First Annual Worker Appreciation Day Held by Undergraduates

Festive beats of salsa and meringue, holiday foods and echoes of laughter filled the Adams House Lower Common Room (LCR) on Saturday afternoon.

But at this gathering, Harvard juniors danced with people more than twice their age, and conversation was just as likely to be held in Creole or Spanish as in English.

More than 20 Harvard custodial workers and their families turned out to celebrate with about 20 students for the first annual Worker Appreciation Day at Harvard, sponsored primarily by the Progressive Student Labor Movement's Living Wage Campaign, the Black Students Association (BSA) and the Harvard Haitian Alliance.

BSA Public Service Chair Tiffany S. McNair '02 said she developed the idea last summer "to honor the workers--to show them that students at Harvard do care."

Along with Living Wage Campaign member Stephen N. Smith '02 and Haitian Alliance Public Service Chair Emilio J. Travieso '02, McNair coordinated the reception.

Participants said it was also important to recognize Harvard's workers as part of the University's minority community, and many minority student organizations co-sponsored the event.

"These people are part of the Harvard community, but they're also a part of our community," Haitian Alliance President Anne-Carmene Almonord '02 said.

McNair said that the event was a simple holiday celebration without a political message. She added that workers might be "hesitant to come to something with a political connotation."

Canaday custodian Felis Collazo said that he enjoyed the opportunity to interact with students and see a different part of Harvard.

"This is the first time I've ever been in this building," he said.

Maria Fuentes, who has spent almost two years working in the Lowell House Mail Room, said she was excited to meet some of the school's students at Saturday's event.

"I know every one of their names, but I don't know their faces," she said.

Fuentes also emphasized the interdependence between workers and students.

"It's good that the students recognize what we do for them," she said. "They need us and we need them."

Smith said the Living Wage Campaign also appreciated the chance to further develop its personal relationships with Harvard's employees.

"We do a lot of work talking to workers. This was an awesome opportunity to do something tangible for them along with our activism," said Smith.

While most funding for the event came from the Undergraduate Council and a grant from the Office of the Dean of the College, BSA member Jillion T. Harris '04 said individual students helped finance the gathering.

Council president Fentrice D. Driskell '01 said she was impressed by the event's success.

"I'm surprised we haven't done it before, and I can't wait to see it continue in the future," she said.

In addition to food and dancing, the day featured a raffle of items from several Harvard Square businesses, including gift certificates to Grafton Street, John Harvard's Brew House and Herrell's, a gift package from Origins and an assortment of CDs from HMV.

Greg R. Halpern '99, who helped create the Living Wage Campaign's employee testimonial display currently in the Science Center, said that this event should be a starting point for further efforts.

"The student body definitely could do more," he said. "We're really indebted to these people and the hard work they do. This place is beautiful and well-run because of them."