Your Power, Your Path, Our Future

What does it take to step up from frontline worker to community leader? On this episode of 99 Rising, education workers share the stories of how they found their path into union leadership despite fear, doubt, and the heavy reality of working for poverty wages. We also sit down with Assembly Member Isaac Bryan of the 55th District, organizer, and movement leader in this critical moment. From his own struggles growing up to his call for a general strike in Los Angeles, Bryan makes the case for why working people, not politicians, hold the real power.

¿Qué se necesita para pasar de trabajador de primera línea a líder comunitario? En este episodio de 99 Rising, trabajadores de la educación comparten sus historias sobre cómo encontraron su camino hacia el liderazgo sindical, a pesar del miedo, la duda y la dura realidad de trabajar por salarios de pobreza. También conversamos con el asambleísta Isaac Bryan (Distrito 55), organizador, líder de movimientos sociales y defensor de la acción audaz en este momento crítico. Desde sus propias luchas en su infancia hasta su llamado a una huelga general en Los Ángeles, Bryan argumenta por qué el verdadero poder está en manos de los trabajadores y no de los políticos.

Hosted by Executive Director Max Arias, 99 Rising features candid discussions with Local 99 members, community leaders, labor leaders, elected officials, and movement thinkers—all focused on what it takes to build power and win justice for working people.

Presentado por el Director Ejecutivo Max Arias, 99 Rising reúne conversaciones sinceras con miembros del Local 99, líderes comunitarios, líderes sindicales, funcionarios electos y pensadores de movimientos sociales, todos enfocados en lo que se necesita para construir poder y conseguir justicia para la gente trabajadora.

Transcript

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🎵 Intro Music 🎵 Welcome back to 99 Rising. A podcast where we lift up the voices of education workers and dig into the labor, political, and cultural issues shaping our lives, our workplaces, and our communities. Today's theme is Your Path, Your Power, Our Future. A conversation about how people find their path into leadership, how communities build power together, and how that power shapes the future that we're fighting for. Later in the episode, we'll be joined by Assemblymember Isaac Bryan to talk about leadership, mass mobilization, and what this moment demands from all of us. But right now, I'm joined by fellow SEIU Local 99 members, Bailey, Monica, and Michael, who are building power from the ground up and showing what's possible when people step up and move together. I want to start by asking, think back to when you first started getting involved with a union. Did you see yourself as a leader? And if not, why not? I'll say no for myself. I didn't really see myself as a leader. But as I saw the issues going around in my school, I know that I needed to get more information. I know that I needed to be more involved to help out myself and my fellow co-workers. So I started going to the meetings, going to rallies, doing everything that I could to find out more info. Then I became the steward, started doing the MLA program, and here I am. And I now have 100% at my school, all members, and I just keep fighting for that. Yeah, that MLA program is great. At the end of the day, that's a place where our members can come out on lost time. That means that the union, Local 99, covers their wages so that they can come and work as organizers in their union and learn, because this organizing is learned, and that's what y'all are doing, and that's what the MLA program is. Yes, it gives us a great opportunity to learn our contract. That's great. I did not think I was a leader coming into the union. I am very new, very new in terms of working, now coming on four years. So there was a lot of observing and a lot of learning and a lot of personal events that actually took place where I had questions of, whoa, is this right? Is this not right? I'm still learning the rules and getting the adjustment to my position and what my expectations were. And I was recommended into becoming a steward for our union. I was hesitant, and I did have self-doubt on making sure that not only I am giving the correct information in regards of our rights and our contract, I also was hesitant on making sure that I'm leading my coworkers to the right direction and the right path and to make sure that they are in the right and comfortable place, not just for themselves but in the work environment as well. And I'm glad I took that opportunity and that jump. Yeah, I'm here. So is Local 99, man. Yes. Michael, what about you? I, too, or rather I, three, did not know that I had this leadership thing about myself, and it was that someone else approached me and said, hey, you know what? You would be a good shop steward for our job. And I didn't even know that much about the union at the time. I just knew that if you had a union job, you had a good job. So I had a compassion for people and the rights of the people, and when you hear things that you know in your heart is not right, you want to do something about it. You want to help them and fight. Yes, you want to help and fight. So as I got more involved, I got directions, and a shop steward turned into labor management committee where I sat with supervision and management and coworkers, and we discussed our issues over the table, and it was amazing the things that we would come out of those meetings on a win situation because management doesn't know what supervisors are doing sometimes, and when they hear that, it changes the whole work site. And then some people at work feel like, hey, I've been heard. Thank you. So it's been a good ride. Well, I really appreciate you sharing that because I know that you had to overcome obstacles, and many leaders that I talk to or members that I talk to, and, hey, are you ready to step up? They express fear of