Labor Summer
About Labor Summer
Established in 2022 and hosted by the UCR Inland Empire Labor & Community Center at UCR, the Labor Summer Fellowship is an annual program that brings together emerging leaders, labor unions, and community organizations who share a vision for worker justice and labor rights. Student participants are matched with a host organization for an 8-week paid internship to engage in local campaigns that advance worker, racial, immigrant, and other social justice initiatives.
Throughout the summer, students will learn the basics of community and labor organizing and get hands-on experience building power with workers and Inland Empire residents. Several Labor Summer alumni have been offered full-time positions after the program and are at the forefront of the labor movement in the Inland Empire and beyond.
UCR students receive a stipend in recognition of their participation in the program. The program also provides students with leadership and professional development training, a certificate of completion, and access to a UC statewide labor summer network.
The application period for Labor Summer 2025 has closed. Please revisit this webpage in Fall 2025 and/or join the IELCC student mailing list to be notified when next year’s applications open.
Key Dates for Labor Summer 2025
| December 9, 2024 — February 7, 2025 | Host organization application period. Applications will be due February 7, 2025 at 11:59 PM PT |
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| December 16, 2024 – February 7, 2025 | Student Fellow application period. Applications will be due February 7, 2025 at 11:59 PM PT |
| June 23 – June 27, 2025 | Opening Retreat at UC Riverside for Student Fellows |
| June 30 – August 15, 2025 | Internship Placement |
| August 7, 2025 (Tentative) | In-Person Graduation Ceremony (evening) |
If you’d like to receive an email notification when the application opens, click this link to sign up for our mailing list. Thank you for your interest in Labor Summer!
Labor Summer Alumni
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Class of 2024
UCR Labor Summer 2024 Graduation. Back: Josue Silva Garcia, Ricardo Gonzalez, Eric Guerra, Ketsia Mbuyamba Mukenge, Jessie Parks, Max Ohshima-Li. Front: Cal Lee, Yadira Alvarado Santillan, Arlene Reyes, Paolina Ochoa, Jaylin Alvayero. 
Cal Lee with the Warehouse Workers Resource Center
Ketsia Mbuyamba Mukenge with the Inland Empire Labor Institute
Eric Guerra with the Inland Empire Labor Council 
Paolina Ochoa with People's Collective for Environmental Justice 
Jessie Parks with SEIU 721 
Max Ohshima-Li with SEIU 721 
Jaylin Alvayero with SEIU 2015 
Yadira Alvarado Santillan with United Domestic Workers 
Arlene Reyes with Pomona Economic Opportunity Center
Ricardo Gonzalez with IE-AWU
Josue Silva Garcia with Just San Bernardino -
Class of 2023
UCR Labor Summer 2023 Orientation. From left to right: Balgis Muhammad, Jana Gad, Jeffery Ortega, Arlette Guttirez, Gabriela Clatenco Martinez, Jacqueline Ma, Lesli Valladares Escobar, George Jimenez, Elizabeth Romo Romero, Deidre Reyes, Jeddy Jacinto Molina, Arturo Ramirez Diego, Gregory B. Hutchins (Lead Graduate Researcher, IELCC). - Arlette Gutierrez with UFCW 1167
- Arturo Ramirez Diego with the Warehouse Workers Resource Center
- Balgis Muhammad with SEIU 721
- Deidre Reyes with UDW 3930
- Elizabeth Romo Romero with the Inland Empire Labor and Community Center
- Gabriela Clatenco Martinez with the Inland Empire Labor Council
- George Jimenez with SEIU 2015
- Jacqueline Ma with UDW 3930
- Jana Gad with UDW 3930
- Jeddy Jacinto Molina with UFCW 1167
- Jeffrey Ortega with SEIU 2015
- Lesli Valladares Escobar with the Warehouse Workers Resource Center