By Sabreen Dawud,
Special to the AFRO
Earlier this year the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) announced their NAACP Image Award nomination for the I AM Story podcast. The podcast has been nominated in the Outstanding Limited Series/Short Form category.
Released in April 2023, the I AM Story is centered around the 1968 Memphis Sanitation Strike. Hosted by Lee Saunders, AFSCME president, each episode highlights an individual who participated in the historic strike. The podcast allows guests space to express their personal experiences in a way that invites listeners into the realities of African-American laborers in the 1960s during the Civil Rights Movement.
“It was really terrible conditions they were under. They weren’t allowed often to take showers even in the facility where they worked. They’d have to go home and you got to realize they’ve been handling garbage all day so that’s number one and sometimes they’d even have maggots on their clothes,” said Lon Walls, senior communications council for AFSCME.
I AM Story also invites perspectives from individuals currently working in the sanitation industry, shedding light on parallels these workers have found between their experiences today and the experiences of those participating in the sanitation strike.
“You’re looking at Black men who were being treated very poorly in the first place just wanting to have some rights and to have a pay raise like anybody else. I say all that to say that on their backs, those are the true civil rights warriors. On their backs, we rise,” Walls remarked.
The 55th NAACP Image Awards will highlight the podcast in a non-televised ceremony. The categories not set to be broadcasted will be recognized from March 11 to March 14 others will air on Saturday, March 16 at 8 p.m. on BET and CBS.
“I felt like it was so educational,” expressed Rosita Gabourel, a listener of the I AM Story podcast.
“Just to hear that those guys are still dealing with issues and how one guy got laid off during the pandemic. It was just terrible to hear. I couldn’t believe they are still dealing with that,” she continued.
The series notes the involvement of well-known civil rights activist Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in the Memphis Sanitation Strike. As several African-American sanitation workers organized a protest to demand higher pay and eliminate inadequate work conditions, King was drawn to their activism and went to Memphis to support the cause. This marked the last cause King would participate in. While staying at The Lorraine Motel, King was assassinated during his time in Memphis.
“We are proud to tell the story of the fearless strikers in Memphis who marched with Dr. King, and we are honored to count them as members of our union family,” shared Saunders in a AFSCME press release.
“We can never forget the sacrifices they made to ensure that everyone receives dignity and respect on the job. At a moment when issues of racial and economic justice are again front and center, recognizing the Memphis strikers will inspire the next generation to continue speaking out against inequality wherever they see it,” Saunders continued.
The podcast has released five, full-length episodes ranging from 30 minutes to an hour. Listeners can access the I AM Story from several platforms including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Pandora and iHeart Radio.
For more information on the “I AM Story” podcast, visit their website www.iamstory.com.
