At Buffalo rally, education unions stand up to hate

The education community rallied around student Brooklyn Bullock and the people of Buffalo to stand up to hatred and bigotry following the mass killings at a Buffalo Tops supermarket and at a Texas elementary school just more than a week later. Speaker after speaker, from NYSUT President Andy Pallotta and American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten to Buffalo Public Schools Interim Superintendent Tonja Williams and Board of Education President Louis Petrucci, called for communities to come together in this moment and fight for change — for each other and for their children, like Bullock.

‘We need a voice’: Long Island educators form AAPI advocacy group

Mary Waring, a building representative for the East Meadow Teachers Association, is one of roughly 30 educators from public and private K-12 schools, colleges and education-related fields who last year formed the Asian Pacific American Council of Educators-Long Island (she is the organization’s secretary). The council took off with encouragement from both the Long Island Latino Teachers Association and Long Island Black Educators Association.

NYSUT steps up support for Amazon and Starbucks workers

In addition to recent support for Starbucks workers across New York State, NYSUT and AFT recently added our names to a letter submitted by the Amazon Labor Union to New York State Attorney General Letitia James to investigate Amazon for violation of the terms of the Excelsior Jobs Program with their union-busting activities.

NYSUT Disaster Relief Fund seeks donations to help Ukraine citizens

To help the people of Ukraine, the statewide union is encouraging members and the general public to consider donating to the NYSUT Disaster Relief Fund, the union’s 501(c)3 charitable organization. NYSUT is partnering with relief agencies to make sure that the funds collected get to the people in areas that are most in need due to this humanitarian crisis.

NYSUT salutes Black History Month

“The health and wellness of individuals within the Black community is a conversation that’s long overdue,” said J. Philippe Abraham, NYSUT secretary-treasurer, in welcoming remarks. Abraham, who hosted the event, noted that the issue is especially timely since communities of color are disproportionately affected by the pandemic.

NYSUT Celebrates Black History Month 2022

This year’s event highlights the importance of health and wellness in the Black community.

Free NYSUT poster celebrates HBCUs

NYSUT celebrates Black History Month with a new poster highlighting Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), which were established to primarily serve Black students.

Event celebrates Hispanic excellence and achievement

NYSUT Secretary Treasurer J. Philippe Abraham welcomed two Latina trailblazers as part of “Celebrando Nuestra Hispanidad,” NYSUT’s Hispanic Heritage Month celebration — NYS Education Commissioner Betty Rosa and Evelyn DeJesus, American Federation of Teachers’ executive vice president.

VIDEO: 'Celebrando Nuestra Hispanidad: A Conversation with Latino Leaders'

Video is now available for our virtual celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month.

Hispanic Heritage poster honors Maria Hinojosa

NYSUT celebrates Hispanic Heritage Month with a new poster honoring Maria Hinojosa, the longtime host and executive producer of Latino USA, the longest running national Latino news and cultural public radio program.

Human rights conference brings together teens from three continents

“At this time of increased intolerance and hatred in this country, it is only through education and sharing these stories that we can learn how to recognize the signs of history repeating itself,” said retired teacher Wendy Weisbrot, opening the 14th Academy for Human Rights Summer Symposium.

Guilderland teacher unites students and community for action and awareness

Climate change comes in many forms. Guilderland teacher Matthew Pinchinat is trying to change the climate from one where people are maligned because of their differences, to one where differences are appreciated.