Online Panel Talks

As part of the program, we invite several guest speakers working in sustainability to speak on behalf of their careers, businesses, companies, or organizations. Within these panels, guest speakers share and elaborate on their experiences to communicate with students and bring a fresh perspective to the discussion topic.

Upcoming Talks

Nayantara Banerjee

Industry Researcher & Strategist, GWC

Nayantara Banerjee is a former small business owner with over a decade of experience in custom garment tailoring & and alterations. She studied Fashion Design as an undergraduate and pursued graduate studies researching Labor and responsibility in the Apparel Industry. After several years of volunteering with Los Angeles’ Garment Worker Center, including facilitating creative sewing and pattern-making classes to upskill members, Nayantara is honored to work alongside garment workers in campaigns and research that help to transform the garment industry.

Salma Rojas

Youth Organizer, GWC

Originally from a working-class immigrant family in Phoenix Arizona, Salma Rojas has always
been drawn to issues at the intersection of immigration, race, class, and labor. In 2017, she
moved to Los Angeles to study Urban and Environmental Policy at Occidental College, where
she organized on-campus workers to combat exploitative work practices. Once she graduated in
2021, she started working as a tenant organizer at the Coalition for Economic Survival and
transitioned into the Youth Organizer position at GWC in December 2022. She is honored and
excited to work with youth and garment workers to continue instilling radical social change.

Iris De Leon

Leader, Garment Worker Youth Program

Iris is a current student at the University of California Berkeley majoring in Political science. She
is dedicated to becoming a strong advocate for her community, where she takes pride in
participating in organizations such as GWC. Through her involvement in the Garment Worker
Youth Program, she was a youth speaker at several press conferences and campaign events, since
she has firsthand experience with the garment industry due to being the daughter of garment
workers.

Previous Talks