Service + Solidarity Spotlight: Biden to Award Richard Trumka Presidential Medal of Freedom

Working people across the United States have stepped up to help out our friends, neighbors and communities during these trying times. In our regular Service + Solidarity Spotlight series, we’ll showcase one of these stories every day. Here’s today’s story.

Last year, AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka passed after a long and distinguished career of fighting on behalf of workers across the country and throughout the world. Those of us who worked with him knew his commitment to the labor movement and will forever be thankful for his dedication to working people.

Add President Joe Biden to the list of those honoring Trumka’s life work. This week, Biden will award Trumka with the nation’s highest civilian honor, the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Trumka is one of 17 honorees who will be recognized in a ceremony later this week.

In describing the recipients of the medal, the White House wrote, “These seventeen Americans demonstrate the power of possibilities and embody the soul of the nation —hard work, perseverance, and faith. They have overcome significant obstacles to achieve impressive accomplishments in the arts and sciences, dedicated their lives to advocating for the most vulnerable among us and acted with bravery to drive change in their communities—and across the world—while blazing trails for generations to come.”