Under April Verrett’s leadership, the Service Employees International Union has shown that art and culture are not peripheral to organizing—they are essential to building worker power. From large-scale “Art in Action” programs at national conventions to member-driven puppetry, music, visual art, spoken word, and performance, SEIU has placed workers’ voices, identities, and creativity at the center of the movement.

That approach was on vivid display on March 4th in New York City at the “Ball Without Billionaires,” a worker-led fashion show organized with labor partners as a counterpoint to the Met Gala, where workers from Amazon, Starbucks, Uber, and other companies took the runway—underscoring the message that “Labor Is Art” and bringing cultural organizing into one of the world’s most visible cultural moments. 

“Culture has always been how working people tell the truth about our lives -- about our struggle, our joy, and our power,” said Verrett. “When we center art and storytelling in our organizing, we’re not just expressing ourselves -- we’re building solidarity and we’re building multi-racial democracy where everyone has the money, power and respect they deserve. Because at the end of the day this work is about dignity, being seen, being heard, and having power to shape our own future.”

Verrett has also expanded the reach of labor storytelling in powerful ways, using her own voice across digital platforms, rallies, protests, and cultural spaces—from union halls to festivals like Essence and Mad Soul—to connect with people where they are and inspire bold action. Her approach reflects a broader vision of organizing: one that meets workers in spaces of joy and expression, not just on the shop floor.

That vision is reshaping how the labor movement is seen and felt. By embracing cultural organizing, SEIU has helped transform the union into a vibrant, inclusive community—one that affirms workers as whole people and champions dignity both on and off the job. Verrett’s leadership has helped welcome a new generation into the movement, modeling authenticity, strength, and a deep commitment to solidarity.

The Labor Heritage Foundation has been honored to collaborate in this work, designing and leading labor arts and history workshops and curating community art spaces at SEIU’s Dream.Rise.Organize. conferences in Tucson and Chapel Hill. These spaces became hubs of storytelling, learning, and connection, underscoring the power of culture as an organizing tool.

“These efforts do more than communicate messages,” says LHF Executive Director Chris Garlock. “They affirm workers as culture-makers, elevate stories too often left unseen, and remind us that solidarity is lived and felt as much as it is organized.”

The 2026 Solidarity Forever Award will be presented on Thursday, May 14, from 5:30 to 7:00 p.m. in the AFL-CIO’s Solidarity Room, bringing together labor leaders, artists, and supporters from across the country to celebrate Verrett’s leadership and impact.

Click here to sponsor the event, or here for individual tickets.