Issue link: http://educator.cta.org/i/1527898
Surviving Our Monsters Bridey Thelen-Heidel, South Tahoe Education Assn. member and high school English teacher, has a new memoir. Bright Eyes: Surviving Our Monsters and Learning to Live Without Them tells of growing up with her mom, who is addicted to dangerous men who park their Harleys in the house and kick holes in all their doors. Bridey gets used to stuffing her life into black trash bags and changing schools every time her mom moves in with a new monster or runs away from one. She earns her way into a fancy private college, where she tries to forget who she is — until her mom calls with a threat that brings her to her knees. A story about a brave, resilient girl who survives to create her own happily ever after. Continued from Page 56 Left: CTA/NEA's Robert V. Rodriguez, NEA Director from North Carolina Mark Jewell, NEA Executive Committee member Gladys Marquez. Right: CTA member leaders Veronica Talton and Ever Flores (middle row), NEA Director from Illinois Bill Farmer, CTA's Tara Jeane. Gathering of Global Educator Unions Education International, a global union federation of teachers' trade unions, held its World Congress in Buenos Aires, Argentina, this past summer. CTA educators who participated as delegates and observers included CTA Board Member Maritza Avila, Ever Flores, Naqiba Greg- ory, Tara Jeane, Robert V. Rodriguez, Matthew Seymour and CTA/NEA Retired members George Sheridan and Elaine Merriweather. EI consists of 383 member organizations in 178 countries and territories represent- ing over 32 million educators. Mr. Roger's Neighborhood Public broadcaster KIXE honored famed children's T V host — and staunch labor advocate — Mister Rogers at Anderson River Park in Anderson on Sept. 28. CTA's Shasta Cascade Service Center Council had a table at the community event, offering free children's books. Pictured is Junction Teachers Assn. member Roger McCoy, who helped celebrate the spirit of kindness and community, and respect for workers, that Fred Rogers shared with the world. Reminder: GOTV! Sacramento City Teachers Assn. President Nikki Milevsky holds the first batch of 1,000 handwritten letters from SCTA urging people to vote. 55 O C T O B E R / N O V E M B E R 2 0 24 O