This year, 19 percent of PSEA delegates to the NEA-RA were ethnic minority representatives, falling just short of the target set by NEA’s 3.1(g) Bylaw.
The 3.1(g) Bylaw encourages states to send delegates to the RA who reflect the percentage of minorities in the general population of each state.
“Getting more ethnic minority members involved in Association activities is very important to PSEA,” said PSEA Treasurer Jeff Ney, who heads PSEA’s 3.1(g) efforts. “Encouraging minority members to attend the NEA-RA and other PSEA conferences and events is part of a larger initiative to achieve the goal of having diverse representation at all PSEA functions. We want to make sure everyone has the opportunity to become a leader in our union.”
There are two ways to serve as delegate to the NEA-RA, as a state or a local delegate. To serve as a state delegate, members must complete the NEA-RA State Delegate Candidacy Application. Names will be included on the ballot that all PSEA members receive in January. To serve as a local delegate, the member’s local must vote to approve this status.
The process for this varies from local to local; however, obtaining local delegate status makes members eligible for the Minority Affairs Committee’s annual NEA-RA scholarship. Scholarship information will be available in October through the Minority Affairs Committee. Information on the 3.1(g) plan is available at www.psea.org/minorityinvolvement.
