Clara Lemlich Shavelson was a female immigrant and revolutionary labor activist of Ukrainian and Jewish descent. She was born in Ukraine on March 28, 1886. When she was only 17 years old she immigrated to the U.S and began working in garment shops. In these working environments is where she began to see the mistreatment of women and the dangerous working conditions they were forced to endure. She succeeded in making it possible for women to join the International Ladies' Garment Workers Union, which forced males in charge of the protests to include women. This was just the beginning of her incredible efforts in expanding freedom and rights for women. As well as shedding light on the treacherous working conditions she was forced under. Then, at Cooper Union in 1909, she gave a fundamental speech in Yiddish to a crowd of 20,000 people including fellow enraged activists. By this point in time, it was seen to be the largest protest by female laborers seeking freedom from the shackles of treacherous working conditions.
"Two women strikers picketing during the New York Shirtwaist Strike of 1909, led by Clara Lemlich and the International Ladies' Garment Workers' Union, supported by the National Women's Trade Union League of America"
Lemlich's activism did not end there. She co-founded the Wage Earner's League for Women Suffrage and went on to work in the cause of consumer rights as well as housing affordability. According to Lemlich, workers, more specifically women, should earn not only better salaries and working conditions, but also be fully a part of the democratic system. Her labor organizing and work in suffrage contributed to significant change throughout the Progressive Period and beyond. Clara Lemlich's life demonstrates that change can be initiated by one voice, she took it upon herself to make it her mission to make that one voice hers, and for it to be heard.