Local 212 at AFT National Convention
AFT National Biennial Convention, Boston MA
The AFT National Convention is a biennial event held by the American Federation of Teachers. 1.7 million educators are supported by the AFT, and 3,000 delegates attended this year’s four-day convention. Learn more about the convention HERE
Your Local 212 delegates to this year's convention were: Lisa Conley, Liz Franczyk and P. Lynnett Harvey. The convention took place July 14-17 and included many enlightening speakers and forums. Click HERE for a video playlist.
Your delegates took much away from the experience that they wanted to share with members. Here's what they had to say about the events:
Liz Franczyk, Part Time Faculty Delegate and FAST Fund Executive Director
The most important thing I learned: There was a lot of focus on teachers and school staff taking advantage of Public Student Loan Forgiveness. And I was very disturbed by this fact that Elizabeth Warren shared with us: "58% of student loan borrowers have NO college degree. Twenty years after graduating, white borrowers have 6% of their debt remaining, black borrowers still have 95% of their debt remaining." I think this is also interesting to keep in mind as we help our students navigate paying for school.
What I hope to take back to Local 212 members from the experience: I really hope to rally adjunct faculty to get more involved in Local 212. This was my first convention and I felt very empowered and motivated being around so many people who have each other's back. We need to advocate for one another and for our students. As Dr. Jill Biden told us: "All of us have a teacher's voice for when things go off the rails and now is the time to use it."
The most exciting thing I heard about: I was excited to meet other schools with FAST Funds and how their programs are working and how we can get more faculty (especially part-time faculty) involved!
P. Lynnett Harvey, Paraprofessional Delegate and Vice President Professional Staff
The most important thing I learned: How extensive AFT’s reach and impact is. The impact it makes is a well kept secret.
What I hope to take back to Local 212 members from the experience: The work we are doing matters. Across the world, it is teachers and educational professionals who are on the front lines keeping a sense of normalcy for children affected by war, COVID and record levels of understaffing.
The most exciting thing I heard about: The success of the PSLF (Public Service Loan Forgiveness) program. After being denied many years ago, I am encouraged to reapply and want to share with all of our members a benefit they may not know about.
Lisa Conley, Ranking Delegate and Local 212 President
The most important thing that I took away from the convention was a reminder that while the American Federation of Teachers (the AFT) is a large entity and force of nature nationally, our parent organization is grounded in the collective activities of its locals and their memberships and depends upon local action to inform and determine its direction. A prime example is the impact Local 212 had in the AFT’s unanimous passing of a FAST Fund-related resolution that our local authored and submitted for consideration at convention [Read the resolution HERE]. For those who do not know, Local 212 was home to one of the first “Faculty and Students Together” funds setup in the country over six years ago. In addition to continuously growing our Fund’s activities, Local 212 has also advocated for their expansion nationally. Our submitted resolution made it to the Higher Ed Committee session where fellow delegate Liz Franczyk and I argued its merits and, together with a few others, won support for its movement to the convention floor. Liz subsequently presented its merits to the entire delegate body that, after hearing from other delegates who stood in support of FAST Funds, unanimously passed the resolution declaring the AFT’s official full and active support for expanding the Funds within locals across the country!
The most exciting thing for me at the convention was hearing young workers and students from across the nation who are tired of being silenced, undervalued, and looked upon as expendable, and are joining together to form unions and to build coalitions where none have existed before. From Chris Smalls who led organizing of the first Amazon union, to Jordie Adams and Kylah Klay who both fought to organize new Starbucks unions, to David Hogg (co-founder) and RuQuan Brown (activist) from March for Our Lives, all shared stories of their fight for what they need to stay healthy, to support themselves and their families, and to best fill their roles in and better our society. Notably, each asked for the collective support of fellow activists in their fight for safety, respect, and dignity. Not just by cheering from the side-lines, but marked, demonstrable support. Why? Because just like the rest of us, they too must now rely upon those who came before them to stand up and use all resources at our disposal to help push them and the movements they represent across the finish line.
What I am bringing back to Local 212 from my convention experience is a call to action. Whether community activists or civil rights leaders, pastors or politicians, climate scientists or governance scholars, the information and supporting evidence shared by speakers at convention reinforced what we as educators and unionists already know – our country is at a pivotal point in our history where who we are as a nation will be determined for generations to come. The issues – institutional racism; public education access and funding; civil, voting and women’s rights; healthcare costs and access; climate change; etc.- are great and the consequences dire. But as AFT President Randi Weingarten reminded us from the podium with a biblical reference to Esther, we as educators and unionists have been put here for “such a time as this” to use our knowledge and voices to educate others on the issues of the day, to lead with hope and not with fear, and to not “remain silent”, but to speak up like Esther who saved her people when called upon. A powerful way that we can each answer this call is in the voting booth. So, please make sure to vote in the upcoming elections on August 9th and remind your family, friends, neighbors, and colleagues to do the same. I also encourage you to plan now to vote in November and to participate in Local 212’s various Get Out the Vote activities and other related election events leading up to the fall election.
