Kalmanovitz Initiative Brings 100s Together for Year End Celebration

Posted in Announcements Events

On December 11, 2025 over 200 workers, labor leaders, scholars, students and activists gathered on Georgetown’s campus in Riggs library to celebrate the Kalmanovitz’s initiative for Labor and the Working Poor’s Sweet 16. In what turned out to be a labor movement reunion, past and present KI associates and supporters packed the room to hear a panel discussion reflecting on the impact of the Initiative. Lane Windham moderated a panel made up of union leaders and student activists including Paris Jones (Associate Director for Education and Leadership Training for AFSCME), Mary Catherine Ricker (Executive Director of the Albert Shanker Institute), Nick Wertsch (Associate Director of Workplace Justice for DEMOS), and Fiona Naughton (SFS’26 and student activist with the Coalition for Workers’ Rights). 

“The KI sets out not just to be a think tank, but a think and do tank,” said Werstsh during the panel while Jones highlighted the Initiative as a “hub of activists and students that are ready to work.”

Kalmanovitz executive director Joe McCartin shared the KI has always brought people together “gives hope in the midst of so much that is dark right now in this country’s history” 

The night highlighted the innovative campaigns and programs the Initiative kickstarted and co-sponsors such as Bargaining for the Common Good, WILL Empower, the Solidarity Economy Workshop and Labor Spring and more. For an in-depth look at the last 15 years, check out our newly published summary and report. 

While we highlight the past, we are ready for the current moment, and look forward to the future of bringing working people together, creating new leaders, and pushing the labor movement forward.

Check out the panel and look at our photo gallery below!