For Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month this year, the AFL-CIO is spotlighting various Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders who have worked and continue to work at the intersection of civil and labor rights in the United States. Today's profile is Liza Cruz.
Cruz is a housekeeper and shop steward at the Embassy Suites by Hilton. She worked on the frontlines during the COVID-19 pandemic, while also caring for her children and elderly mother. Cruz is a Union leader in UNITE HERE Local 8. She helped organize her hotel in 2018 and has led her coworkers in fights to reduce workload and demand respect for housekeepers, particularly during the difficult conditions created by the COVID-19 pandemic.