The fourth anniversary of United Teacher Los Angeles’ and Reclaim Our Schools LA’s January 2019 strike brought moving reflections from all quarters. The reflections showed the determination of UTLA members and parent/youth/community allies engaged in deep struggle —and the joy, solidarity, creativity, and love that are central to it.

In a new piece for Convergence magazine, UTLA leader Alex Caputo-Pearl reflects on the labor and community organizing that built the winning 2019 strike—and the ways strikes build power for the long fight for racial and economic justice.