OCSEA members gathered this weekend in Perrysburg, Ohio for the 2025 Women’s Action Committee (WAC) Conference. This year’s conference theme was “Hope & Happiness Go Hand-in-Hand,” exploring the ways union members can build hope for the future through solidarity and coalition building for happier and stronger communities.
“This event is more than just a conference – it is a celebration of solidarity, resilience, and an unwavering belief that when we support one another as colleagues, as union members, as a community, hope grows, and happiness follows,” said WAC chair Annie Pleasant-Combs. Special guest speakers helped spread that message of hope, said the WAC chair.
Erika White, Ohio State Representative (OH-41) gave a rousing speech about building resilience against the threats facing labor unions today. “We have to learn to take that heat and stay in the kitchen,” she said. “What happens is you start to become resilient from being somewhere you don’t want to be––a tough place. You start to build resilience so you can survive through things.” Erika also emphasized the need for more working class people to run for office. “We’ve got to start building our own coalition,” she said.
Dr. Tina Williams, Director of Community Engagement at the Area Office on Aging NW Ohio, spoke about the qualities of strong leadership, and how hard work allows us to best serve ourselves and those around us. “Some of the things I want to encourage us to do as leaders is leverage your voice. When you walk in a room, and you’re in an environment where you should share, you’ve got something to say––open your mouth. Because people will treat you according to how you present yourself,” she said.
Sonia Flunder-McNair, Founder & Executive Director of Urban Wholistics in Toledo, Ohio, shared her story as an urban farmer who started a grassroots initiative to enrich and improve her community through developing green spaces, and youth farming education. “We created what is now called Tatum Park. The park serves as a space to remind people that we are powerful. And if plants and a farm can thrive here, so can we,” she said. Sonia said the green spaces and the community programs have helped reduce the rate of violence in the area.
Finally, the conference closed with Dr. Amy Acton, a well-known physician and former director of the Ohio Dept. Health during the COVID pandemic. She is a community leader who has spent over 30 years pursuing her passion for public health. She is also running for Ohio Governor in 2026. “The whole theme for me––why I’m doing what I’m doing now, why I did what I did then (as director of the Dept. of Health)––is that I just can’t look the other way when I see suffering." She also celebrated the work of OCSEA members––Ohio's public servants. “These jobs we do are not easy. You guys see and do things that no one understands. And I am honored to be considered a public servant alongside you. I want you to know I’ll be fighting with you every step of the way,” she said.