2023 AFT Civil, Human and Women's Rights Conference

We’re Taking a Stand for America’s Promise!

We look forward to seeing you October 20-22 for this year's 2023 AFT Civil, Human and Women’s Rights Conference! In 1976, Rep. Barbara Jordan, the first African American woman to be elected to Congress from the State of Texas, made history as she provided the following remarks during her keynote address at the Democratic National Convention: 

“What the people want is simple: they want an America as good as its promise—that as a nation we live up to our historical promise of equality of opportunity.”

Today, we must continue to fight alongside students, parents, and community partners to secure the promise of this nation – liberty, prosperity, opportunity, and justice for all. This year's conference theme holds great significance as it is inspired by the words of Rep. Jordan: An America as Good as Its Promise - Real Solutions, Real Community, Real Impact.

ABOUT

The AFT Civil, Human, and Women's Rights Conference is a biennial gathering of union activists that aims to inform and empower participants on critical civil and human rights policy issues. We are dedicated to equipping our members and attendees with the skills and resources necessary to engage deeply and authentically with their communities, parents, and students. Furthermore, we emphasize the importance of building solidarity and collective power to take meaningful action on the priorities that impact both AFT’s members and the students, patients, families, and communities we serve.

The 2023 Civil, Human, and Women's Rights conference will educate and engage participants through a solutions-driven approach that centers on empowering participants to develop real solutions for kids & their communities and continue to be the voices for equity, democracy, and justice.

Conference Highlights

• Featured ‘Real Solutions’ keynote with AFT President Randi Weingarten
• Ted Talk-style town hall inspired by AFT Union Talk podcast, featuring AFT Leaders centering the impact of AFT locals and members in the fight for social justice
• Powerful town halls featuring elected officials, national civil rights leaders, AFT leaders and members, parents, students, and activists
• Transformative workshops ranging from education justice, organizing vulnerable communities, preparing for the 2024 elections, multigenerational movement building, and coalition building all with a laser focus on participants understanding their collective and individual power to organize for real solutions in their communities
• Local action/rally at the Houston Independent School District in support of AFT members under attack across Texas
• Special film screening underscoring the connections between arts education/experiential learning, racial and LGBTQIA+ justice, book banning & curriculum censorship

SCHEDULE-AT-A-GLANCE

Time	Event
Friday, October 20th
7:30am-5pm	Registration
8am-9:00am	Hot Breakfast (Welcome - A Taste of Texas)
9am-10:30am	Conference Opening Plenary
10:30am-10:45am	BREAK - Coffee/Tea
10:45am-12pm	Union Talk - Who Are We?! AFT
12pm-12:30pm	BREAK
12:30pm-2:30pm	Lunch Plenary - Real Policies for Kids & Communities
2:30pm-2:45pm	BREAK - Afternoon Snacks
3pm-4pm	Rest is Resistance + Wellness Town Hall
3pm-4pm	Women in Leadership/Book Panel
5pm-6pm	Houston Picket/Rally
7:30pm-9:30pm	Reception
Saturday, October 21st
7:30am-5pm	Registration
8am-8:45am	Hot Breakfast
9am-10:30am	Workshop (1)
10:45am- 12:15pm	Workshop (2)
12:15pm-12:30pm	BREAK
12:30pm-2pm	Lunch Plenary: Real Solutions for Protecting Our Democracy
2:15pm-4pm	Workshop (3)
6:30pm	Film Screening
Sunday, October 22nd
8am-8:30am	Continental Breakfast
8:30am-10am	Day of Healing & Resistance Service

 

Workshops:

TRACK ONE

Track Title: It Takes a Village: Working in Coalitions, Relationships Matter 

Across the country we see disingenuous narratives, suggesting that families, students, and educators are divided in their fundamental values for what kids and communities need. We know that this is not true. 

AFT educators, students, and families work together every day for the academic and social-emotional growth of students and our wider community in advocating for policies from the school house to the state house every day. 

From attacks on teaching the truth, to cruel targeting of LGBTQ students and immigrants— our communities and schools, as well as our democracy is under attack. The only way forward is together. This learning track will explore the skills and share the stories that will help AFT leaders organize and expand partnerships to WIN the real solutions that students and communities deserve. The sessions will focus on how to encourage family and community members to raise their voices, educators to share their expertise, and the steps to building coalitions that organize collaboratively to win real, material gains to defend public education and our democracy.

 

TRACK TWO

Track Title: Real Solutions for Authentic School Communities: Innovative Campaigns For Collaborating and Transforming Schools

Public schools and our communities are at an inflection point. Emerging from the pandemic, rising efforts to privatize public education, and increasing use of AI are challenges we face.

Can we turn these challenges into opportunities to create the schools our students and families need and deserve? 

Through case studies, skill building, and resource presentations, this track will amplify the power of community-labor partnerships - union members working with families, allies, and community partners. These cross-organizational partnerships are an important strategy in our fight to save public education and to create positive, innovative solutions to get what kids and communities need to thrive. 

Join this learning track to engage, share, and collaborate as we expand on proven models that WORK.

 

TRACK THREE

Track Title: The People United Will Never Be Divided: A Movement for All of US 

Whether the issue is anti-Asian hate, reproductive justice, immigration reform and treating undocumented residents with dignity, the right for workers to organize, protecting the right to love freely, gender equality that is inclusive of all identities and/or expressions, defeating racism and the attempts to erase entire communities from history, or relieving the suffocating realities of poverty in our schools and neighborhoods - we are all in this together! 

Today, the radical extremist agenda is laser focused on propaganda and policies that divide us while oppressing the most vulnerable. These attacks have found their way from the grounds of the U.S. Capitol to the seats of rural community school board meetings. 

Join this learning path to explore the top issues impacting various communities - women, LGBTQIA+, African American, Asian American/Pacific Islander, Hispanic/Latinx, disabled, organized labor, low-income and working class citizens, and beyond - and how to build an inclusive and intersectional movement that’s big enough for ALL OF US. 

 

 

TRACK FOUR

Track Title: All Roads Lead to Nov. 5th - Strengthening Democracy with Community 

According to a June 2023 report by the Brennan Center for Justice, “State legislatures have passed a near-record number of new restrictive voting laws so far this year, while a pro-democracy movement presses on.” With voter suppression tactics at an all-time high led by an extremist agenda that continues to actively misinform the public, it is critical that AFT members are prepared to mobilize with and on behalf of the communities they serve to secure victory in 2024. 

Voter engagement continues to be a key component in the advancement of democracy; however, the voice of all communities, especially historically marginalized and low-income, in our democracy continues to be attacked. 

This learning path will examine and develop proactive engagement plans that engage AFT members and locals to increase voter engagement and turnout for the 2024 general election and build lasting political power for the communities they serve. 

 

TRACK FIVE

Track Title: Old School Meets New School: Multigenerational Organizing for Our Shared Future

According to a study conducted by the United States Institute of Peace, youth participation helps movements win. Particularly, movements with extensive youth front-line participation are more likely to succeed than movements with less youth participation. Young people continue to take to the streets to demand dignity for Black lives, safety from guns in their schools, environmental protections for a healthier Earth, the freedom to love who they choose, and countless other issues. 

From Baby Boomers to Generation Z, everyone has a role to play in the movement for equity and progress. Developing real solutions that channel the energies of young people with elders is critical to sustaining the progress that we seek for our communities, both now and in the future. 

Join this learning path to explore tools and strategies for building multigenerational teams and campaigns that uplift and validate the voices and contributions of all people, regardless of age.