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… Good evening. I am honored to be with you tonight at the first chartered branch of the NAACP, at the institution often known as the labor branch of the … me, and allowing me a small part in the shared history of the civil rights and labor movements. It’s especially meaningful to me to accept this award in 2014. This is a anniversary year for civil rights milestones. A few weeks ago, we marked the … raw bigotry. The Civil Rights Act of 1964 changed a lot of that—and gave us many tools we still use today to continue the work of ending discrimination in the workplace. The way to honor the women and men of the Civil Rights Revolution is not by …

… Thank you, Brother Phil [Neuenfeldt] , for your warm words of introduction. I want to thank you, also, for bringing me to your convention. It’s good to be back in Wisconsin. You know, the political dial in Wisconsin, and all across America, has moved so far to the right that it’s almost off the chart. I believe it’s time to think hard, and remember, just exactly what Gov. Scott Walker … public workers, nurses and snow plow drivers and firefighters, first, it hurts, and it makes me angry. And then I get to work, because we can and will win when we build our power. We are strengthening our unions, and growing partnerships with our …

… Thank you, Brother Mike [Louis] for that warm introduction and I want to thank you for inviting me to your convention. It’s great to be here in St. Louis—and I’m grateful to be here at such a … party lines. As a labor movement we once again face concerted attacks by those who have enormous wealth. The far-right is trying to divide us in many ways. But, here in in America, the power and dignity of working people will always … or fair pay because of the color of his or her skin, that is our fight. When women are paid less than men for the same work, that is a fight for every single one of us. We cannot afford to have “my issues” and “your issue,” we must ALL stand …