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“Dangerous women” dominated the Women’s Rights Breakfast at the AFT convention Thursday morning as Women’s Committee co-chairs Karla Hernández-Mats (AFT vice president and president of the United Teachers of Dade) and Jessica Tang (AFT vice president and president of AFT Massachusetts) recognized members for their years of service “on the frontlines of real solutions,” and members took in an inspirational presentation by Danielle Atkinson, who founded Mothering Justice.
The “dangerous” description not only echoes history—such heroes as Mother Jones and Lucy Parsons were regarded as dangerous to the status quo in their time, and more recently AFT President Randi Weingarten was called dangerous for her work as a union leader—it also denotes a fearlessness that is necessary in trying times.
Forty-one honorees were recognized with the Living Legacy award for 30, 40 or 50 years of service to the union, as mentors and role models or leaders in their own communities. “These awards serve as an ongoing recognition of the accomplishments and contributions of woman members and leaders who have been reformers, risk-takers and role models in the AFT,” said Hernández-Mats.
Atkinson fits right in with these remarkable women. She began her journey when she found the “conventional wisdom and pragmatic policies” of advocacy work did not include women of color in a meaningful way. She realized, “you can either disappear or demand to be seen,” she said, and her resolve grew.
In 2012, Atkinson founded Mothering Justice, an empowerment organization for mothers that has reached more than 500,000 women with voter engagement efforts; pushed progressive policies; and won stronger laws regarding breastfeeding, licensure for midwives and protection for safety net programs, among other advancements. Mothering Justice has “made our enemies mad and held our friends accountable.”
Atkinson challenged the women in the room to challenge the status quo. Identify existing structures and if they don’t work, change them. Speak truth to power; own your power and place. And most of all, said Atkinson, empower women.
[Virginia Myers/photo by Pam Wolfe]