Marcus Prasad, California Department of Public Health (CDPH)
What made you decide to start working for the State?
During college, my aunt, who worked for the California Department of Education, told me about an opening for a Student Assistant position. At the time, I was working at Dollar Tree. While that experience taught me valuable people skills, I knew I wanted something different. I was looking for stability and an opportunity to build a career.
When I joined state service, I immediately noticed the difference. The environment felt more supportive, less stressful, and focused on serving the public rather than rushing from one crisis to another. I enjoyed the work, the people, and the sense of purpose, and I decided I wanted to make a career out of serving the people of California.
How has your leadership evolved since becoming a steward?
Since becoming a steward, I have grown tremendously. Coworkers often come to me when they have questions or need support, and that trust has taught me the importance of listening and communication.
I have stepped outside my comfort zone and built relationships with workers across divisions and departments. I have become involved in outreach, flyering, mass communications, and coordinating with fellow stewards and organizers. Leadership has shown me that real change happens when people come together and support one another.
What motivated you to step into leadership?
I began noticing troubling patterns in workplace culture. I saw workers struggling with high workloads, high turnover, poor communication, anti-union attitudes, and, at times, even racist comments and behavior that left employees feeling isolated and unsupported.
Those experiences convinced me that workers needed advocates. Rather than simply complain, I wanted to become part of the solution. I stepped into leadership because I believe everyone deserves dignity, respect, and a voice at work. I wanted to help educate workers about their rights and contribute to building a healthier and more supportive workplace culture.
What continues to inspire your involvement in this work?
I continue to serve because I genuinely love organizing and helping others. Fighting for reasonable telework policies, higher wages, expanded healthcare access, and better working conditions gives me a sense of purpose because these issues affect every state worker.
My motivation comes from our union family and from the belief that workers everywhere share common struggles. I draw inspiration from acts of solidarity and from working people around the world who continue to stand up for dignity and justice. Whether it is workers in California, Palestine, Bolivia, or elsewhere, I believe that our struggles are interconnected and that solidarity does not stop at borders. I stand firmly against Israeli atrocities in Gaza and elsewhere, and Iranian missiles have been a huge inspiration for me. STAND UP FIGHT BACK!
At the end of the day, I believe that when workers stand together, we are stronger. Being part of Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Local 1000 has allowed me to be part of something larger than myself, and I am honored to contribute to that tradition of solidarity and collective action.