After four days of powerful speakers, informative workshops and revitalizing fellowship, the 2026 AFL-CIO Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Civil and Human Rights Conference officially came to a close in Baltimore on Sunday.
Friday’s agenda kicked off with a performance by the Baltimore City College Marching Knights Drumline, followed by remarks from AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler, the “Faiths United to Save Democracy” and “What’s at Stake? The Dignity of Work, Economic Justice and Labor” panels and an afternoon of workshops covering topics like resistance to Trump’s mass deportation agenda, the impact of artificial intelligence on workers and more.
On Saturday, United Steelworkers (USW) Vice President at Large and President-Elect Roxanne Brown delivered the keynote address, emphasizing that “we are the labor movement, we are built for moments like this.” Then, attendees heard American Federation of Teachers (AFT) Executive Vice President Evelyn DeJesus, SEIU United Service Workers West (SEIU-USWW) and SEIU California President David Huerta and Metropolitan Washington Council President Samuel A. Epps discuss how the labor movement is fighting back on attacks on immigrants. The day concluded with four hours of intensive nonviolent civil resistance training.
The last day of programming began with a powerful faith service featuring uplifting music and testimony from religious leaders from different denominations, followed by the community service activity and the Gala and awards ceremony. The William “Bill” Lucy Eyes on the Prize award was given to Metropolitan Baltimore AFL-CIO President Courtney L. Jenkins, while Mine Workers (UMWA) International President Emeritus Cecil Roberts received the Drum Major for Justice award, the At the River I Stand award was given to Laborers (LIUNA) Local 572 Business Manager Sonia Vasquez Luna and AFGE President Everett Kelley received the Justice, Peace and Freedom award.