Despite a long tradition of midwifery in the Black community, which predates the founding of the United States, less than 2% of midwives today are Black. In this episode we share the story of Kim Durdin, who found her calling in reclaiming midwifery and birthwork.
It is part one of two episodes where we bring you the stories of Black midwives in Los Angeles devoted to helping women experience empowered births through their foundation and birth center, Kindred Space LA.
This episode is a tribute to the life and legacy of Henry Walton — a lifelong union and community activist. Henry had a special relationship with Re:Work Radio, given that it originated from his KPFK show, ‘Labor Review,’ which ran from 1991-2011. He had a unique way of connecting deeply with people and sharing the stories of communities in Los Angeles. Henry hosted hundreds of guests over the years, including labor leaders, elected officials, global union visitors, organizers, and union activists. He was a consistent source of labor news for thousands of listeners, and telling stories of the movement was Henry’s passion. Before we took over the show, we sat down with Henry for an interview in the conference room at the UCLA Labor Center. The conversation became a series of stories about his life, influences, and journey to becoming a pioneer of radio broadcasting.
Re:Work Radio is back with another episode on LA’s Garment District. This time we explore the Garment District’s rich history through three generations of strong Mexican women. Vanessa, Re:Work Radio staff, comes from a family of women whose lives are intricately tied with the LA Garment district. Starting with her great-grandmother who was a garment worker in the 1920s, the family eventually owned and operated a bridal shop in Mexico for over 50 years — always returning to the Garment District for materials. This is a story about love, labor, and transnational solidarity.
Sometimes you have to become someone different to fit into a new job. Or, sometimes the job is exactly the right fit– but your being in that job makes people turn heads. Henry Walton describes what happens when his ambulance takes a wrong turn during the 60s when racial tensions are high. And Ramiro Gomez describes how his life changes course when he takes on a job as a nanny.