In the aftermath of every disaster, there’s a forgotten workforce–undocumented, exploited, and underpaid. What happens when the people rebuilding our world are the ones at risk? In a world where climate disasters are becoming more frequent and severe, Saket Soni explores the critical intersection of disaster resilience, immigrant labor, and social justice. From Hurricane Katrina to the Maui wildfires, Soni–founder of Resilience Force–takes us deep into the stories of the workers who rebuild our communities after tragedy strikes.

Saket Soni is a labor organizer, human rights strategist, and the founder and director of Resilience Force, an organization dedicated to amplifying the voice of workers who rebuild communities after climate disasters. Labeled an “architect of the next labor movement” in USA Today, Soni’s work has been profiled in the New Yorker, TIME, Fast Company, and the New York Times. He is the author of The Great Escape: The True Story of Forced Labor and Immigrant Dreams in America.

Robert Perkinson (moderator) is an associate professor of American Studies at the University of Hawaii at Manoa and director of the Better Tomorrow Speaker Series.

The Better Tomorrow Speaker Series features incisive conversations on the most pressing issues of our time. The project is a joint venture of the University of Hawai‘i, Hawai‘i Community Foundation, and Kamehameha Schools.

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