retaliation. So it takes courage to be a leader. So I really commend you, and I appreciate you sharing this journey because the more leaders we have, the more powerful we will be. Yes, and it is kind of scary at the beginning because, like you said, you feel retaliated, and sometimes you do get retaliated against or you feel like you have this big target on your back, but you've got to know your rights and stand up for yourself. Yes, and once you know your rights, the pressure is kind of relieved because they don't mess with you as much. Exactly. When you don't know your rights, there's, like you said, Max, there's fear, and fear causes you just to shut down. You don't want to even talk about the things that you know you have a right to, and that's when it's not good. So I'm going to ask you a quick question. What gets in the way of people stepping into leadership position? Kind of what we were just talking about, right? What barriers have you faced or seen others face? I would say a majority, not everyone, of time. I would definitely say time. I definitely understand that people have lives outside of work. People have kids. People have second jobs. People have other priorities and obstacles that they may have to face themselves. So definitely time would possibly be the obstacle that a lot of leaders will face because it's more of they want to put in the time. They want to put in that effort. They want to give their 150% into their coworkers that they're trying to be right by. Although, again, sometimes life happens, and our priorities may change, and we have to shift and adapt, which is great. But I do think time. Time. Time for sure. And I think, you know, in the school, when you're there, actually, they're afraid. Like you said, retaliation. So a lot of them just don't want to step up because of that simple fact. They're afraid to get retaliated on, or they're like, hey, you know, I'm cool with my principal. I can't do that. So, you know, I think it's a lot of retaliation that they're afraid of. I want to bounce off of Monica. I think when she mentioned stepping out of fear, I think it's also comfortability. Like people are not comfortable stepping outside of what they are comfortable with. Yes. We have people that are introverted and extroverted. You know, there are people that are going to speak up and be out there and show their face. And then there are introverts or those that rather, you know, keep to themselves or stay quieter or stay out the way. I think comfortability as well can hinder the jump into leadership because nobody wants to step on anyone's toes. Nobody wants to interfere with conflict or be in that space. Although I believe it just takes practice and learning. And if you're open to learning and how to navigate through that, oh, it will definitely pay off. Yes, definitely. So when you're talking to co-workers, you know, your co-workers out there in the school sites or in the bus yard or wherever, and they are not sure. You know, like, I don't think I can make an impact. I'm just an individual. What am I going to do? What would you tell them? I would say we're bigger in numbers. You're not alone. You're not going to be standing out there by yourself. You know, all your co-workers are going to stand together. And if you can get a community of schools together to all be out there, you're not alone. So there's nothing for you to be afraid of. Yeah. And that they're valuable. You know, they're needed and that they don't have to do it for themselves. I mean, they don't have to do it by themselves. They have to do it for themselves, but they don't have to do it by themselves. You know, we're all here to help and that there's a passion in everyone. And to stand with you. Yes. And if you listen to them and some things that you, you know, your co-workers, you can hear the passion. Find a niche in the union. It could be used for a greater purpose. Absolutely. One word I can think of is compassion. When there are co-workers who are not able or they don't feel like they may be able to, I think it's a constant reminder of, okay, thank you for not only hearing me out, but just know that I'm always here and we're always going to be here for you no matter what. And we're a phone call away. We're a text. You know, we have other people in the office and other schools that are nearby. You know, we're bouncing off of Monica. We're bigger than just here at the site or however many employees that we have at this one site. And empathy as well. Compassion and empathy. That empathy that can come together because a lot of our union representatives or stewards or anybody, but it doesn't matter. You know, we all have families. We all have kids. We all have situations that are always going to come in our way in life. And I think that reminder of letting them know like, okay, if it's not your time right now, that's fine. Life happens. Things happen. But just know when your time and space is open, whenever, we're here. You know? That's right. That's what I think. That's right. You know, y'all make me think, you know, about the current fight we're having. You know, and we're fighting for wages above the poverty level. Yes. Compensation above the poverty level. Full-time hours and an end to outsourcing and respect. Yes. Because there is no respect for the work our members do. That is clear. But there's all of this we're fighting for, but there's also ICE raids, attack on immigrants and Black communities, threats to public education nationally. But there's all of this we're fighting for, but there's also ICE raids, attack on immigrants and Black communities, threats to public education nationally. How do you see these fights connected? Well, it affects our students. It affects us. You know, with the ICE, I mean, we have a lot of Latinos. We have different cultures that come to our schools. And they're afraid now. So, you know, a lot of them don't want to come to school or they left already. So it affects our schools big time. Yeah. It's very