Teamster scholarship essays: Keeping the American identity alive

Each year, the Teamsters Union awards thousands of dollars to deserving students through scholarships. Among other prizes, awards totaling $1,000 are given to students who answer a specific question through essays. Last year, applicants were asked to write about how their parents’ or grandparent’s involvement in the Teamsters has influenced their lives. Winners were decided and awards were given before the war on workers was declared, but we felt these students’ messages about working families are timeless.
Shayne Russell is the daughter of a 16-year Teamster and Local 79 member. Shayne can attest to the fact that union members are hardworking, moral members of society. That’s because Shayne is a living testament to the benefits unions bring members and their families.

If it weren’t for my mother and her employment from the United Parcel Service, my family life would be very different. As a single mother raising four children, the opportunity to work for such a company and participate in the union greatly improved our standard of living. Furthermore, this involvement has allowed our family insight and education as to what labor unions really stand far. The purpose of labor unions serves to uplift the lives of working class America.

My mother’s involvement in Local 79 is particularly important to me because of how it inspires me to work hard in my life. As a woman leader in a male-dominated field, my mother is proof that anything can be accomplished through hard work and dedication.

Anthony Whitlow, the son and grandson of Teamster members, takes a more global view on the impact unions have on families. Whitlow understands that without unions, there would be no middle class. He describes unionism as part of the American identity. Whitlow’s words give us hope for the future of labor and the future of America:

Thousands of people would be without representation in the workplace if it were not for the men like my grandfather spreading the word of strength through unity. The Teamsters Union is an extremely important part of America’s identity. The organization has given families all over the country a chance to work under the proper conditions and for fair pay. As a member of the Teamsters Union, the ability to speak out for those rights and fight for them when needed most is what keeps that old American identity alive. I can proudly say that I am an American who fights for what he believes and stands together with my fellow Americans for a common cause.