James McKeever for AFT 1521 Union President
The time for change is here. As faculty, we all know it. We see a dramatic decrease in enrollment, continued negative impact from AB 705 and a State funding formula (SCFF) that changes how we will receive per student funding.
Bold and Brave leadership is what we need. Leadership that will use every tool we have to fight for our wages, benefits and work environment. We must have leadership that will guide us out of our current crisis and bring stability through reimagining our union. Every crisis brings the opportunity for change. If we seize this opportunity, with the right leader, we can become a stronger union. A union that hears constituent voices, that advocates for everyone and that strategically fights and wins. This is all within our grasp-if we chose the right leader.
James McKeever is the right leader for this moment. He realizes that the only way to ensure that we have good, well-paying jobs moving forward is by prioritizing enrollment and creating a union that does a better job of mobilizing on behalf of our membership. He listens, weighs options, and makes thoughtful knowledge-based decisions. James is strategic and understands how to communicate with constituents, mobilize members, and advocate for what we deserve. These leadership skills will enable James to fight and help us win substantial gains in wages, benefits, and working conditions.
In addition to being an active member of our union Executive Board for 12 years, James is a member of the Committee on Political Education (COPE), President and co-founder of the Social Justice Committee, Vice President of the AFT 1521 Foundation, a member of the Campaign Action Team, and a member of our union's Black Caucus. James has been the chair of his department, a representative on the Chancellor's Advisory Committee for Black/African American Student Affairs, a member of the Umoja Advisory Board and Adelante Task Force, and last, but certainly not least, a proud graduate of Valley College.
James has put together an excellent leadership team that is qualified, committed, and up to the task of building a stronger and more transparent union. Xiao Behlendorf (Treasurer) has proven herself as a strong advocate for faculty with her service as WEC Chair at Valley and a member of the District WEC. Jenny Galvez (Secretary) has been a strong voice for faculty and students throughout the district in her role as Co-director of the Dolores Huerta Labor Institute (Part of the Labor Center at Trade Tech College).
I am asking you to be Bold and Brave; to stand by me and support James McKeever as the next AFT 1521 Union President. For more information see: https://www.mckeever4aft1521.com/
In unity,
Ruby Christian-Brougham
President, Los Angeles Valley College Chapter Los Angeles College Faculty Guild AFT, Local 1521