\t\t\t\t\tOverview: Appreciating what Labor Day truly means<\/p>\n
If you\u2019re looking for a good read to mark the occasion, Kim Kelly\u2019s\u00a0Fight Like Hell: The Untold History of American Labor\u00a0is a perfect place to start.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Labor Day isn\u2019t just about barbecues and a three-day weekend; it\u2019s a celebration of workers and the fight for fair treatment on the job.\u00a0<\/p>\n
It\u2019s a day to honor the people whose labor built our towns, cities, and industries, and to remember leaders like C\u00e9sar Ch\u00e1vez<\/a> and Dolores Huerta<\/a>, who organized farmworkers and inspired generations to demand dignity and justice.\u00a0<\/p>\n If you\u2019re looking for a good read to mark the occasion, Kim Kelly\u2019s\u00a0Fight Like Hell: The Untold History of American Labor<\/a>\u00a0is a perfect place to start.\u00a0<\/p>\n Kelly brings the stories of labor\u2019s unsung heroes to life, spotlighting women, immigrants, people of color, and LGBTQ+ workers whose courage reshaped the workplace. It\u2019s a book that makes you want to roll up your sleeves and join the cause.\u00a0<\/p>\n Steven Greenhouse\u2019s\u00a0Beaten Down, Worked Up<\/a>\u00a0is another eye-opener, pulling back the curtain on the modern labor landscape.\u00a0<\/p>\n Greenhouse, a veteran labor reporter, blends riveting history with first-hand accounts from workers today, showing just how much is still at stake. His storytelling is as much about resilience as it is about struggle.<\/p>\n In\u00a0A Collective Bargain, Jane McAlevey<\/a> lays out a case for the power of unions in the fight for economic justice.\u00a0<\/p>\n Drawing from her years as an organizer, McAlevey\u2019s stories of strikes, negotiations, and victories demonstrate that when ordinary people stand together lives change for the better.\u00a0<\/p>\n For something more personal, Emily Guendelsberger\u2019s\u00a0On the Clock: What Low-Wage Work Did to Me and How It Drives America Insane<\/a>\u00a0drops you directly into America\u2019s low-wage economy.\u00a0<\/p>\n After her newspaper job vanished, Guendelsberger took on jobs at an Amazon warehouse, a call center, and a fast-food restaurant, documenting the grueling pace, emotional toll, and flashes of camaraderie among coworkers.\u00a0<\/p>\n Each of these books offers a different window into the world of work, from sweeping histories to intimate portraits.\u00a0<\/p>\n Together, they remind us that Labor Day is about more than rest, it\u2019s about recognizing our hard work and the everyday resilience that keeps the world turning.\u00a0<\/p>\n After your Labor Day weekend, visit us on Saturday, Sept. 6 for a\u00a0clothing\u00a0swap: bring a bag of clothes and accessories in good condition and swap it for a fresh, new-to-you wardrobe. Clothes for all ages welcome.\u00a0<\/p>\n And our regular storytimes resume in September.<\/p>\n All Ages Storytime<\/a> returns Thursday, Sept. 4, and Baby Storytime<\/a> on Monday, Sept. 8 \u2013 both are at 10:30 a.m.\u00a0<\/p>\n Check out\u00a0sdcl.org\/LaMesa<\/a>\u00a0for details on\u00a0all\u00a0the free programs and events for all ages happening this month.<\/p>\n \t