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2010 Civil Rights and Equity Conference: Labor, the Disenfranchised and the Economy in America

CWA 2010 Civil Rights and Equity Conference Focuses on Key Civil Rights Issues, One Nation Working Together, and CWA’s Political Priorities

New Orleans, LA, September, 2010

The Communications Workers of America National Committee on Civil Rights and Equity (CR&E) along with District 3 Vice President Judy Dennis hosted the 2010 Civil Rights and Equity Conference in New Orleans LA, September 24th through the 26th. More than two hundred fifteen delegates, CWA and national civil rights leaders, guests, and staff attended the event. The conference was timely in view of the current national debate surrounding civil rights. As conservatives threaten to turn back the clock on immigration and voting rights here in the United States, it becomes increasingly more important for CWA members to organize and fight back.

In his keynote address to the delegates, CWA President Larry Cohen made it clear that, “It’s Hard But Not Hopeless”. We must address the congressional, political, and judicial forces that stifle progress by putting new “checks” put in place designed to help guarantee the tools necessary to end gridlock in Washington. “Our struggle for equality and economic justice did not end with the election of President Obama” says Cohen. “The One Nation Working Together Rally on October 2nd will allow progressive voices like yours to be heard across this nation letting people know that if we fight for our rights, it may be hard but not hopeless. So, I want each of you to go back to your Locals and use the tools you acquired here to organize everyone in your community. It's not just about October 2nd; it's about the November 2nd elections and beyond. Should we retain the United States Senate, we are committed to changing Senate rules in the 112th Congress so we can move our progressive agenda.”

Cohen’s words were echoed frequently throughout the conference by otherdistinguished, internationally recognized civil rights leaders who themselves are on the front lines of the American civil rights movement engaged in the struggle for equality, civil and human rights. CWA Executive Vice President Annie Hill, CWA Executive Board Members Brooks Sunkett, Andy Milburn, Carolyn Wade, Madelyn Elder, and National Minority Caucus President Walter Andrews all participated in the proceedings in support of CWA’s National Committee on Civil Rights and Equity and the Union’s Human Rights Program. At Large Board members Nestor Soto and Claude Cummings sent special greetings. CWA General Counsel Mary O’Melveny provided much needed legal insight to delegates.

The conference successfully wove critical civil rights issues, the politics of civil and human rights, worker issues, legal issues, community involvement, legislation, the CWA legal landscape, along with Louisiana art, music and culture into the two day conference highlighting the importance of the civil and human condition in a city that still stands since 2005 as a victim of political injustice. Nonetheless, a highlight of the event was the CR&E 2010 award luncheon that honored CWA District 7 Vice President Mary Taylor with the Mays-Carroll Award.* During that luncheon, featured speaker Arlene Holt Baker paid tribute to CWA’s human rights program while underscoring the need for our support in the contract dispute taking place at the Avondale Shipyards in New Orleans. Her support of the One Nation Rally helped to bring a consistent message to conference delegates. In order for there to be justice and equality, we must work hand in hand with others in the civil and human rights arena to help guarantee a long life for our movement.

President Cohen emphasized along with other speakers including Wade Henderson, President and CEO of the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights and Michael J. Wilson, Executive Director of Americans for Democratic Action that as a union, as civil and human rights activists, and as citizens that still want to advance progressive voices, we cannot do it alone. It will take a broad coalition of activists moving in concert to bring civility back to our national dialogue. The One Nation Working Together rally is intended to do just that. Working in concert with the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), La Raza and more than 150 national civil and human rights advocacy agencies, CWA is taking the lead to help re-shape the national dialogue.

Several of our allies working in concert with CWA’s civil rights agenda appeared at the conference to discuss their most unusual relationship with CWA. Kelly Schwinghammer, National Communications Director for the BlueGreen Alliance talked about the importance of our citizens adapting to green jobs, the new green economy and defined how they relate to CWA jobs across the spectrum. Jennifer Littlejohn, Southern Regional Director for One Nation talked about how the NAACP is interacting with CWA on a broad range of issues. Most importantly, the One Nation Rally that will ultimately benefit minority communities. Each of the speakers/panelists strived to make the connection between the importances of empowering our members through increased civic involvement. In his address to the delegates Wade Henderson, President and CEO of the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights made it clear, “Now is the Time to Recommit Ourselves to Civil and Human Rights.” In the face of mounting cynicism among Tea Party activists and ultra right conservative voices, American’s must come back to the basic tenets that helped shape the gains we have made in civil rights over the past fifty years.

