The roles that the theme of social justice plays in Rukeyser’s work is because Rukeyser has been honoring and providing a voice to the victims of the Hawks Nest Tunnel tragedy, and this served as a means of a call to action. As it draws attention to the unfairness of the situation and the African American workers’ justifications, it shows how art may be used as activism and a means of pursuing justice for these disenfranchised people. Through her poetry, she has been able to draw attention to racism, the dehumanization of the workers who contributed to the catastrophe, and other issues. Numerous employees have perished in the Hawks Nest Tunnels Disaster due to hazardous working conditions and inadequate employer protection, including silicosis. She advocates for the catastrophe victims through her poetry. The Gauley Bridge catastrophe has affected the workers, as evidenced by her ability to compile a montage of witness statements, medical descriptions, documents, audio, anecdotes, and images of what she saw. She aimed to communicate optimism and the value of interpersonal relationships and communication. In an effort to highlight systemic racism and the disregard for the welfare and safety of African American workers. They have been forced to work in these dangerous conditions without any type of protective equipment. Rukeyser has described the terrible incident and its impact on the community by fusing that with the recollections of many miners. 

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