Vonda leads the Global Capital Strategies initiative, at the Center for Labor & a Just Economy at Harvard Law School, focusing on financial strategies in service of labor and human rights, and a just transition to a low carbon economy. She also supports the Capital Strategies for a Common Good initiative, researching ties between movements for workers’ rights, environmental justice, and racial justice. Prior to joining CLJE, she led the Just Transition project and co-founded the Trustee Leadership Forum for Retirement Security (TLF) at the Initiative for Responsible Investment at the Harvard Kennedy School. Before her work at Harvard, Vonda was the Director of the Capital Stewardship Program at Service Employees International Union (SEIU), which was created to engage the capital markets and financial institutions in innovative ways. Prior to her time with SEIU, Vonda worked as a community organizer in Chicago, New York, and Boston with the Industrial Areas Foundation. She earned her B.A. from Calvin College and A.M. in Public Policy from the University of Chicago.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:00):
Pull up a chair and tell me your memory.
(00:09):
Why does it matter to you?
I want to hear your story, your point of view.
Tell me what happened to you.
Hi and welcome back to Tell Me What Happened with the podcast that teaches folks from all walks of life
(00:32):
telling us one true childhood experience and how that event, that moment in time, impacted who they are today.
I'm your host, Jay Rehak, and like you, I've had my share of childhood experiences.
Some of them beautiful and memorable and some of them actually quite painful.
(00:53):
But I'd like to think that everything that's ever happened to me has made me a better person.
I know a lot of you probably think that's probably not true and you're probably right, but I'd like to think in any way.
Anyway, Tell Me What Happened is sponsored by Sidelining Publishing, publishers of quality books,
including Susan Salinor's classic children's books, I've Got Peace in My Fingers, and One Little Act of Kindness.
(01:22):
Alright, today I have as my guest a friend of mine, Bonda Brunstein.
Bonda is a long time labor and community organizer.
She now works at the Center for Labor and Adjust Economy at Harvard Law School.
Welcome to Tell Me What Happened, Bonda.
Hi, Jay.
Bonda, great to have you on the show.
(01:45):
Really appreciate you taking the time.
Are you ready to tell your story?
Sure.
Alright, listen, Bonda, I'm going to get out of the way and at the end I'm going to ask you absolutely one question,
and that one question is this, how do you think what you told me impacted who you are as an adult?
So take it away, Bonda.
Well, thanks for having me, Jay.
So my story, I was about eight years old and my uncle had an accident at work.
(02:11):
So I grew up in West Michigan and he worked in a factory.
I think it was a factory that made furniture.
And on the day of the accident, he had worn regular shoes, not the steel toe work boots that I think probably he wore most often,
and it was an inspection day.
So that was the reason for it.
And during that day, he stepped into some molten metal and it incinerated part of his foot.
(02:36):
A horrible, horrible accident.
And what I remember is after it all happened, a discussion at the dinner table at my house, the adults were talking,
you know, I was a kid listening in, and I remember them talking about the fact that my uncle had been demoted to a desk job and discussing it.
(02:59):
And I felt like that wasn't fair.
I didn't really understand what had happened to him.
I think by that point, he had already had surgery on his foot.
But the adults, you know, their explanation was that it was God's will and that we needed to leave it in God's hands.
And I didn't really, that didn't make any sense to me.
(03:20):
I was raised in a very religious community in West Michigan.
Church was really the center of our lives.
And, you know, I still couldn't make sense of it.
My uncle is in his 80s now and he's really, he's an incredible, incredible man.
He still volunteers with his church.
He's been working his entire life.
(03:41):
The accident has not really destroyed his joy of living or his ability to work.
I remember for his 50th birthday, I think he went bungee jumping and for his 80th or his 70th birthday, he went in a hot air balloon.
So he's this man that's full of life and, you know, still up until a couple of years ago worked on an assembly line, assembly light fixtures.
And so I find this incredibly remarkable person in my life.
(04:06):
I'm full of admiration for him. And yet the story from my childhood, this moment when I'm sitting at the dinner table with my family,
trying to make sense of what happened to him at work and how the company could just, in my mind at least, demote him and disrespect him.
And the fact that we had to just leave it up to God.
I've always struggled with.
So Jay, that's my story.
