OCSEA's annual Committee on Community and Minority Affairs (CMCA) Conference was held this past weekend in Cleveland. Nearly 200 OCSEA members took part in an event that elevated the theme "From Grassroots to Greatness," discussing the importance of grassroots activism from union chapters to the ballot box.
Friday evening, chapter leaders from all over the state participated in basic and advanced steward trainings aimed at building knowledge and contract enforcement skills that protect OCSEA members. "Grassroots starts with our chapters and knowing our rights and helping others to do the same," said CMCA chair Sherry Little, on why the trainings are an important part of OCSEA's conferences.
Saturday's session maintained the "grassroots to greatness" theme with informational tables and speakers that inspired and educated attendees on tools to push their own limits on building greatness as union activists.
Brian Pearson, the Executive Secretary for the North Shore AFL-CIO (Cleveland), talked about his journey to greatness in the labor movement, and told attendees that the "first step is showing up. You did that by attending today!" said Pearson.
"I wanted to be a firefighter since I was 5 years old. I was a millennial who came in just after Senate Bill 5. A union card was a real badge of honor," said Pearson. "Our [Labor] Movement has pulled more folks out of poverty than any policy or politician. The time to find the next generation is now. Ask them to get involved. Leadership means growing the union’s capacity, not just solving problems but building power," he said.
Speaker Ronald Hickman also talked about the power of leadership. Hickman is the Dean and Ruth M. Anderson Endowed Chair at the Frances Payne Bolton School of Nursing at Case Western Reserve University. "Titles don’t save lives, people do. Teamwork does!" said Hickman, stating activism starts with individuals on a collective mission.
"Progress rarely happens without setbacks. Learning is only done through failure," said Hickman, who has seen public service through the lens of an ICU Nurse. He encouraged attendees to help open doors for others through grassroots efforts. "Momentum creates opportunity. Opportunity creates possibility. Possibility creates greatness," he said.
The activism energy was elevated by the event's final speaker, Patricia Burdock, a retired OCSEA activist who continues to shine greatness on her community and got attendees on their feet to inspired music. Burdock works with young women and families in the Cleveland community through her Exodus Family Foundation, Inc.
"There's always a fight to be won," said Burdock who recalled her activism during Senate Bill 5 and within her Cleveland BWC chapter. At one point in her presentation, she brought together seasoned leaders and newer activists to shake hands, look each other in the eye and encouraged them to build power through their joint strength and skills.
Burdock also reiterated a major conference theme: Voting your job! "We have a right to vote our jobs. Everything is political. From the stoplight to the school buildings and community center," she said, encouraging activists to get involved in supporting politicians who support public employees.
OCSEA President Chris Mabe ended the conference with that same tone, urging members to support Dr. Amy Acton for Governor and other union-friendly candidates by participating in "boots on the ground" efforts. "Each one teach one!" said Mabe, referring to a philosophy of positive change and solutions through sweeping one-on-one conversations with co-workers, familiy and community members––grassroots at its finest!
Read speaker bios at OCSEA.org/CMCA.