Do you know how Labor Day started and became a national holiday? It was started by labor unions in the late 1800s to celebrate the contributions and achievements of American workers. But in the late 1800s, conditions for American workers were deplorable – they had little to celebrate with long work weeks, poor sanitation, dangerous conditions, no job security, and low wages. One woman made a profound impact on worker’s rights in the 1930s and 40s: Frances Perkins.
Our crush this week is Hiba Stancofski! Hiba emigrated to the USA as a young woman escaping civil war in Lebanon and transitioned from an early career in research to teaching beach yoga and mindfulness. Her yoga and mindfulness practices helped her overcome childhood trauma, and she is now using them to help families thrive during the chaos of the pandemic. Tell us a little bit about your background and family I grew up in Lebanon, a beautiful country on the Mediterranean, but left in my early twenties to start a new life in the States after 13 long years of raging civil war. I got my Bachelors degree in Biology from the American University of Beirut, followed by my Masters in Biology from American University, Washington, DC. I then worked in research at Georgetown University, until I moved to Baltimore with my husband, Erik. I worked at the University…