2:28pm | The Long Beach Coalition for Good Jobs and a Healthy Community, along with Dolores Huerta – notable women’s and workers’ rights activist – and several other coalition partners, including faith-based and community leaders, will come together to honor inspiring Long Beach women who work to change the lives of their families, coworkers and all residents of Long Beach.
The event, “Inspiring Activist Women of Long Beach Awards Night,” will take place Thursday, September 15 from 6:30 – 8 p.m., in front of the Hilton Long Beach. Awards will be given to women in various fields who have worked on a range of issues, including living wages, immigrant rights, affordable housing and public health.
The event is being held at the same time as the Long Beach Press-Telegram’s “Amazing Women of Long Beach Gala.” The Long Beach Press-Telegram event is being held at the Hilton Long Beach, which has caused distress among some nominees who disagree with crossing the picket line for the event. For yesterday’s coverage of the nominees who chose to opt-out of the event, click here.
In 2009, Long Beach Hilton workers called for a boycott of the Hilton Long Beach hotel due to working conditions. Over 80 percent of Long Beach hotel workers reside in the city of Long Beach and have asked their community to respect the worker-called boycott and to not eat, sleep, or meet at the Long Beach Hilton.
Amongst the honorees will be five housekeepers who were recently terminated by the Long Beach Hilton after three met with a human resources director regarding their lack of a set schedule, room quotas, and other working conditions.
“This event is an important statement of where we are as a community and where we are in our fight for equal rights,” said Herlinda Chico, Master of Ceremonies and Executive Vice President of the Long Beach Lambda Democratic Club. “These women work hard every day to make sure hotels like the Hilton are cleaned and fully stocked, but all too often their work goes unnoticed. I am so excited to help honor these extraordinary women who are truly an inspiration.”
According to the event organizers, the community members and workers involved have chosen to have the event outside the Long Beach Hilton in order to highlight the efforts of many women who work inside the hotel and to emphasize the fact that the labor dispute has ramifications to the larger community.