Carol Gay served as President of the New Jersey State Industrial Union Council and was known as the “Energizer Bunny of the New Jersey Labor Movement.” Her activism began in Georgia, where she taught in newly integrated classrooms, and flourished when she joined the Communications Workers of America (CWA), where she helped organize over 34,000 public workers and became the New Jersey Area Director for CWA District 1.
Her more than five decades of activism extended beyond labor rights to encompass social justice, environmental protection, and peace. She co-founded the Solidarity Singers, a street chorus that has performed at hundreds of rallies, and she participated in global protests from Cairo’s Tahrir Square to Standing Rock. Carol held leadership positions in numerous progressive organizations, fighting for causes including universal healthcare, immigrant rights, and climate action.
Even while battling Leukemia in her final days in August 2024, Carol continued organizing for progressive causes, embodying her last words: “forward ever – backward never!” Her legacy was recognized with honors including an honorary PhD from Rutgers Tent State University, and she remains an inspiration to New Jersey’s labor and progressive communities.
To read Carol’s full obituary click here.
Carol Gay Memorial Tribute – September 21, 2024
A memorial tribute to Carol Gay took place on Saturday, September 21, 2024 at the Reformed Church of Highland Park, where family, friends, colleagues, and the Solidarity Singers of the NJ Industrial Union Council gathered to honor her memory. The tribute was livestreamed and recorded by the Reformed Church, which made the recording available to the public.