Issue link: http://educator.cta.org/i/1543424
In mid-January, multiple #WeCan'tWait locals came together for a strike-ready art build in Sacramento. "The We Can't Wait campaign is rooted in support for one another, we are committed to having each other's back and supporting each other the best we can." —UTLA statewide organizer Denisha Jordan our students. Jen Grey, a parent of two district students, joined the line for every day of the strike, and described it as a beautiful civics lesson for her children. "I think you're showing us what love looks like with its work boots on," Grey said. "I'm honored to stand with you. I'm grateful my children get to learn from you." Tashii Johnson, parent of a student with special needs in Richmond, emphasized that the fight for safe and stable schools was a fight for students' civil rights. "When we continue to lose our most dedicated and talented educators, that is NOT a budget issue — this is a system failure!" #WeCan'tWait locals' solidarity and assistance Collective, cross-local organizing assistance in the We Can't Wait campaign served as both direct support for U TR and — perhaps more significantly — as an opportunity to build cam- paign muscles to use in ongoing struggles and in the fights to come. is strategy has been in the works since the WCW campaign began. Together, WCW member organizers have been creating a powerful network that shares resources and staff, collectively organizes and plans, builds capacity in individual and groups of locals, and supports and learns from each other. "UTR had never gone on strike before, so they were able to tap into resources from WCW locals with strike experience, such as UTLA and Oakland Education Association," said Denisha Jordan, a WCW statewide organizer and UTLA member. "I was on the ground with UTR as a strike zone captain, and when questions came up, I could help trou- bleshoot right there." She knows U TR members appreciated the WCW help they received. "I wore my UTLA shirt to show UTR members that Los Angeles stands with them," Jordan said. "ey realized they had support from all throughout the state." e strike was a learning experience for many WCW locals' members as well. Longtime San Diego Education Association leader Sarah Darr is relatively new to her role as statewide campaign organizer. "SDEA hasn't had to get strike-ready in 30 years, so it has been essential to walk through the steps together with other locals and think about how those steps might look for us," said Darr, as SDEA was gearing up for a one-day strike in late February that was settled on Feb. 12. "UTR's insight on messaging was particularly timely as we navigated our district's response to our strike vote. 23 W I N T E R 2 0 26 Denisha Jordan