The fight for freedom belongs to all of us

three women from different cities, backgrounds, and stories—but united in purpose

From Boston to the Bronx, Puerto Rico to Mexico—three women joined the Justice Journey to Louisiana, carrying with them not only the weight of personal history but the fire of collective purpose. Laura Torrence, Angeliq Huerta, and Gwendalyn Brown represent different cities, cultures, and walks of life—but their voices rise together in one clear message: the fight for freedom belongs to all of us.

Laura Torrence

Laura Torrence is one of many who joined the Justice Journey to Louisiana, confronting the injustices faced by immigrant communities and seeking to carry a deeper understanding of justice back to her community in New York City. A worker at the New Jewish Home and a proud Puerto Rican mother, Laura joined the journey not only to stand in solidarity—but to learn, reflect, and bring those lessons home to inspire the next generation.

Laura says, “I wanted to be more involved. I’m very spiritual, and I believe that by learning what people in different states and cultures go through, we open ourselves up to true unity. As minorities, we always get the worst end of the stick—and I wanted to take what I learned here back to New York, especially for our Gen Z kids. If we can educate them, we can raise them up to be the leaders of the future.”

At stops throughout the South, Laura was deeply moved by the stories of struggle and resilience—particularly the fight of young people in Tennessee to access education. “That broke my heart. These kids came here for a better life, a better future—and now they’re being stripped of it. We take for granted the opportunities we have in New York, but what I’ve seen here makes me want to help build something so that no child loses what ours have.”

Union members looking over the history of MLK and the the Civil Rights Movement in Nashville, TN

Laura knows this struggle personally. Her daughter, once the youngest officer in her police force, resigned after calling out racism in the department. 

This is why Laura joined the Justice Journey—not just to witness history, but to be part of making it. For her, this journey is about building power across communities, across cultures, and across generations. “We are all connected—immigrants, descendants of immigrants, Indigenous people, enslaved people. This country was built on our backs, and it’s our duty to make sure we keep fighting for justice, together.”

In every moment of this journey, Laura reminds us: the future is shaped by what we do now—and the fight for freedom belongs to all of us.

Angeliq Huerta

Angeliq Huerta joined the Justice Journey from New York City, carrying with her the weight of personal experience and the fire to create change. A proud Mexican American and member of SEIU, this was her first time joining the journey—but she knew right away that she needed to be part of it.

“When I saw the opportunity, I said—I have to go. I wanted to see what’s really happening in other states, because things are different outside of New York. The laws, the lives, the opportunities. And when I heard people’s stories, it hit me hard. Especially immigration—that one’s personal.”

Angeliq doesn’t often speak publicly about her story, but she knows silence won’t change anything. “We have to spread the word. Families are not safe. I want to be part of making a better place for them—and to remind people that we still have hope.”

At the Loraine Motel Museum in Nashville, TN, Angeliq was struck by how clearly the past reflects the present. “Oppression looks different now, it hasn’t ended. We still don’t have equal rights. And instead of moving forward, we’re going backward. It’s like the same cycle all over again. This country was built on immigrants, on brown and Black labor—and yet we’re the ones still being pushed down.”

But Angeliq isn’t giving up. She sees the Justice Journey as part of a larger movement. “We need to organize. We need to educate ourselves and our young people. We need more people in the streets, in unions, in community organizations. We need to speak out and fight back.”

What does she hope to bring home to New York? The truth.

“Most people I know don’t watch the news, they don’t vote, they don’t know what’s happening. But once I share what I saw, once they hear the real stories from someone who was there—it hits different. That’s how we wake people up. That’s how we build power. People don’t believe it until they see it. And I saw it. I felt it. Now I have to tell everyone.”

For Angeliq, this journey isn’t the end—it’s just the beginning. “Even if it’s something small, I want to be part of the change. We have to stick together—unions, community, everyone. Because if we don’t fight for each other, who will?”

In her words, and in her heart, Angeliq carries a message for all of us: “We came to this country for a better life. And we’re not going to stop fighting for it.”

Gwendalyn Brown

Gwendalyn Brown came down from Boston as part of SEIU to join the Justice Journey—a trip through the South connecting past and present struggles for freedom, equality, and dignity. For Gwendalyn, this journey was about showing up for the movement, for the union, and for the fight for justice.“I came to support the cause. To support the union. To support the fight..”

One of the most powerful takeaways for Gwendalyn was what she learned about the attacks on immigrant communities in Tennessee— like invalidating driver’s licenses. But instead of discouragement, she found something else: hope.

“It gives me hope — hope I didn’t even know I needed. And it encourages me to keep fighting the good fight, to keep making good trouble, like John Lewis said. We can’t give up now.”

Gwendalyn knows that the struggle ahead is serious—but she also knows that the power of collective action, solidarity, and memory can help light the way forward. If she could deliver one message to those in power, it would be simple and unshakable:

“Democracy. That word stands for itself. Justice for all. We are people. We deserve to be equal—and to feel equal. Dr. King said it best: we should all be treated equally, no matter what color or creed.”

Gwendalyn’s journey is a reminder that the fight for justice is far from over—but the spirit of resistance lives on in every step we take together. Whether in Boston, Tennessee, or anywhere in between, she’s committed to standing up, speaking out, and making sure that hope turns into action.

One Journey. One Struggle. One Future.

Laura. Angeliq. Gwendalyn. Three women from different cities, backgrounds, and stories—but united in purpose. They remind us that justice isn’t just an idea. It’s a responsibility. A movement. A path we walk together.