Issue link: http://educator.cta.org/i/1360078
CTA Human Rights Award Winners 2021 awardees recognized for work in both classroom and community I G H T I N S P I R I N G E D U C A T O R S are thi s year 's winners of CTA Human Rights Awards. They were recognized during CTA's Equity and Human Rights Conference on Feb. 26 for their outstanding dedication to social justice, and for promoting and protecting human and civil rights. "is year during a pandemic educators worked harder than ever to teach and care for our students," said CTA President E. Toby Boyd. "They led our children and youth through brutal events across the country that forced us to confront racism and to talk honestly about how to be an ally and what democracy means. Our award winners have done this work while continu- ing to serve their communities. ey are truly an inspiration." NEA President Becky Pringle praised the honorees' (and CTA's) commitment to social justice in a video presentation. "I am honored to recognize your willingness to do the vital work, have the dicult conversations, and continue to push and pull to break open the doors of racial and social justice for California students and educators," Pringle said. Also honored this year were the Alhambra Teachers Associa- tion and the San Gorgonio Service Center Council. To watch video interviews with the award winners, go to youtube.com/CaliforniaTeachers. To learn more about CTA's work in human rights, visit cta.org/humanrights. e following are the 2021 CTA Human Rights Award winners (in the order they were recognized at the awards ceremony). E W H E N O L U B U N M I A D E L E K E saw that African American students at her school felt unseen and unsupported, she started a Black Student Union (BSU) club last year. The response was so great that they had to move the club from her classroom to the library, and two other district high schools were inspired to start a BSU of their own. Adeleke is now working with elementary and middle school teachers to create a BSU at each site. With her leadership, the BSUs at all three high schools obtained funding, and students were able to attend Black college expos for the first time. Adeleke also took them to local leadership conferences, brought in community leaders as speakers, and forged ties with the African American Parent Advisory Committee. One result of this collaboration was the district's first Black History Month event, put together by BSU students, colleagues and stu- dents from elementary and secondary schools. Adeleke is active with her chapter and as a CTA State Council delegate, and is a past par- ticipant in CTA's Ethnic Minority Early Identification and Development (EMEID) program. Olubunmi Adeleke Lake Elsinore Teachers Association AFRICAN AMERICAN HUMAN RIGHTS AWARD IN HONOR OF LOIS TINSON 50 cta.org CTA & You