There’s something magical about watching the country roll by from the observation car of a long-distance train ride across the country. The rhythmic sway, the glow of the horizon, and the quiet moments of reflection set the tone for my journey to COSHCON 2025 — the premier gathering for workers, organizers, advocates, and safety leaders across the nation. Traveling solo gave me space to take in the experience, breathe deeply, and prepare myself for three days of learning, connection, and purpose. Along the way, I had some heartfelt conversations with people and shared a few laughs.

I arrived a day earlier than most due to the train schedule. Stepping out of Union Station in downtown Chicago felt like entering another world. I glanced up at the towering skyscrapers stretched into the clouds. Traffic buzzed with constant energy, and bright city lights pulsed with the rhythm of urban life. My first hotel — tucked beneath the elevated Chicago metro rail — was a reminder of the city’s unique character, where the thunder of trains overhead becomes a familiar soundtrack.

Later that night, I took a careful stroll in the surrounding neighborhood, passing by the warm glow of a local establishments in search of a late night snack as I explored a bit of the Chi, though I was careful not to venture off too far for safety reasons, because SS ICE OFFICER invasion of Chicago had already begun upon arrival. The air was fresh because it had rained earlier that day, but I couldn’t help but wonder how many people were being kidnapped at the moment. How many families were being ripped apart.

Despite the tension in the air, Chicago’s dynamic energy signaled that I had arrived exactly where I needed to be: the heart of worker advocacy.

Hosted by the National Council for Occupational Safety and Health, COSHCON is more than a conference — it’s a movement. This year’s event, held October 8–10 at the University of Illinois Chicago’s Student Center East, brought together a powerful, diverse, and bilingual community committed to advancing workplace safety and justice. COSH’s Katelyn Parady, Associate Director of Development and Strategic Program, and Jessica E. Martinez, Executive Director, kicked off the conference.

Participants strategized, shared firsthand stories of workplace raids by ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) in various states, and shared their concerns and fears and the cruelty of such assaults on workers, together with strategies for building effective health & safety committees going forth to protect their loved ones. It was both heartrending and inspiring to hear these firsthand experiences, and to converse with people from different industries, states and backgrounds — all united by a shared dedication to improving conditions for all.

Prior to the second day of the conference, my colleague and I realized that Chicago was the birth of black labor and the civil rights movement. We could not leave the city without paying homage to the likes of Ida B. Wells-Barnett, The Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters and all those who gave their lives at the Haymarket Riot. As we visited each site of historic significance, we were honored to stand in their presence.

The workshop given by my colleagues addressing mental health in the workplace echoed and reminded me of the 1977, a transformative collaboration which unfolded between then Black Panther Party and disability rights activists at the historic 504.

The award ceremony was held in a setting that felt like stepping back into an old theater from a bygone era, like stepping back in time. Grand columns and soaring ceilings framed the evening, casting a dignified atmosphere over the celebration of modern worker power. As balloons bobbed against the backdrop of the theater’s history, the room buzzed with a shared sense of purpose.

The highlight of the night was the presentation of the ‘Building the Future of Worker Safety’ awards, where advocates were honored not just for their past victories, but for the solid foundation they are laying for the next generation. Standing in a place so deeply rooted in labor history, it was a powerful reminder of all those who laid the foundation before us, the solidarity of the workers remains the true energy and spirit of progress.
 

Freedom is never granted; it is won. With this powerful and unifying experience at COSHCON 2025, we renew our commitment to the ongoing struggle. The solidarity witnessed in Chicago, from the echoes of the Haymarket Riot to the courage of those sharing stories of present-day workplace raids, fuels our purpose. We leave here not just with strategies and connections, but with an unwavering resolve to continue the fight and to be the voice of the most vulnerable workers, ensuring that safety, dignity, and justice are rights, not privileges, for all.