Honoring Black History: Alumnus Feature-Akeem Pack '19
Q&A with Akeem Pack '19
Assistant General Counsel, Service Employees International Union (SEIU), Washington, D.C.
“All workers should have the right to join a union. All workers should have the right to bargain collectively for better terms and conditions of employment.”
Akeem Pack '19 advocates for over 2 million service employees across the United States and Canada. His mission in practice is to bring about change to systemic structures that disenfranchise people.
Why did you choose labor advocacy?
I have had a long journey with the labor movement, and as much as I’d like to think I chose this route of advocacy, it is just as likely that the labor movement chose me.
I was a member of a union in Detroit for 10 years prior to law school. During law school, I worked as a legal clerk with the UAW in Detroit. After graduation, I joined the SEIU as a legislative coordinator and then became the only staff attorney for SEIU Healthcare Michigan. I received support and mentorship from attorneys at the international union. When the opportunity came to join those attorneys and support them like they had supported me, I jumped at it.
What contributions are you most proud of working on?
When a group of workers had their rights to collectively bargain stripped away from them, I was part of the team that worked to restore their rights. Every worker should have the right to join a union if they choose, and to restore that right for workers is especially rewarding.
What inspired you to attend law school?
My desire to help people inspired me to attend law school. I was working a good union job as a valet attendant during undergrad and had no plans on how to use the degree I would be obtaining in less than a year. One night, I was assigned to an event called the Barristers’ Ball. I had no idea what the event was, or who would be at the event. Throughout the night I talked to many of the attendees, but one conversation had a lasting impact on me.
I engaged in conversation with a gentleman about the future plans I did not have. I told him the only thing I knew is that I wanted to help as many people as I could. His response was, “you should be an attorney.” The look of confusion on my face prompted him to provide clarity. He said, “in every room where an important decision is made, there is an attorney, or someone has consulted with an attorney before entering the room, to make that important decision. We need more young, Black, intelligent individuals with your lived experience in those rooms. If you want to help people, that is the best way for you to do it.”
His advice stuck with me and motivates me in all that I do as an attorney. I work every day to be in those rooms, to advocate for so many people.