--- title: IW Local 63’s Marin, helping to develop a more inclusive culture description: The America’s Work Force Union Podcast is the nation’s premier daily labor program. Adriana Lopez Marin from IW Local 63 joined us on today’s show. image: https://awf.labortools.com/hubfs/IW%20Local%2063%20Blue.png --- 1 min read Season 5, Episode 242 # IW Local 63’s Marin, helping to develop a more inclusive culture [ awfblog ](https://awf.labortools.com/listen/author/awfblog) December 5, 2024 [America's Work Force Union Podcast](https://awf.labortools.com/listen/tag/americas-work-force-union-podcast) [AWF](https://awf.labortools.com/listen/tag/awf) [Ironworkers](https://awf.labortools.com/listen/tag/ironworkers) ![IW Local 63 Gray](https://awf.labortools.com/hs-fs/hubfs/IW%20Local%2063%20Gray.png?width=400&height=400&name=IW%20Local%2063%20Gray.png)   Guest Name: --- Adrian Lopez Marin Guest Website: --- [IW Local 63](https://iwlocal63.com/)  Guest Social Media: --- [ Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/iwlocal63) [ Twitter](https://twitter.com/63_local) [ YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/) [ LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/company/ironworkers-union-local-63/) Supportive Documents: --- America’s Work Force Union Podcast welcomed Adriana Lopez Marin, a full-time apprenticeship instructor at [Ironworkers Local 63](https://iwlocal63.com/) in Chicago. Marin shared her inspiring journey in the ironworking trade which has included overcoming challenges, becoming a trailblazer and advocating for diversity and mental health awareness within the industry. Marin’s path to becoming an Ironworker was driven by her desire to acquire diverse skills beyond her background in welding. Despite her petite stature, she chose ironworking over pipefitting to gain experience in setting crews, reading different prints and using various tools. Her dedication and work ethic have earned her respect and friendship among her colleagues, proving that determination and skill can overcome initial skepticism. As an instructor, Marin is passionate about promoting diversity in the trades. Since joining Local 63, she has witnessed significant progress in gender and racial diversity within the apprenticeship program. The Local's collaboration with [Chicago Women in Trades (CWIT)](https://cwit.org/) has facilitated direct entry for qualified candidates, further enhancing diversity. Marin said the efforts of instructors like herself have been instrumental in creating an inclusive environment where women and people of color can thrive in the ironworking trade. Marin is also a strong advocate for mental health and sobriety in the trades. Having achieved over five years of sobriety herself, she understands the challenges faced by workers in an industry where heavy drinking is often normalized. She has helped organize support meetings based on the [Alcoholics Anonymous (AA)](https://www.aa.org/) structure and encourages open conversations about mental health and substance abuse. Her commitment to fostering a supportive environment is helping to change perceptions and provide much-needed resources for those seeking help. Listen to the full episode to hear more from Marin about her ironworking journey and her efforts to promote diversity and mental health awareness at Local 63. --- America’s Work Force is the only daily labor podcast in the US and has been on the air since 1993, supplying listeners with useful, relevant input into their daily lives through fact-finding features, in-depth interviews, informative news segments and practical consumer reports. America’s Work Force is committed to providing an accessible venue in which America's workers and their families can hear discussion on important, relevant topics such as employment, healthcare, legislative action, labor-management relations, corporate practices, finances, local and national politics, consumer reports and labor issues. America’s Work Force Union Podcast is brought to you in part by our sponsors: AFL-CIO, American Federation of Government Employees, American Federation of Musicians Local 4, Alliance for American Manufacturing, Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield, Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employes-IBT, Boyd Watterson, Columbus/Central Ohio Building and Construction Trades Council, Communication Workers of America, Mechanical Insulators Labor Management Cooperative Trust, International Association of Heat and Frost Insulators and Allied Workers Local 50, International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers, International Union of Bricklayers and Allied Crafts, International Union of Painters and Allied Trades District Council 6, Ironworkers Great Lakes District Council, Melwood, The Labor Citizen newspaper, Laborers International Union of North America, The National Labor Office of Blue Cross and Blue Shield, North Coast Area Labor Federation, Ohio Federation of Teachers, United Labor Agency, United Steelworkers. - [Tweet](https://twitter.com/share) ##### SUBSCRIBE ON: --- [![Group 342](https://awf.labortools.com/hs-fs/hubfs/AmericasWorkForce/podcast%20logos/Apple%20Podcasts%20Button-Dark.png?width=171&name=Apple%20Podcasts%20Button-Dark.png)](https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/americas-work-force-union-podcast/id1511224946) [![Group 341](https://awf.labortools.com/hs-fs/hubfs/AmericasWorkForce/podcast%20logos/Spotify%20Button-Dark.png?width=100&name=Spotify%20Button-Dark.png)](https://open.spotify.com/show/0GzkHxFSBxiXvuX0lZpQBn) [![Group 343](https://awf.labortools.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Group%20343.png?width=135&name=Group%20343.png)](https://www.iheart.com/podcast/americas-work-force-union-podcast-62567752/) [![Group 339](https://awf.labortools.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Group%20339.png?width=110&name=Group%20339.png)](https://www.pandora.com/podcast/americas-work-force-union-podcast/PC:47979) [![Group 397](https://awf.labortools.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Group%20397.png?width=125&name=Group%20397.png)](https://americasworkforceradiopodcast.podbean.com/) [![Group 397](https://awf.labortools.com/hs-fs/hubfs/YouTube_button.png?width=125&name=YouTube_button.png)](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCuQo1PAtRAel1_tS7-PQOkA)   #### [Andrew Strom on How Judges Chip Away at Worker Wage Protections](https://awf.labortools.com/listen/andrew-strom-on-how-judges-chip-away-at-worker-wage-protections) : July 10, 2026 Andrew Strom, a longtime union lawyer and [OnLabor.org](http://onlabor.org) contributor, joined the [America's Work Force Union Podcast](https://awf.labortools.com/) to break down a federal court ruling... 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