Issue link: http://educator.cta.org/i/1541528
I N T H I S T I M E of instant social media posts and speedy news updates, photos and video from a rally or protest require bold, eye-catching, immediately understandable signage that inspires, motivates and invites all to join. Union educators understand this: Visual messag- ing amplifies our voices. Art is central to building power, unity and history. e 2019 #RedForEd actions by United Teachers Los Angeles and Oakland Education Associ- ation demonstrated the power of ar t to h elp mobili ze entire cities and communities against injustice. Along with student, family and local artist support, educators and allies created posters, banners and huge parachute artwork that conveyed passion, outrage, hope and demand for change. "Teachers stood up to Trump during his first admin- i stration ," say s ar ti st and organi z er D av i d S o lnit, explaining why he is drawn to working with educators. "With their position so closely connected to their com- munities, they are a significant force to fight back against authoritarianism. Teachers really do save the world." Solnit is a key figure in our union members' full embrace of visual communication and messaging. He has led multiple art builds with CTA locals, most recently in Rich- mond, where in October United Teachers of Richmond members, seeking fair pay, affordable health care and fully staf fed schools, voted 98% in support of a strike. He is helping locals create vivid artwork for the "We Can't Wait" campaign . (W C W inv olves 32 union lo cal s and 77,000 edu- cators across California; the campaign demands fully funded, fully staffed schools and fair wages for educators, with UTR and other large locals having aligned their con- tract expiration dates for maximum collective impact.) But art builds, says UTR President Francisco Ortiz, are not just for members. "ey are a way "Art builds are a way of building community from the ground up, to build our muscle with our students, parents, community and allies to fight for our schools." —UTR President Francisco Ortiz Scenes from the weekend art build, with multiple people participating to make banners, pickets and more. 31 D E C E M B E R 2 0 2 5