American Federation of Teachers Re-elects President Randi Weingarten, Elects Secretary-Treasurer Fedrick Ingram and Executive Vice President Evelyn DeJesus, Slate of New Vice Presidents

WASHINGTON—The 1.7-million member American Federation of Teachers announced the results of its biennial officer elections today, with delegates to the union’s convention (held virtually in July) voting overwhelmingly to re-elect President Randi Weingarten, elect Fedrick Ingram as secretary-treasurer and elect Executive Vice President Evelyn DeJesus to her first full term. The ballots were cast by mail and counted over the last several weeks.

The election marks the seventh term for Weingarten, who taught social studies and civics at Clara Barton High School in Brooklyn, N.Y. Ingram, the outgoing president of the Florida Education Association, is a former Miami-Dade teacher of the year, music educator and band director. He assumes the secretary-treasurer role vacated by Lorretta Johnson’s retirement.

DeJesus, a United Federation of Teachers vice president, early childhood educator and reading specialist, was elected to a full term after serving in the position since July of 2019, when the AFT executive council voted her into office to carry out the remainder of a term.

Weingarten said:

“I am so honored to represent this country’s educators, healthcare professionals and public employees alongside Evelyn De Jesus and Fed Ingram. This is a moment without precedent, as the country faces a pandemic, an economic crisis and a long overdue reckoning with racism. It is the union movement that is built to confront these crises, and because of our members’ work and activism, we will pave the way toward opportunity, equality, justice and creating a better life for all Americans. I am humbled by the task in front of us, and I know that Evy, Fed and I will give it everything we’ve got.

“In this moment of crisis, we have both an opportunity and an obligation to save our democracy, as imperfect as it is, and to fight for a more perfect union—one that provides freedom and justice for all; invests in our public schools and universities; protects working people, people of color and other marginalized communities; looks after the planet; and provides affordable and accessible healthcare to all.

“That’s who we are as a union. We care, we fight, we show up and we vote. Together, we can accomplish things that would be impossible on our own.”