Celebrating Labor Day: A Tribute to the Hands That Built Our World

Few people know where I got my real start in construction. My dad had a bright idea to throw his punk kid on a landscaping crew to teach him the importance of hard work.

So, for two summers of my life, I pushed mowers, built decks, emptied garbage cans and sweated through every layer of clothing I had. There was nothing glamorous (or safe) about it, but those summers taught me something I’ll never forget: what it feels like to put your body on the line, day after day, in the service of work that shapes the community around you.

That’s what Labor Day is all about: celebrating the men and women who sweat, strain and sacrifice to make our built world possible.