Teacher Caseen Gaines, the 2nd Vice President of the Hackensack Education Association, receives the Dr. Judith Owens Spirit Award. From left: NJEA MLR Committee Chair Tiffanie ThrBak, Gaines and Dr. Judith Owens.
At the NJEA Equity Alliance Conference on Jan. 13-14, NJEA provided opportunities for reflection and learning around social justice. The two-day event included a vibrant opening session led by the NJEA Minority Leadership and Recruitment Committee and a series of engaging workshops.
Six NJEA committees comprise the NJEA Equity Alliance: Human and Civil Rights, Minority Leadership and Recruitment, Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity, Urban Education, Women in Education, and Exceptional Children.
Following the conference, five members and a community organization were honored at the NJEA Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Human Rights Celebration for their commitment to social justice and equity: Caseen Gaines, Steven Koumoulis, Lori Lalama, Dr. Eva Lyle-Smith, Talena Queen and the Passaic Optimist Foundation.
In addition to the nine photos here, hundreds more can be found atflickr.com/njea/albums.
Camden music teacher Dr. Eva Lyle-Smith receives the Dr. Judith Owens Spirit Award. From left: NJEA Secretary-Treasurer Petal Robertson, Lyle-Smith, NJEA President Sean M. Spiller and NJEA Vice President Steve Beatty.
Teacher Lori Lalama, the president of the Clifton Education Association, receives the Elizabeth A. Allen Women in Education Award. From left: NJEA Vice President Steve Beatty, NJEA Secretary-Treasurer Petal Robertson, Lalama and NJEA President Sean M. Spiller.
Germaine Gibbons Williams receives the NJEA Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Human and Civil Rights Award on behalf of the Passaic Optimist Foundation. The foundation mentors Passaic youth and offers scholarships. It also helps families and seniors in need whether due to poverty or disaster. From left: NJEA Secretary-Treasurer Petal Robertson, Gibbons Willams, NJEA President Sean M. Spiller and NJEA Vice President Steve Beatty.
Middletown Township teacher Steven Koumoulis, receives the Equality Champion Award. From left: NJEA SOGI Committee Chair Chris Cannella, NJEA Secretary-Treasurer Petal Robertson, Koumoulis, NJEA Vice President Steve Beatty and NJEA President Sean M. Spiller.
Paterson educator and Paterson Poet Laureate Talena Queen receives the NJEA Urban Education Award. From left: NJEA Urban Education Committee Chair Todd Pipkin, NJEA Secretary-Treasurer Petal Robertson, Queen, NJEA President Sean M. Spiller and NJEA Vice President Steve Beatty.
Workshop presenter Andrew Suseno and Shan Byrd, a member of the NJEA Minority Leadership and Recruitment Committee, co-facilitated the Humanizing to Healing workshop at the Equity Alliance Conference.
Larry Hamm, chair of the People’s Organization for Progress (P.O.P.), delivers a rousing keynote address at the 2023 NJEA Human and Civil Rights Celebration. Hamm encouraged the audience to read all of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s writings, including “Where Do We Go From Here: Chaos or Community?” Saying this and King’s five other books should be required reading in schools, Hamm asked, “What sense does it make to have a holiday if young people don’t know what Dr. King stood for, fought for, and gave his life for?”
From left: Members Robert Havas, Vilmary Hernandez, Joseph Landolfi and Sherman Denby discuss parental involvement strategies in the Issues-Based Organizing workshop.
