MEC Human Rights & Equity Committee
This past August, the Communications Workers of America (CWA) Human Rights Conference took place in Atlanta, Georgia, from August 16th to the 19th. The biennial conference was created to mobilize Union members on human rights issues within the labor movement.
The theme of this year’s conference was “Building Resilience, Through Resistance.” Throughout the three day conference, multiple speakers including CWA President Claude Cummings Jr., United States Senator Jon Ossoff, Tennessee State Representative Justin J. Pearson, Former Georgia State Representative Stacey Abrams, and AFA International President Sara Nelson and Vice President Keturah Johnson delivered impactful speeches on the importance of uniting in solidarity with our Union siblings to defend human rights not just in the workplace, but across communities throughout the country and world.
MEC Human Rights & Equity Committee Chairperson Andres Morales attended the conference alongside HRE Chairs from SFO, EWR, CLE, and Council 21’s President Chip Lowe and Vice President Stephanie Martin. Council 12’s AFA International Secretary-Treasurer Dante Harris was in attendance, and we are proud that our very own SFO HRE Chair Kim Johnson was one of the hosts of this year’s conference.
Multiple topics were highlighted throughout the conference, including women’s rights, protecting our right to vote, migrant rights, mass incarceration, transgender rights, and the ongoing genocide in Gaza, just to name a few. Attendees were able to participate in multiple workshops, including “Immigration, Migration, and Worker Solidarity,” “Artificial Intelligence In The Workplace,” “More Power Than You Think,” and AFA’s very own training “How To Be A Solidarity Sibling In and Out Of The Workplace.” These workshops let participants exchange ideas, build connections, and shed light on issues other Union siblings may not know about.
The conference concluded on the last day by continuing the tradition of hosting the interactive Activist Mall, where attendees wrote postcards to voters, signed petitions, and learned more about other Unions under the CWA umbrella.
If you are interested in getting involved with your local Human Rights & Equity Committee, please reach out to your Local Council.
