Hello WCSA Comrades,

I just wanted to take a minute to say thank you, for letting me serve as Communications Coordinator for the Working-Class Studies Association for the past 2 years. I’ve recently taken a new gig that’s going to leave me strapped for time— so alas, I’m stepping away from WCSA duties at the end of this month.

Since leaving my “mainstream” adjunct humanities teaching position in 2020 to jump headfirst into the (only moderately shark-infested) waters of full-time freelance academic editing, I’ve had my struggles. Freelancing, as I’m fond of saying, ain’t for the faint of heart. While simultaneously serving as CEO, CFO, PR executive, middle manager (gotta keep that morale up!), and rank-and-file worker at my editing business, I’ve felt incredibly grateful for the opportunity to earn a regular monthly check—elusive in the world of independent contracting—for my WCSA communications work.

Not to diminish the value of everything I’ve had the opportunity to learn as Communications Coordinator. Indeed, WCSA has enabled this proud luddite to gain skills in social media management, website-building, and even graphic design that she never would have dreamed she’d acquire, much less enjoy acquiring. But, this is WCSA, so I know I can be honest, and honestly—I didn’t want this precarious life (not that anyone ever does). But now that I’m just living it, I’m confident that I can keep learning and adapting to whatever dystopian conditions late-late capitalism (so late the party’s over) might throw my way. Not something I could really say back when I believed that my only two viable career paths were either tenure-track professor, or the unemployment line! Glad that delusion finally got my cease-and-desist letter.

So, all this said: WCSA is looking for a new Communications Coordinator! If you’re interested in the gig, email our Secretary Jennifer Forsberg at secretary@workingclassassn.org for more information. I’m also happy to answer your questions about what the job entails. Find me at sarappel78@gmail.com.

Solidarity Forever, and please: end the genocide in Palestine.

Sara Appel