(04:28):
I found that hurts me. My foot hurts thinking about that poor man went through and then he's got a lifetime of that.
Yeah.
And I know because I've known you for many years that you have a lot of positive energy towards, I think unions, but I'm not going to speak for you.
But let me ask you the question.
(04:52):
How do you think you hearing that story as a young girl.
And having your uncle, you know, remain highly religious and believing that what happened to him was God's will.
How do you think that impacted you as an adult.
Well, you know, this is, I don't know, I guess a million dollar question, because all of our childhood experiences I think impact us in some way.
(05:22):
I think that there's a couple of really direct things that happened to me. I was really lucky to go to college and move to Chicago.
And I did what I knew best, which was, you know, get involved in a church. And so I joined first Presbyterian Church of Woodlawn.
And it turns out that that congregation was one of the founding members of the Woodlawn organization in the 60s, which was one of the saw Alinsky organizations saw Alinsky being, you know, the grandfather of community
(05:51):
and so I got to experience a different way of people coming together on a shared set of beliefs but also acting in the community around something that they believed in how to build power to make change.
And so I feel like that was an incredibly fortunate thing that happened to me and then eventually, yes, as you said, I have been part of labor unions.
(06:14):
I worked for SCIU the service employees international union for over 15 years and really got a chance to fight alongside of working people for better pay and working conditions and recognition of the hard work that they do.
So I feel like that seed that was in me at eight years old of frustration and dissatisfaction.
(06:37):
I have been able to turn that into something I've been able to turn it into an incredible set of experiences as a community organizer I did end up working for the industrial areas foundation which was the saw Alinsky group.
I did that for years in Chicago and New York and in Boston.
And then I went to go work for the service employees union and have been able to, you know, try to fight on behalf of myself and other working people and the people that I grew up with and really people all over the country.
(07:07):
So I think that there's a direct connection, you know, my family, interestingly enough, or ironically, is not very supportive of unions.
My parents are very supportive of me and don't understand what I do for a living. My father years ago said something to me when we were watching a show and commercial for Walmart came on and he said, Oh, there's a good company because they don't support unions.
(07:36):
And that was pretty hard to hear he apologized, but that sentiment in West Michigan. I just, you know, again, it just, it's fueled me, I think, and I've been able to take it and turn it around.
I'm hoping that you still have a relationship with your folks but I, that was, you know, you're working so hard for the working people. And somebody would say that and your dad would say that in front of me or whatever.
(08:08):
Yeah, no, it's, it's, it's I have, I have a wonderful family. And my uncle too, you know, he's really he and my dad, the whole family, large family, eight kids. It's in their family. They're really wonderful people and hard workers like I said before, I've taken that into my life, I think and, and I am really pleased to say that the rate of union membership in West Michigan
(08:35):
and in Michigan overall is increasing, not decreasing like other parts of the country.
And I think the sweet, there's new Gallup pulls out that I don't remember what the percentages maybe 67% of Americans are supportive of unions and people to join a union and have collective bargaining and especially I think that that's increasing among young people.
(08:59):
So that gives me a lot of hope that we can, you know, fight for the things that we believe in. And I really feel like the social change campaigns and organizing efforts I've been part of both through really wonderful organizations, you know, communities of faith and other community
groups, as well as labor is contributing to that. So here we are, however many years later, I won't tell you how old I am but it's been a very exciting journey to be on.
(09:26):
So I want to thank you on behalf of the working people of the world for your work on this because I've known you for a long time and I know your commitment to, you know, helping people working people and, you know, I still, it hurts me I guess and to think of your poor uncle losing part of his foot and sort of getting
to motive rather than a large settlement and the, you know,
(09:49):
Well, if you met him, Jay, you wouldn't feel sorry for him at all because he's, you know, while he's had, you know, surgeries on his foot and it's, you know, he was also in other accidents on the farm so he's, you know, some people would look at him and say oh my gosh wow he's
really struggled physically, but the man has never let that stop him from really living a full life.
And has really been an inspiration for me when I hear from my dad these stories about how he's choosing to celebrate his birthday, you know, he's really, I think a testament to like, you know, the, I have to say the salt of the earth people that I grew up with.
(10:24):
Love it. Love it. Well, thank you for coming on the show. I really appreciate the story. Shout out to your family for raising such a wonderful daughter and niece, I guess.
