By Sonia Rodriguez
Every movement needs stories, and today, I want to tell you mine. I didn’t come to CUNY SLU because I had everything figured out. I came as a new shop steward suddenly guiding members through issues bigger than me. I realized quickly that this work takes skill, knowledge, and support, and I needed all three.
One day, while browsing the DC37 website, I found CUNY SLU under the Education tab. That click changed everything.
Before I share more, let me introduce this new student‑written column: a monthly space rooted in the labor and community values that define our school. It’s a reminder that your voice matters, just like any organizing role, because both shape the future of working people.
SLU opened my mind to possibilities I never knew existed. It reignited my activism, sharpened my leadership, and gave me confidence in my union work. The instructors didn’t just teach; they poured knowledge into me, challenged me, and saw me. And because of that, I’ve climbed within my union in ways I never imagined.
I’m a proud DC37 Local 1549 member and longtime senior registration clerk with the Department of Health in the Bronx. I’ve served as an active member, shop steward, and elected officer at both local and union levels, and I still want more. Not out of ambition alone, but out of purpose, responsibility, and love for the movement that shaped me.
This semester, I’m finishing my B.A. in Labor Studies and preparing for the master’s program this fall. I never want to stop learning or experiencing what I call the scholar effect: that moment when a class discussion pulls you into a world where everything suddenly makes sense. SLU gives me that feeling every semester.
And here’s what I didn’t expect: SLU didn’t just change my career. It changed my home. My children see me finishing a degree and stepping into a graduate program, and they are surprised, proud, inspired. They see what’s possible when education meets determination. They see their mother becoming the leader she always talked about being.
I can’t keep this to myself. I need to write about my experience, and I want to hear yours. Maybe you’re the first in your family in higher education. Maybe you feel called to lead but don’t know where to start. Maybe you’re meant to be the next organizer, steward, officer, or changemaker.
If you’ve felt that pull, even quietly, this column is for you. We need student writers for the April, May, and June issues of The Chronicle. You don’t need to be a perfect writer; you just need to be willing. We’ll support you from draft to publication. That’s how organizing works, and that’s how this project works too.
And since it’s Women’s History Month, and the month of the CUNY Women’s Leadership Summit, I especially want to uplift the women in our community who lead, learn, organize, and push our movement forward. Our stories build legacies. Our voices open doors. This column is one more space where that leadership can shine.
Your first step is simple: write to Sonia.Rodriguez44@slu3.cuny.edu and communications@slu.cuny.edu. Tell us what you want to write, or simply that you want to be part of this. We will guide you through the process.
We’re building something rooted in solidarity, honesty, and the belief that every worker has a story worth telling. I hope you’ll join us.
Thank you for reading and thank you for being part of the movement. I can’t wait to hear your voice.