A. James McKeever for Faculty Guild President
WHERE I COME FROM
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History of involvement in the community, social justice work, and union organizing.
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2021 Hayward Award Winner for Excellence in Education
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Proud elected AFT1521 Executive Board Delegate for over ten years.
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Chair and co-founder of the AFT1521 Social Justice Committee
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Member of the Union's Campus Safety Oversight Committee
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Contract Action Team Member
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Cope Committee Member
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AFT1521 Foundation Co-Founding Member
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Member of the Chancellor's Advisory Committee on Black/African American Student Affairs
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Organized students, faculty, and staff through marches, teach-ins, town halls, and various other venues
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Former Chair of the History, Humanities, Philosophy, and Sociology Department
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Member of the Umoja Advisory Board and the Adelante Task Force
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Volunteer Coordinator for the three juvenile halls, nineteen camps, and over fifty field office of the Los Angeles County Probation Department
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Created the first program in Los Angeles County to allow juveniles to take college courses while in Juvenile Hall through Mission College's ITV program.
A History of Leadership
Community has always played a significant role in my life. It started with the Los Angeles Parks and Recreation system adopting me as a low-income "rough around the edges" thirteen-year-old boy raised in an alcoholic, violent, and criminal family. My involvement in the park community kept me from following in my family's footsteps and becoming a drug dealer. I had a son while in high school and moved out of my house on my McDonald's salary. Soon I became a single father, going to community college while working full time. It took me nine years to graduate from Los Angeles Valley College. Who else would give you nine years to get your two-year degree but community college? If it weren't for LAVC, I could not be here asking for your vote today. The LACCD is one of my beloved communities, a community that gave me a new life, a community I owe, a community that I want to ensure can continue to provide so much to society, a community that I love and respect.
Xiao Behlendorf Faculty Guild Treasurer
Why am I running for AFT Treasurer?
The Covid-19 pandemic made me realize how lucky I am to enjoy a union’s protection. My work with the campus and District WEC (Work Environment Committee) as well as being a member of the AFT 1521 Contract Action Team has made me aware of how much more we still need to do as a union to safeguard the health and wellbeing of our members. I feel now it is my duty to step up to help build a stronger union. I will be an active and effective advocate for all faculty, especially non-classroom faculty, who have not had adequate representation in our union’s leadership. We are one union and all of our interests should be represented.
Prior to becoming a librarian, I contemplated being an accountant. I took accounting classes and attended workshops, all of which made me a better bookkeeper for my family’ legal and music businesses over the years. I believe that this experience will serve me well as your Treasurer. If elected, I will ensure your union dues are well managed and you are well informed about the budget.
Xiao’s brief biography
Xiao Behlendorf has been a Librarian for over 20 years at Los Angeles Valley College including 3 years as the Library department chair. Xiao became Valley’s WEC (Work Environment Committee) chair in 2019, and has been working closely with our AFT 1521 Union chapter president to advocate on behalf of faculty in work environment matters. Most recently Xiao drafted the District WEC’s “Requiring Covid-19 Vaccination Starting in Fall 2021 Resolution” which was overwhelmingly approved by the Union’s Executive Board. This resolution started a chain reaction that ultimately led to the Board of Trustee’s policy on the Covid-19 vaccine mandate (BP2900).
Prior to Valley College, Xiao worked as a librarian at Loyola University New Orleans, Ball State University, the University of Southern California and Woodbury University.
Jenny Galvez Faculty Guild Secretary
I am running for guild secretary because I want to work on issues of transparency and communication to further empower union membership. I want to work on our webpage and make it a hub of resources and information. I will create informational material that highlights key aspects of our contract for easy access, empowering faculty in their advocacy. I will work with chapter presidents to understand how I can support and expand the guild communication efforts. I believe this increased communication will enhance faculty to advocate in the many decision-making spaces to create colleges that center on student needs and fair labor practices.
As faculty of LACCD’s DHLI, I work with campuses to develop labor and social justice programming and curricula, including lessons on labor contract negotiations and our recent report with UCLA, ``Unseen Costs: The Experience of Workers and Learners in Los Angeles County.” I supported the district develop institutional support for undocumented students and currently the Vice-President of LATTC’s Latinx Faculty & Staff Association.
My union involvement includes attending Eboard meetings and being a member of the Social Justice Committee. During contract negotiations, I was the Trade lead for the Contract Action Team. The CAT sought to engage more union members, further democratizing negotiations by increasing visibility of the process and increasing member participation. This organizing increased pressure further leveraging our union power during negotiations.
The communities of LA deserve quality and affordable education; and access to the resources our colleges provide. Unfortunately, our district has many organizational challenges. We can overcome these challenges with a humanistic perspective, which includes fair labor practices and centering the needs of students. I will work to ensure the district makes organizational improvements that aid faculty involvement and alleviate administrative burdens on faculty, allowing us to focus on teaching, mentoring, and supporting students.