Port of Los Angeles Executive Director Gene Seroka and International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) Local 13 President Gary Herrera recently participated in a national oral history project about the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. The two leaders were invited to share their collective memories by StoryCorps, a non-profit organization which preserves stories for the United States Library of Congress American Folklife Center.

During a wide-ranging 40-minute conversation, Seroka and Herrera exchanged memories from their unique vantage points five years after one of the most impactful global events of the 21st century: the COVID-19 pandemic.

The two leaders shared the sense of duty they felt, not only to keep one of America’s most vital economic engines running, but to be present for their respective workforces and surrounding communities.

“No one knew what we were capable of until we were put to the test,” Seroka said during the conversation. “The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic is a rare cultural benchmark and the opportunity to share the stories of our resilient workforce here at the Port of Los Angeles. How we took care of each other and kept each other safe while keeping essential cargo moving is an honor we don’t take lightly.”

“It was a very proud moment during a very scary time,” said Herrera. “The men and women of the ILWU never stopped. In 100 years, if someone was to look back on what we did, they’re going to think we were amazing, but we just did what needed to be done.”

To listen to the full recording, https://archive.storycorps.org/interviews/gary-herrera-and-eugene-seroka/.

Founded in 2003, StoryCorps has collected and preserved conversations from over 630,000 participants across the country and shares many of the stories through a weekly NPR podcast, as well as animated shorts, books and digital platforms.
Source: Port of Los Angeles