hard because if, you know, you're trying to build strong families and raise healthy children, get them an education, and now you're fearful to send them to school, you know, and you see these things that are taking place and, like, you don't have any rights at all, it's very hard. So, you know, when we're together in a oneness, you know, there's power. So if you don't know the power that you have within the union and the things that are taking place, then you'll hide out, you know. And, you know, we wasn't made to live on an island and hide from our troubles and fears. So what I love about the union is that they have been reaching out to communities and to people and saying, hey, we have resource to help you get through what you're going through right now. You're not alone. And we're going to do this together. So I love my union. It's an awesome place to be in. Yeah. Earlier in this episode, we mentioned Assemblymember Isaac Bryan. Isaac Bryan, Minnesota, they had a general strike recently, right? Yes, yes. And so that was the first one in 80 years. Isaac Bryan saw that and is saying now we need to do that here in Los Angeles. And so the question is, you know, you are ready to walk out if you have to, right? A general strike, like Isaac Bryan has calling, is really means our whole community. So what would it take for our community to join us in our action? Listen and learn, kids. Listen and learn. Honestly, with technology now, 2026, we can utilize media. We can utilize this podcast. We can utilize flyers and getting the word out and really just telling it what it is. Hey, they're not giving us enough money. They're not giving us what we need in order to survive. We need to be able to pay the bills. We need to be able to go ahead and make it to the hospital if we are in need, just in case you want your kids to have a better future. The time is now. Yeah, and I think we need to go out there and like doorknock, you know, remind everybody about what's going on in our schools, not only in our schools, but in our community, what's happening out there to our people. Like, you know, let them know the importance of standing up and fighting back and not just staying at home and doing nothing about it. We all got to stand together and fight. Yes. Yes. It's the old saying, you know, each one teach one. Yes. You know, and they have to be taught and educated on what it's going to take to have your rights before you through community. You know, it's not just on a job situation. The whole community gets involved. Then, you know, you don't never know who you're talking to. You have very powerful people right next door to you and don't even know. Yes. So when you get the word out and you're sharing with them, you know, the changes that need to be made, you know, hey, when are you going to have your next meeting? I'd like to be there, you know, and then it just spreads, you know, like wildflower, like how it's out there. It's out here, you know, and it just keeps strengthening. You want to see it grow, you know. So each one teach one. If you could ask Isaac Bryan anything about leadership, about the fight ahead, about how we win, what would you ask him? That's a heavy question. Hold on. Yeah. That's what I'm like. It got heavy. Hold on. If he's standing with us. Yeah. If he's standing with us. Did he come from a background from where he had to get to, to where he got to all those fights that he had to do? You know what I'm saying? Because if he had to fight like how we're fighting, then he knows how we feel. It's not something he's just coming out of his mouth. And he would have a passion to do the same for us because he's in a position to do something about it now. Yep. It's been powerful. And I really appreciate your timing here. Because when we fight. We win. There you go. Today's episode is about your path, your power, our future. And you just heard what that looks like from the ground up. Workers finding their path into leadership, discovering their power and naming what's at stake if we don't fight for a better future. Now we want to expand that conversation. What happens when personal paths turn into collective power, when community leadership meets political responsibility, and how do we shape the future we're fighting for together? To dig into that, we're joined by Assemblymember Isaac Bryan of the 55th District, an organizer, a movement leader, and someone who's been calling for bold action in this moment. Isaac, welcome to 99 Rising. Thank you for having me. I'm happy to be here. You know, earlier we had some, some of our members, local 99 members that were here, and they mentioned how divided our community feels right now, specifically, and how much the current administration is contributing to that. How do we focus on unity in such a difficult time? We have to remember that true power is in the hands of the people, right? It doesn't belong to a president or an administration or political party. It doesn't even belong to politicians. It belongs in the streets. It's communities finding solidarity amongst each other, working people, seeing commonality in their neighbors. That's where the real power is. And we just have to remind each other. We have to love each other. We have to protect each other, and we have to build with each other. Yeah, I like that key word, love each other. I think that leads into everything. I really appreciate those words. You know, also our members are talking about connecting with their coworkers, about their hopes, their families, and what brings them into the struggle. How do you bring people in your community, in your work as an assembly member into the struggle? I practice what I preach. I love my neighbors. I build with my neighbors. I move in solidarity with my neighbors, and I find commonality in the struggles that I've faced in life, right? The same things that I want for myself and my family and my future and my neighborhood, I know that's what my neighbors want too, and it allows us to fight