And I hope you continue your great work, but in any case, I do respect the fact that you respect your family the way you do and it's great to reconnect with you after a while.
(10:50):
So thank you very much for coming on the show.
Like wise Jay, continue the good work.
All right.
All right, well that's our show. I like to thank Vonda Bronston again for coming on our show, telling us a story.
I like to thank our sponsors, Sight Lending Publishing.
So until next time, this is Jay Rehak asking you all to please stay safe out there and try not to hurt anybody.
Pull up a chair and tell me your memory.
(00:09):
Why does it matter to you?
I want to hear your story, your point of view.
Tell me what happened to you.
Hi and welcome back to Tell Me What Happened with the podcast that teaches folks from all walks of life
(00:32):
telling us one true childhood experience and how that event, that moment in time, impacted who they are today.
I'm your host, Jay Rehak, and like you, I've had my share of childhood experiences.
Some of them beautiful and memorable and some of them actually quite painful.
(00:53):
But I'd like to think that everything that's ever happened to me has made me a better person.
I know a lot of you probably think that's probably not true and you're probably right, but I'd like to think in any way.
Anyway, Tell Me What Happened is sponsored by Sidelining Publishing, publishers of quality books,
including Susan Salinor's classic children's books, I've Got Peace in My Fingers, and One Little Act of Kindness.
(01:22):
Alright, today I have as my guest a friend of mine, Bonda Brunstein.
Bonda is a long time labor and community organizer.
She now works at the Center for Labor and Adjust Economy at Harvard Law School.
Welcome to Tell Me What Happened, Bonda.
Hi, Jay.
Bonda, great to have you on the show.
(01:45):
Really appreciate you taking the time.
Are you ready to tell your story?
Sure.
Alright, listen, Bonda, I'm going to get out of the way and at the end I'm going to ask you absolutely one question,
and that one question is this, how do you think what you told me impacted who you are as an adult?
So take it away, Bonda.
Well, thanks for having me, Jay.
So my story, I was about eight years old and my uncle had an accident at work.
(02:11):
So I grew up in West Michigan and he worked in a factory.
I think it was a factory that made furniture.
And on the day of the accident, he had worn regular shoes, not the steel toe work boots that I think probably he wore most often,
and it was an inspection day.
So that was the reason for it.
And during that day, he stepped into some molten metal and it incinerated part of his foot.
(02:36):
A horrible, horrible accident.
And what I remember is after it all happened, a discussion at the dinner table at my house, the adults were talking,
you know, I was a kid listening in, and I remember them talking about the fact that my uncle had been demoted to a desk job and discussing it.
(02:59):
And I felt like that wasn't fair.
I didn't really understand what had happened to him.
I think by that point, he had already had surgery on his foot.
But the adults, you know, their explanation was that it was God's will and that we needed to leave it in God's hands.
And I didn't really, that didn't make any sense to me.
(03:20):
I was raised in a very religious community in West Michigan.
Church was really the center of our lives.
And, you know, I still couldn't make sense of it.
My uncle is in his 80s now and he's really, he's an incredible, incredible man.
He still volunteers with his church.
He's been working his entire life.
(03:41):
The accident has not really destroyed his joy of living or his ability to work.
I remember for his 50th birthday, I think he went bungee jumping and for his 80th or his 70th birthday, he went in a hot air balloon.
So he's this man that's full of life and, you know, still up until a couple of years ago worked on an assembly line, assembly light fixtures.
And so I find this incredibly remarkable person in my life.
(04:06):
I'm full of admiration for him. And yet the story from my childhood, this moment when I'm sitting at the dinner table with my family,
trying to make sense of what happened to him at work and how the company could just, in my mind at least, demote him and disrespect him.
And the fact that we had to just leave it up to God.
I've always struggled with.
So Jay, that's my story.
(04:28):
I found that hurts me. My foot hurts thinking about that poor man went through and then he's got a lifetime of that.
Yeah.
And I know because I've known you for many years that you have a lot of positive energy towards, I think unions, but I'm not going to speak for you.
But let me ask you the question.
(04:52):
How do you think you hearing that story as a young girl.
And having your uncle, you know, remain highly religious and believing that what happened to him was God's will.
How do you think that impacted you as an adult.
Well, you know, this is, I don't know, I guess a million dollar question, because all of our childhood experiences I think impact us in some way.
