I am proud to recognize Sean-Keoni Ellis as the Senate District 38 Community Champion of the Month for September! Ellis embodies the values of hard work‚ service and leadership that Labor Day‚ held the first Monday of every September‚ celebrates. 

After serving as a Marine Corporal‚ Ellis found a renewed mission through the United Association Veterans in Piping (UA VIP) Program at Camp Pendleton. The program gave him the skills to transition smoothly into a civilian career as a union welder‚ launching him into a pathway that provided stability‚ meaning and growth for him and his family.
Ellis not only built a successful career‚ advancing from apprentice to journeyman welder‚ but he also gave back by returning as Lead VIP Instructor at Camp Pendleton. In this role‚ he trained and mentored other transitioning service members‚ ensuring that countless veterans gained the same opportunity to thrive after military service. 

Ellis embodies the values of hard work‚ service and leadership that Labor Day‚ held the first Monday of every September‚ celebrates. 

His leadership has extended nationally‚ teaching at the UA’s Instructor Training Program in Michigan and advocating for veterans through his roles with UA Local 230‚ the San Diego Labor Council‚ and the AFL-CIO Union Veterans Council.

Ellis credits the UA VIP program with saving his life by providing a new mission after military service. Today‚ he continues to give back by strengthening the labor movement‚ empowering veterans and modeling what it means to live with purpose and service. Thank you Sean-Keoni Ellis!