together. Well, speaking of that and about your experiences, what type of community did you experience growing up, and how did this shape the view of the world? I grew up in a black and brown community, one where economic opportunity wasn't abundant, where you weren't sure what you were going to do after high school. We all knew we were going to go to community college. We weren't sure what happens after that. I grew up in a community where we thought the pathway out was football or basketball, and it took me a long time to find a different route. Now that I'm in the position that I'm in now, I try to remind younger generations that no matter where you are, no matter what you think your circumstances are, the world is so much bigger, and we need your voice. Just talking to you here, love to learn more. It's powerful. I'd really like to understand how you connect to education through this journey that you had, through your story and your personal education. How do you connect to the current state of education? What do you think about the current state of education? I grew up in a really big family. I have 12 brothers and sisters, so it's 13 kids total. My parents were foster parents for 30 years, and they adopted nine children along the way. We moved a lot. I went to three elementary schools. I went to a middle school in Moreno Valley, and I failed out of that middle school. I didn't get to graduate with the other kids, and part of it is because I felt disconnected to education, and I got into a lot of fights in middle school. I had a couple of teachers I would walk into the class, and they would throw me out immediately because they just thought I was going to be a problem that day, and it made me not want to come to school. But I remember coming back to school and always wanting to come back to school because of a man named Will who just kind of worked the grounds. And Will, he played basketball with me in the back, and I looked forward to seeing him every day, and it was that kind of built learning environment of people that I felt that cared about me that kept me coming back to school. I then went to three high schools and struggled my way through most of those, but it was the education workers who kept me coming back to school. When it was easy to ditch, it was easy to think outside of education or to believe that I wasn't smart or capable. A number of my siblings had a similar trajectory, really struggled in high school or didn't graduate high school. That was really important to me to remember the things that kept me wanting to go to school because I ultimately ended up getting a master's degree at UCLA, and I went top of my class. And nobody asked about your education journey after you went to UCLA and graduated top of your class. And I know that I would have never made it there if it wasn't for the education workers who invested in me, who made the learning environment safe for me, who made me feel welcome on the campus no matter how good or bad my grades were. I was still a valued student full of potential, and that's something that I want to protect for all students. That's something I think we all have to protect because it's that future potential that we're unlocking. We're not even unlocking grades in a semester or a year of academic success. We're unlocking a future, and you can't give up on that ever. And I think that's something that we've seen this administration, the Trump administration, actively try to dismantle and stifle. You can't get rid of the Department of Education without getting rid of four foundations of the education learning environment itself. And that's scary. That's terrifying for our future. It's terrifying for our workers. It's terrifying for the next generations, and we've got to fight back. What made you feel like you would offer value to your community by assuming a leadership position? Because you're an established leader, and I don't really consider you a politician even though you were elected to the assembly. But I've seen you everywhere where there's a fight, where there's a struggle. I consistently am seeing you there. That's why I say that. So you made a decision, and you went for it. So what made you feel like you would offer value to a community by assuming a leadership position? And I want to say it in the context. Our members are listening, and we have many members that say and think, what am I going to do? I'm just one, and what do I bring? And that's the context that I'm asking this question in. Before I was in office, I was an organizer. I'm still an organizer. I don't see myself as a politician either. And I remember organizing with my friends in the Justice LA Coalition to stop the construction of new jail facilities in LA County, a new women's jail. Particularly, we used to show up at the county building with 1,000 people, and you would think that was enough to force the right decisions. And it wasn't always. At the end of the day, we ended up asking elected officials to be courageous, to stand with the people, to do the right thing. And after a while, you get tired of asking. And ultimately, that's what led me to run. I want to be the office you don't have to see to get my vote. I want to be the office that you stop by to check in, to build solidarity with, to figure out how to strategize, to move others, but to know that I've got your back, that I stand with working people, that I stand with struggling communities. And knowing that there was that vacancy in Sacramento, that's what pushed me to run. And the people in the community felt the same way and lifted me into this position. Yeah, well, that's very inspiring. And as you were doing all of that, it sounds, right now you're telling it, hey, it sounds smooth. But what obstacles did you face, if any, and how did you overcome them? So there was definitely a generational gap when I first got in. The average age in the state assembly is 45 years old. Wow. Right? I was 29 when I got elected. And even in black Los Angeles