Derecka Mehrens

Derecka Mehrens is the executive director of Working Partnerships USA, a community organization building democracy in our government, our communities, and our workplaces. Under Derecka’s leadership, Working Partnerships has won groundbreaking campaigns with working families and communities of color, including a regional $15 minimum wage, nearly $1 billion in funding for affordable homes and $500 million for transportation equity, and new protections for renters against unfair evictions and rent increases. In 2015, Derecka co-founded the Silicon Valley Rising campaign that’s shaping a more inclusive tech economy. Through Silicon Valley Rising, over 5,000 tech service workers have organized together to win better jobs and a voice at work. Most recently, Derecka helped launch Gig Workers Rising, a new campaign supporting people working in the gig economy as they fight for fair wages, benefits and democracy in their jobs.