CWA Members Build Skills at the Minority Leadership Institute

Last week, leaders from across our union participated in CWA’s week-long Dennis Serrette Minority Leadership Institute (MLI).

Over the course of the week, the MLI students studied a variety of topics, including effective speaking and writing, the legal rights of union activists, leading for workers in the political arena, and organizing labor-community coalitions. IUE-CWA President Carl Kennebrew, who chairs the CWA Executive Board Diversity Committee, and CWA Secretary-Treasurer Ameenah Salaam (who joined via Zoom) gave opening remarks. CWA staff, instructors from the University of Iowa Labor Center, and other guest speakers conducted training sessions throughout the week.

Students also met with CWA President Claude Cummings Jr. to discuss union activism. Cummings provided a “state of the union,” addressing both the national political landscape and the state of CWA. He also highlighted the importance of the labor movement and the role MLI leaders play in protecting workers.

Secretary-Treasurer Salaam opened a panel discussion on the “Paths, Obstacles, and Strategies for Developing Leadership.” The panel included President Kennebrew, along with CWA District 4 Vice President Linda L. Hinton, CWA District 9 Vice President Frank Arce, Western Region At-Large Executive Board Member Keith Gibbs, and Central Region At-Large Executive Board Member Reggie Small. Director of Human Rights, Education, and Health and Safety Angie Wells moderated the panel.

On the final day of the training, CWA Chief of Staff Sylvia J. Ramos met with MLI students virtually, offering advice and encouragement as they graduate and move on to greater leadership roles.

 
Pictured, left to right: Members of the 2024 MLI Graduating Class included Jacquelyn Wells (District 1), Kenyon Johnson (District 9), Mornica McLean (District 2-13), Traci Hagans (AFA-CWA), Angela Bates (District 7), Michelle Richardson (Telecommunications and Technologies), Diogenes Miller (District 3), Stacey Breckenridge-Williams (IUE-CWA), Tanya Holmes (District 6), Dana Thomas (NABET-CWA), and Ewuniki Yemi (District 4).

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This post originally appeared on cwa-union.org.