Meet Gabrielle Earl
Braving near triple-digit Las Vegas temperatures in mid-September, Harbor Area Coordinator Gabrielle Earl and 3090 member Pamela Bennett canvassed and knocked on Nevada doors on behalf of Vice President Kamala Harris. According to Earl, there was a mixture of responses from those they met, from a mail carrier enthusiastic about the Harris-Walz ticket to others who wanted more information.
“Some people were like, ‘Well, convince me,’” Earl recalled. “We had some lengthy conversations. We gave them literature and shared with them what we knew.”
Earl, who first joined SEIU in 2006 when she was a Vocational Worker I, became 3090’s Harbor Area Coordinator by chance. While she was unofficially helping a colleague connect with their area representative, Earl was encouraged by recording secretary Cheryl Evans during a general membership meeting to run for South Regional Coordinator. The area Earl represents, which stretches south of the 91 freeway, includes a variety of city offices that for many years did not have a designated representative within the union. In October 2024, her nomination to retain the position was unopposed, a testament to her effectiveness.
“I think the key component to why unions are important is information,” she explained.
Earl believes that there is not always a conflict between employees and management; rather, having access to information is crucial. “Your area coordinator can be the person that gives you that information, or your immediate supervisor or management can help you navigate through the functions of the City of Los Angeles.”
“I like to believe that everyone has the same goal,” she says, adding that she’s looking forward to helping people find the support and resources they need.