The conference was also grounded in the superb work done by the CWA National Ad Hoc Diversity Committee. CR&E Committee members referred to updated materials produced by the Ad Hoc Committee while developing the conference agenda. Important to that effort was the need to let delegates know that new tools are available to develop new CR&E committees. Under the direction of CWA Executive Vice President Annie Hill, the Committee worked diligently over the past eighteen months strengthening informational resources and communications platforms of the Union’s Human Rights department. “So the group has gotten off to a good start, but now we have to ‘take it to the streets’ and use all of this resource information to build more committees and stronger committees within our Locals”. Of the members of the Ad Hoc committee Hill says, “They bring a very important local union perspective to all of our discussions and deliberations”. Committee members were charged to highlight some key facets of the new material including but not limited to the portions of the new CWA Human Rights Manual and the new Civil Rights and Equity Brochure. This event gave conferees the opportunity to closely review the updated material disseminated by the CR&E Committee especially for this occasion.

The conference highlighted the importance of Member involvement. Delegates not only reviewed new and improved Human Rights materials, the conference also worked to improve the communications network and emphasized the importance of our work with AFL-CIO constituency groups moving our members to join and engage in each of these group’s organizing efforts. A new Network Activist Card was introduced and an AFL-CIO Constituency Group Card was filled out. This information will be used to update our new data bank designed to keep activists up to date on the latest civil rights and equity news.

The Honorable Sidney Barthelemy, former Mayor of the City of New Orleans welcomed delegates to the conference citing the growth that has occurred in the city since Hurricane Katrina struck in 2005. With music and video from Harry Connick, Jr.- Kim Burrell video “All These People” in the background, CWA Local 3410 President Paul Pearson and CWA Local 3406 President Judy Bruno gave heart-wrenching testament to the hard work and sacrifice of CWA members who have and continue to work overtime to restore vital telecommunications services to the entire state. “Hurricane Katrina doesn’t know about Civil or Human Rights” says President Pearson. Meaning, a natural disaster does not determine friend or enemies. However, the disjointed, slow response from a federal government which at that time took weeks to even start arranging vital services to the community, especially in places like the “Lower 9th Ward”, is indeed a reflection on how insensitive the federal government was to the residents of this community and the human devastation that followed.

Of course, another critical element of this conference was the marriage of human rights, art and culture. The conference opened with a rousing New Orleans style musical rendition from the internationally recognized Treme Brass Band (of HBO fame from the television series of the same name) which led the procession of members of the National Committee on Civil Rights and Equity arrayed in Mardi Gras masks, beads and bolos marched into the conference hall. With New Orleans being the birthplace of jazz, the Treme Band was electrifying as delegates and guests joined in an enthusiastic New Orleans style welcome to the opening of the conference. But for many, it was the ambiance of the conference room that placed delegates in the mood to get down to the business of civil and human rights. The Committee showcased the artwork of nationally renowned New Orleans artist Terrance Osborne around the perimeter of the hall. The visually appealing, graphic renditions depicting the effects of Hurricane Katrina brought a sense of reality to the proceedings while bringing delegates more closely in line with art that imitates life, particularly in the city of New Orleans. Artist Osborne shared with the delegates his own instincts about the effects of the massive flooding that occurred during and after the storm, illustrating the psychological ramifications that molded his artistic concepts.

Though modeled differently from previous conferences, it was critical to underscore the importance of the ballot box and the struggle that will continue in statehouses and in the halls of the United States Congress and in the courts. We are a nation of laws and changes in civil rights and in matters of equity will only come about through political action and unity.

Additional CWA Affiliated Presenters and Conference Organizers:

Brooks Sunkett- Vice President CWA PH&E Workers
Madelyn Elder- At Large Diversity Executive Board Member
Carolyn Wade- At Large Diversity Executive Board Member
Claude Cummings- At Large Diversity Executive Board Member
Nestor Soto- At Large Diversity Executive Board Member
Stan Kiino- Co-President Pride at Work
Paul Pearson- President CWA Local 3410
Judy Bruno- President CWA Local 3406
Mary O’Melveny- CWA General Counsel
Dennis Serrette- District 2 Staff Representative
Claretta Allen- CWA Local 86782
Linda Hinton- Assistant to the VP CWA District 2
Sylvia Ramos- CWA District 6 Staff Representative
Booker Lester- CWA District 3 Staff Representative
Michael Fahrenholt- CWA District 3 Staff Representative

* The CWA Mays-Carroll Award

The Mays-Carroll Award is presented to honor members who over the past year made outstanding contributions to civil rights and minority practices. The award is named for Eugene Mays, the first African-American CWA officer and staff member, who served as assistant to the vice president of District 1 from 1969 until his death in 1973, and Mary Mays-Carroll, who headed CWA's Civil Rights and Fair Practices office from 1989 until her retirement in 1999. This year, 2010 The Award is presented to CWA District 7 Vice President Mary Taylor.