USAS Conference Summer '06

Last weekend, four of us solistas hopped eagerly into my tiny cavalier
for the 10-hour drive to Philadelphia. Road trip antics included, the
trip was wonderful! In the heart of the city we met up with student
activists from across the country at the United Students Against
Sweatshops, USAS, conference.
The main part of the organizing took place on Saturday when we
attended open discussions regarding ways to keep our group
prejudice-free. We also spoke at length with a couple employees from
the Worker's Rights Consortium, WRC. They contributed valuable insight
for how SOLE can win the Sweatfree campaign this semester. It was
fascinating to brainstorm with people who have been using direct
action for years. Honestly, as a new member of SOLE I am sometimes
intimidated by ideas that can result in confrontation, but I was
reminded that what sweatshop workers deal with is so much worse. If
garment laborers face physical danger and rape on the job, then I can
certainly handle a campus cop's questioning.
I was also encouraged to have students from other campuses show
interest in what happens here at the University of Michigan. The vital
role our school has in the Sweatfree campaign cannot be denied: so
many other universities look to U of M to set precedent for their
decisions. What a positive influence we can have for those 14-year old
Bangladeshi girls that only make pennies each day.
Of course, winning Sweatfree on our campus is only possible with
support. With the advent of a new semester, I hope SOLE can find many
members with the same dedication and drive our current ones have. It
will make that difference.

-Aria Everts