politics, there's a pecking order. There's this feeling that you need to pay your dues. And after you pay enough dues, then maybe you get a shot. And I didn't really ask for permission from the establishment. I didn't ask for permission from any of the traditional stakeholders. I asked permission from the people. And it's the people who showed up for me. And working people began to organize around me. Oftentimes people have asked me, who tapped you to run? Who asked you to run? Nobody asked me to run. My neighbors asked me to run. Organizers asked me to run. Workers asked me to run. And that's what ultimately got it done. Yeah, what I appreciate about what you just said is having to challenge the establishment because the establishment is status quo. And when status quo is not working, you've got to challenge it. And so I really appreciate that. And that's an important trait in leaders, I think, in my opinion. And how do you and your community organizing talk to people that are unsure of how they can make an impact? You know, I remind them that it's a small group of people who care. That's how a difference starts, right? SEIU99 started with six black janitors back in the 1940s, right? It's just a small group of people coming together where the big changes really happen. Those small rooms full of big ideas, they grow. So if you've got big ideas and you're willing to sacrifice for things bigger than yourself, you've got to believe that others will show up with you. And I found that if your intentions are pure, if your motives are pure, if your heart is pure, other like-minded folks will show up with you. So earlier we asked our members a few questions, and one of them was, in this case, if they could talk to you. And what they said is they wanted to know if you ever had to have a fight like they do. Did you ever have to have a fight like they do? Which their fight, just to frame it, and I think you're familiar, but more for those that are listening right now, is a fight for dignity and a fight for their work being valued because their members are completely underpaid, they are living, some of them suffer housing insecurity while working for the school district, all that. So their fight is consistent and it's a fight for dignity, for respect. Yeah, but I've been fighting my whole life. In middle school, I had to fight with the teachers who were trying to convince me that I wasn't smart. I went to three different high schools. I had to fight to figure out the pathway to college. I had to fight to keep a roof over my head while I was in college. I worked at three different restaurants fighting to be respected and paid correctly while I was in those restaurants without union representation, trying to stand up for myself. When I was in graduate school at UCLA, I joined my first union, UAW, and fought with grad students and teaching assistants to make sure that we got fair wages and benefits and were respected for the value that we contributed to the campus. I remember striking with valet workers, reminding folks that you're not going to replace, members have asked me $32.99 with students who don't know that they're undercutting long-term employees who have earned the right to do their job with dignity and respect, that we were being used to offset those costs on the university. I've been fighting my whole life and I feel like in the legislature, I fight all the time. Every year, every session, there's big legislation that doesn't happen unless you fight. And I've never been afraid of that fight. In fact, I embrace that fight. It's that willingness to struggle that I think brings the lasting change that folks want, need, and deserve. Let's spend a little on that. So coming from where you started, that's powerful. One thing I heard and just want to lift up is you had to fight without a union. How was that different when you actually had to fight than you were part of a union? Being part of a union is powerful and important because then you're not hoping that other good, like-minded, good-hearted, honest people show up with you. You know they will. You know your brothers and sisters in labor will show up beside you. You know your union family has your back. And that's a different type of power because the other side of the bargaining table knows it too. And they fear that solidarity. They fear that collective action. And it's also one of the most beautiful things you can be a part of. If you've ever been out in the streets with tens of thousands and hundreds of thousands of workers demanding fair wages, dignity, respect, opportunity, it fills your entire spirit and it reminds you of the best of what this country is. And Minnesota just organized the first general strike in America in 80 years. And you just called for a general strike in Los Angeles. So why general strike? And why now? Because if we can't get justice for the murder of Keith Porter Jr., justice for the murder of Renee Nicole Good, justice for the murder of Alex Pretti, or the over three dozen people who have died in ICE detention facilities in the last 12 months, then we have to shut it down. If we can't get it, we've got to shut it down. And this administration has shown that they are not willing to call for accountability. They are not willing to investigate themselves or hold people accountable for their violence and for their actions. In fact, what they would rather do is gaslight the American people, go on TV and assassinate somebody's character after we all witnessed them being assassinated on camera. And you can't meet that with strongly worded statements. You can't meet that with hopes and dreams. You've got to meet that with action. And the only actions I know how to do are to shut things down and to show up with my friends and with my community and with my neighbors and with my city and to demand for better. And I believe that cities across the country today are doing the same. People are frustrated and they're looking for ways to make that change and be heard. The