(05:22):
I think that there's a couple of really direct things that happened to me. I was really lucky to go to college and move to Chicago.
And I did what I knew best, which was, you know, get involved in a church. And so I joined first Presbyterian Church of Woodlawn.
And it turns out that that congregation was one of the founding members of the Woodlawn organization in the 60s, which was one of the saw Alinsky organizations saw Alinsky being, you know, the grandfather of community
(05:51):
and so I got to experience a different way of people coming together on a shared set of beliefs but also acting in the community around something that they believed in how to build power to make change.
And so I feel like that was an incredibly fortunate thing that happened to me and then eventually, yes, as you said, I have been part of labor unions.
(06:14):
I worked for SCIU the service employees international union for over 15 years and really got a chance to fight alongside of working people for better pay and working conditions and recognition of the hard work that they do.
So I feel like that seed that was in me at eight years old of frustration and dissatisfaction.
(06:37):
I have been able to turn that into something I've been able to turn it into an incredible set of experiences as a community organizer I did end up working for the industrial areas foundation which was the saw Alinsky group.
I did that for years in Chicago and New York and in Boston.
And then I went to go work for the service employees union and have been able to, you know, try to fight on behalf of myself and other working people and the people that I grew up with and really people all over the country.
(07:07):
So I think that there's a direct connection, you know, my family, interestingly enough, or ironically, is not very supportive of unions.
My parents are very supportive of me and don't understand what I do for a living. My father years ago said something to me when we were watching a show and commercial for Walmart came on and he said, Oh, there's a good company because they don't support unions.
(07:36):
And that was pretty hard to hear he apologized, but that sentiment in West Michigan. I just, you know, again, it just, it's fueled me, I think, and I've been able to take it and turn it around.
I'm hoping that you still have a relationship with your folks but I, that was, you know, you're working so hard for the working people. And somebody would say that and your dad would say that in front of me or whatever.
(08:08):
Yeah, no, it's, it's, it's I have, I have a wonderful family. And my uncle too, you know, he's really he and my dad, the whole family, large family, eight kids. It's in their family. They're really wonderful people and hard workers like I said before, I've taken that into my life, I think and, and I am really pleased to say that the rate of union membership in West Michigan
(08:35):
and in Michigan overall is increasing, not decreasing like other parts of the country.
And I think the sweet, there's new Gallup pulls out that I don't remember what the percentages maybe 67% of Americans are supportive of unions and people to join a union and have collective bargaining and especially I think that that's increasing among young people.
(08:59):
So that gives me a lot of hope that we can, you know, fight for the things that we believe in. And I really feel like the social change campaigns and organizing efforts I've been part of both through really wonderful organizations, you know, communities of faith and other community
groups, as well as labor is contributing to that. So here we are, however many years later, I won't tell you how old I am but it's been a very exciting journey to be on.
(09:26):
So I want to thank you on behalf of the working people of the world for your work on this because I've known you for a long time and I know your commitment to, you know, helping people working people and, you know, I still, it hurts me I guess and to think of your poor uncle losing part of his foot and sort of getting
to motive rather than a large settlement and the, you know,
(09:49):
Well, if you met him, Jay, you wouldn't feel sorry for him at all because he's, you know, while he's had, you know, surgeries on his foot and it's, you know, he was also in other accidents on the farm so he's, you know, some people would look at him and say oh my gosh wow he's
really struggled physically, but the man has never let that stop him from really living a full life.
And has really been an inspiration for me when I hear from my dad these stories about how he's choosing to celebrate his birthday, you know, he's really, I think a testament to like, you know, the, I have to say the salt of the earth people that I grew up with.
(10:24):
Love it. Love it. Well, thank you for coming on the show. I really appreciate the story. Shout out to your family for raising such a wonderful daughter and niece, I guess.
And I hope you continue your great work, but in any case, I do respect the fact that you respect your family the way you do and it's great to reconnect with you after a while.
(10:50):
So thank you very much for coming on the show.
Like wise Jay, continue the good work.
All right.
All right, well that's our show. I like to thank Vonda Bronston again for coming on our show, telling us a story.
I like to thank our sponsors, Sight Lending Publishing.
So until next time, this is Jay Rehak asking you all to please stay safe out there and try not to hurt anybody.
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