October 2025
From the President
This Fall is shaping up to be one of deep transitions. Hopefully, shortly after you read this, the Mariners will have joined the list of World Series Champions, we will be sharing new stories of solidarity that we experienced at the No Kings Day events that we just attended, and we’ll have a better understanding of where we stand in the upcoming legislative session.
I just returned from the New Leader Tour at AFT National’s headquarters in DC, where I was able to collaborate with other recently elected Presidents from around the nation. Whether from Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Nebraska, or Arizona, we all came together with a deep commitment to our mission of serving, not just our members, but our democracy. I was also able to connect with AFT staff and leadership. Randi Weingarten shared with us her unmatched determination that we will continue to rise and take on the fight ahead. And it is a fight.
The federal government shutdown is taking its toll, and we are feeling the first impacts on our membership, as our local, The Federation of Head Start Employees, which serves 255 south-sound families in Thurston and Lewis counties, is anticipating losing funding at the end of the month. We are planning events to elevate this issue, and look forward to working with elected leaders to determine ways to support the working families in Washington, for whom participation in Head Start offers a life-changing foundation that will serve them throughout their lives.
Amidst all of this, we are working with our union leaders, labor and community partners, and lobbyists, to finalize our legislative agenda and develop a strategy to position ourselves for maximum impact in Olympia in the upcoming legislative session. I know that you have heard that the budget forecast looks dire. We are building relationships with education and community partners alike. It will take all of us speaking with one strong voice to preserve funding for Washington’s public education system, and I know we can count on you to join us.
In this issue, you will find several ways to get involved. Those include information on a response to several federal actions impacting our locals and opportunities for training so that you can best serve your members and your union, as well as an opportunity to celebrate unions! I encourage you to participate and to share with other potential leaders and activists. I would also encourage you to reach out to your community and check in on how others are doing and their ideas about how to stand strong in support of our democracy. And finally, I want to encourage you to focus on your own self-care. Education workers are called on to give, and the times we live in are more challenging than most, with all the issues that weigh us down – taking care of yourself so that you can continue to give support to your community in all the big and small ways we can is essential.
While I was working with the pro-staff organizers at Whatcom Community College (congratulations again on winning your first contract!), we had a practice of ending the meetings by sharing what we were doing to take care of ourselves. It helped me create a mindset that if I don’t take care of myself, that I can’t be there for others in their solidarity work. Today I remembered to take a break, walk the dog, and admired the fall leaves, and later I am going to call a friend and talk about things non-union. Make the space today for something that refreshes you. Every day, be kind to yourself, be present for each other.
In solidarity,
Jacqui Cain, President