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Events

Stories of Belonging/Historias de Pertenencia: TPS Workers in Washington D.C.

There are approximately 325,000 Central American workers with Temporary Protective Status (TPS) fully employed in the U.S. today who have resided and worked in the U.S. for more than 25 years. Many of these are mixed immigration status homes where their children may be U.S. citizens, DACA recipients, or undocumented. Workers with TPS have built their lives in the U.S.; they own homes and businesses and are hard-working.

TPS family at exhibit in NJ
Stories of Belonging/Historias de Pertenencia: TPS Workers in Washington D.C.

Stories of Belonging/Historias de Pertenencia: TPS Workers in Houston, TX

There are approximately 325,000 Central American workers with Temporary Protective Status (TPS) fully employed in the U.S. today who have resided and worked in the U.S. for more than 25 years. Many of these are mixed immigration status homes where their children may be U.S. citizens, DACA recipients, or undocumented. Workers with TPS have built their lives in the U.S.; they own homes and businesses and are hard-working.

Student looking at photo display
Stories of Belonging/Historias de Pertenencia: TPS Workers in Houston, TX

The Life and Legacy of Lois Gray: Honoring Labor Innovation

The Worker Institute and the Climate Jobs Institute are pleased to offer sponsorship opportunities for our 2025 celebration, The Life and Legacy of Lois Gray: Honoring Labor Innovation.

Lois Gray
The Life and Legacy of Lois Gray: Honoring Labor Innovation
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About the Institute

The Worker Institute at Cornell engages in research and education on contemporary labor issues, to generate innovative thinking and solutions to problems related to work, economy and society. The institute brings together researchers, educators and students with practitioners in labor, business and policymaking to confront growing economic and social inequalities, in the interests of working people and their families. A core value of the Worker Institute is that collective representation and workers' rights are vital to a fair economy, robust democracy and just society.

Worker Institute

Core Offerings

The Worker Institute serves as a hub for policy research, publication, and training for policymakers, entrepreneurs, and activists engaged in the public debate to reduce economic inequality.

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Student Engagement

Student Engagement

The Worker Institute at Cornell is committed to engaging Cornell ILR undergraduate and graduate students through our coursesresearch fellowshipsgraduate programs, and other professional development opportunities.

 

Students on international experience trip
Learn more about our work with students.

Outdoor Photo Exhibit Showing Migrant Workers’ Stories Travels to Washington, D.C.

In March, the ILR School’s Worker Institute brought its photo exhibition, “Stories of Belonging: Central American TPS Workers & the Defiant Struggle to Stay Home in the U.S.,” to Washington, D.C.
Parents with child in front of exhibit
Outdoor Photo Exhibit Showing Migrant Workers’ Stories Travels to Washington, D.C.

Labor Heritage Power Hour

This week's Labor Heritage Power Hour: Stories of Belonging.
TPS exhibit in Washington DC
Labor Heritage Power Hour

The Worker Institute and the Buffalo Co-Lab Present Research at the New York State Association of Black, Puerto Rican, Hispanic & Asian Legislators, Inc. 54th Legislative Conference

Researchers from the Worker Institute and the Buffalo Co-Lab presented research findings on the racially disproportionate impact of austerity measures on the state mental health workforce.
Anne Marie Brady and Russell Weaver presenting in Albany Feb 2025
The Worker Institute and the Buffalo Co-Lab Present Research at the New York State Association of Black, Puerto Rican, Hispanic & Asian Legislators, Inc. 54th Legislative Conference

Lois Gray Innovation Initiative 

The Lois Gray Innovation Initiative was founded by labor pioneer Lois Gray to generate innovative thinking and solutions to problems related to work, economy, and society.

The Lois Gray Innovation Fund provide financial incentives for collaboration between resident and extension faculty in relation to priority programs of The Worker Institute.

It ensures faculty, researchers and students have the opportunity to fulfill the institute’s mission of advancing worker rights and collective representation.

 

Lois Gray, ILR School faculty member
Learn more about the Initiative