Labor media activist, co-founder of the Committee for Labor Access, and producer of many Labor Beat videos, Larry Duncan died suddenly last June. Family, friends and colleges gathered to celebrate his life's work and commitment to justice for the working class.
Fittingly the event was held at the headquarters of the Chicago Teachers Union (CTU) whose current activists leadership (CORE) won power, over what had functioned as a company union for the City of Chicago, in part, thanks to Labor Beat videos effectively getting their message out to rank and file. And then again to the public, who supported their historic walkout in 2012. A walkout that helped inspire the recent teachers strike in West Virginia.
"The TV networks are the 'Fourth Estate', as they would have said back in 1790 France. They have enormous impact on politics and culture, and we don't even get to vote for them... Our dependence on corporate controlled news institutions for taking our messages to the broad, non-activist public is ultimately a dead end, possibly useful only as a minor, shaky supplement to any labor media strategy."
Larry Duncan, Feb 2018, in his final document, The Road Ahead for Labor Media, Chicago and Nationally; An invitation to the labor movement to help devise new media strategies.
Speakers:
Jerry Mead-Lucero - Labor Express Radio Zara Griswold - Larry's daughter Andrew Friend - Labor Beat TV - video clip of rare interview with Larry Rev. C.J. Hawking - Arise Chicago on Larry's work on behalf of Staley workers during their epic strike. Steve Zeltzer - Labor Video Project Erek Slater - ATU Local 241 - recorded comments Carl Rosen - UE Western Region president Open mic - thoughts and reflections on Larry's life and work. Jerry Mead-Lucero - closing remarks
Bucky Halker preforms songs in honor of Larry throughout service.
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