CWA District 6 Members Answer President Cummings’ Call to Embrace Change

Last week, CWAers gathered in Dallas, Texas, where President Claude Cummings Jr., Secretary-Treasurer Ameenah Salaam, and other speakers laid out their robust visions for the future of District 6 and CWA as a whole. Members attended various workshops on topics including stewardship, internal organizing, and grievance preparation.

Reinforcing the theme of “Embracing Change and Revitalizing Solidarity,” both President Cummings and Secretary-Treasurer Salaam gave rousing speeches, invoking the past sacrifices of CWA members while calling on current members to do all they can to move our political, financial, and social movements forward.

“We need to expand our reach,” said President Cummings. “We can’t only talk to like-minded voters. We know better than that. We must commit to the task of holding political organizing conversations in every region of this country and every community if we want meaningful change in our country.”

Reinforcing the importance of solidarity, President Cummings remarked, “We must learn from each other. Too many of our best ideas stay locked up in one district or sector. We talk about being one union, but too often we don’t act like it. As your president, I am committed to do more to break down those walls and celebrate our successes.”

Secretary-Treasurer Salaam recommitted her office to supporting locals and called on the assembled leaders to join together in the fight, saying, “Leadership is not just about holding a title; it is about recognizing the needs and aspirations of our members and translating them into action. That means leading with integrity and determination. It means fostering an atmosphere of collaboration and solidarity. Our shared goals can only be accomplished when we stand together, arm in arm, irrespective of our backgrounds.”

CWA District 6 Vice President Derrick Osobase Sr. rallied the crowd, saying, "We plan to fight! We will engage our leaders and activists. I can't promise what the outcome will be, but I will promise our members the opportunity to fight."

CWA attendees also heard from Telecommunications and Technologies Vice President Lisa Bolton; Public, Healthcare and Education Workers Vice President Margaret Cook; CWA District 4 Vice President Linda L. Hinton; and CWA Executive Board Members At-Large Keith Gibbs and Erika White. Chief of Staff Sylvia J. Ramos also participated in the conference.