best way to be heard is in collective action. We've got to shut it down. And we might not just have to shut it down today. We might have to join our brothers and sisters in labor and consider actions on May Day and other important times throughout this year, other major strike opportunities to send a message to this administration that it is working people who built America. It's not the billionaire class that is the heart of this country. It's the everyday folks who get up, work their job, provide for their family, live with dignity, love their community. That is the best of what it means to be America, documented or undocumented. And we've got to stand for that. There are a lot of ways to step up in this moment. I don't want anybody to lose the roof over their head stepping out. That being said, everything worth having took sacrifice. Yeah, and you know, it makes me think we can hit billionaires' corporations or do action as consumers in two ways. We don't work or we don't consume from specific ones. So yeah, what you said, I think it's important, right, to start working towards supporting a general boycott towards those corporations or entities that are supporting this violence, that are supporting this administration, that are part of the problem right now. So that's another way and I appreciate that. So what is the future for our members if we are not able to mobilize and how does our fight connect to a larger national struggle? I don't want to envision a future where your members don't mobilize because you have to. And you have the full support and solidarity of me and many other people. Nobody living in or around Los Angeles should earn $35,000 a year working full-time backbreaking labor. Nobody working for the largest school district in the state with billions of dollars in reserves should be struggling to keep a roof over their head, make ends meet, keep the lights on, keep the Wi-Fi on for their students, the children who are students to do their homework. No one should be deeply concerned about making it from day to day when you work full-time for a district like LAUSD. It's time to pay people what they earn, what they deserve, what's necessary. And so I don't see a future where your members stepping out to demand that isn't matched by a robust community and deep solidarity. The district has to meet you. So what is your message to the members of Local 99? LAUSD is, in a way, it acts, even though it's a public sector, it acts like a corporation in the way that it oppresses people. By low wages, it forces people to work off the clock consistently. And it operates based on fear, specifically with the people they consider to be at the lowest end of the totem pole. It sometimes feels like the district as an entity and its leadership considers our members as the hell. That is not what our members are. Without them, there's no transportation, no food, no support for teachers. You know who they are, right? And so that's what they're struggling about. And so that leads, because in the worksite, there's this eternal oppression that's happening that is trying to discourage them from walking out, that is threatening them and telling them, Carvalho himself and the district, even though they're sitting on money, are telling our members, if we give you a raise, we're gonna have to lay you off. So all these fear tactics. So what advice do you give them to overcome this fear? And what message do you have to them to encourage us to just take it to the district? The thing I would say is that your courage has made a difference before. We have examples of your bravery and willingness to step out for something bigger than yourself for all of the members and for all working people. And that matters. And you've seen transformation before. The other thing you should know is you're not alone. 99, you are not alone. You are also the lifeblood and the heart of our education environment. Respectfully, I love some of my teachers. I didn't like some of them. I always loved the bus driver. Always loved lunch. They always loved the people in the school environment who spent their entire day making me feel seen and welcomed and did the same to affirm that in them. It is a shame that our district leaders don't do that all day and treat folks like the hell, treat folks like they're disposable. Now is the time for courage. Now is the time for bravery. And I can't think of anything braver than a member of SEIU99. That's great. I agree. I feel our members are just extremely brave, and they inspire me every day. Okay. So, well, this conversation really brings our theme full circle. Your path, your power, our future. You've talked about how leadership grows out of community, how power is built collectively, and why this moment demands bold action. We appreciate being clear about what's at stake and what elected leaders need to do alongside workers, not ahead of them. Yeah, well, I really appreciate this conversation, and I'm really looking forward to continuing now with renewed vigor and renewed excitement, continue to work with you side by side as LOCAL99 and me personally so that we can keep going because we have a lot of work ahead. So any final words for our audience, for our members, for general public? Just that in this moment, it feels very hopeless, and that's by design. The Trump administration has thrown so much violence, so much terror on us and on our communities that it is overwhelming. And they're doing that because they believe we will give up. They believe we will think the obstacle is too large and we will lay down, but we won't, and we can't, and we have to rise up and stand up against it. That is what we're seeing in this country, and I believe the heart of that comes through Los Angeles, it comes through LOCAL99, it comes to everyday struggling people who have had enough. And in this moment, I think we have all had enough. Yep. All right, because when we fight, we win. When we fight, we win. It's been great having you, thank you.