and utter disregard for our personal liberties and human rights, our ability to make ends meet and then some and to duly receive that which we’ve rightfully earned, through and through.