In the latest instalment of ?“Working People,” we sit down and chat with (former) Philly sanitation worker and Instagram sensation Terrill Haigler?—?or, as listeners may know him, ?“Ya Fav Trashman.” Terrill’s incredible and inspiring story took an interesting turn during the Covid-19 pandemic when he was working for the Philly sanitation department and started an Instagram account where he would post updates from the job and answer residents’ questions about trash pickup. With his platform, Terrill has helped spread awareness of the hard work sanitation workers do, the conditions they face, and what residents can do to clean up their neighborhoods. 

This blog originally appeared at In These Times on March 25, 2021. Reprinted with permission.

About the Author: Maximillian Alvarez is a writer and editor based in Baltimore and the host of Working People, “a podcast by, for, and about the working class today.” His work has been featured in venues like In These Times, The Nation, The Baffler, Current Affairs, and The New Republic.