Chris Smalls facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Chris Smalls
Smalls in April 2022
Born	Christian Smalls (1988-07-04) July 4, 1988 (age 37) Hackensack, New Jersey, U.S.
Occupation	Labor organizer
Known for	Workers' rights activism
Notable work	Amazon Labor Union
Children	3

Christian Smalls (born July 4, 1988) is an American labor organizer. He is famous for leading workers at the company Amazon to form a group to protect their rights. This type of group is called a labor union.

Smalls is a co-founder of the Amazon Labor Union (ALU) and was its president from 2021 to 2024. He became well-known for standing up for workers at an Amazon warehouse in Staten Island, New York.

Before working at Amazon, Smalls had a career as a rapper and toured with the artist Meek Mill. He later took on different jobs to support his family. He started working for Amazon in 2015.

In 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, Smalls organized a protest. He believed Amazon was not doing enough to keep its workers safe. On the same day as the protest, Amazon fired him. The company said he broke its safety rules.

Many people, including government officials, thought his firing was unfair. After being fired, Smalls started the Amazon Labor Union. In 2022, the workers at his old warehouse voted to join the ALU. This was a major victory for Smalls and the workers. Because of his work, Time magazine named him one of the 100 most influential people of 2022.

Early Life and Career

Chris Smalls was born in Hackensack, New Jersey. He was raised by his single mother. In high school, he was a talented athlete who played basketball, football, and ran track. He dreamed of playing in the National Basketball Association (NBA).

After high school, Smalls briefly attended college in Florida. He then returned to New York to study sound engineering. He decided to pursue a music career as a rapper and even toured with Meek Mill.

To support his children, Smalls gave up his music career. He worked several jobs at companies like Walmart, Home Depot, FedEx, and Target before joining Amazon.

Working at Amazon

Smalls started at Amazon in 2015 as a warehouse worker. He later became an assistant manager at a new warehouse in Staten Island in 2018. Smalls felt that he was a good employee but was unfairly passed over for promotions many times. He believed this was because of his race.

Smalls said he saw many problems at Amazon. He was concerned about worker safety, and he felt the company treated some workers, like older people and women, unfairly. Amazon has stated that it does not tolerate discrimination and is working to improve safety.

The COVID-19 Protest

In March 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic was spreading. Smalls became worried when a sick coworker was allowed to work. He contacted health officials and Amazon's human resources (HR) department but felt that nothing was done.

On March 30, 2020, Smalls organized a walkout. A walkout is a type of protest where employees stop working to demand changes. Smalls and other workers wanted Amazon to improve safety measures and temporarily close the warehouse for cleaning.

Fired from Amazon

Amazon fired Smalls on the same day as the walkout. The company said he was fired for breaking social distancing rules while he was supposed to be in quarantine. Smalls said the company's reason was unfair.

Many important people criticized Amazon's decision. Letitia James, the Attorney General of New York, accused Amazon of firing Smalls illegally. New York City's mayor and Senator Bernie Sanders called the firing "disgraceful."

A short time later, a private note from an Amazon executive was leaked to the news. The note called Smalls "not smart or articulate." The executive later said he was frustrated that a worker would put others' health at risk. Smalls and others called the comments racist.

The Amazon Labor Union

Smalls in 2020

After being fired, Smalls did not give up. He started a group called The Congress of Essential Workers. This group supported the creation of the Amazon Labor Union (ALU) on April 20, 2021.

A labor union is an organization of workers that helps them negotiate with their employer for better pay, benefits, and working conditions. Smalls believed a union was needed for job security and fair treatment at Amazon.

The Fight to Unionize

To get support for the union, Smalls and other organizers set up a tent outside the Amazon warehouse. They talked to workers every day, offering them food and information. They worked for almost a year to gather enough support.

Amazon was against the union. The company put up anti-union signs and held meetings to convince workers not to join. Smalls said Amazon tried to scare employees away from the union.

On April 1, 2022, the workers at the JFK8 warehouse in Staten Island voted to form a union with the ALU. The final vote was 2,654 in favor and 2,131 against. It was the first time in Amazon's history that a U.S. warehouse had successfully unionized. After the victory, Smalls told a crowd, "I hope that everybody's paying attention now because a lot of people doubted us."

Smalls being interviewed by reporters after the union victory was announced.

After the Victory

The union's success made Smalls famous. In May 2022, he met with U.S. President Joe Biden at the White House. President Biden told him, "I like you, you're my kind of trouble."

However, the ALU faced challenges. The union lost votes at two other Amazon warehouses. In July 2024, Smalls did not run for re-election as president of the ALU. He was replaced by another organizer, Connor Spence.

Smalls speaking to the U.S. Senate Budget Committee in May 2022.

Activism in 2025

In July 2025, Smalls joined the Gaza Freedom Flotilla. This was a group of ships with activists trying to bring aid to people in the Gaza Strip.

The Israeli military stopped the ship Smalls was on. The activists on board were detained. Smalls and many others refused to cooperate and started a hunger strike. They were protesting their arrest and the situation in Gaza.

Personal Life

Smalls meeting President Joe Biden in May 2022.

Smalls has three children. He is known for his unique style and often wears streetwear from hip hop culture.

When people criticized his clothing, Smalls said it motivates him. He wants people to understand that his appearance doesn't change his message. He said, "If I was to run for president, I would look just like this... this is who I am as a person."

Union Election Results

Music Career

Singles

• "Complexions" (2012)
• "Do It" (2012)
• "My Time" (2012)
• "Work" (2012)

Music Videos

• "Complexions" (2012)
• "Do It" (2015)

See also

In Spanish: Chris Smalls para niños