Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/1416464
AEA 14 ADVOCATE | FALL 2021 AEA-Retired Member Honored by the Alliance for Retired Americans e Alliance for Retired Americans (AEA-Retired is one of the member organizations of this Alliance) celebrated the 86th anniversary of Social Security, as well as Medicare and Medicaid this past August. is year, the Arizona chapter's event featured the virtual presentation of the 2021 Congressman Raúl M. Grijalva Champion of Social Security Award to retired teacher and education activist Barbara Matteson. She was lauded for her tireless work in advocating to protect Social Security and Medicare. Representative Grijalva joined the event to bestow the honor that is named for him. "Half of all seniors rely on Social Security for at least 50 percent of their income," said Executive Director Fiesta, who also joined the event from Washington, DC. "We should build on its success by expanding it, so that current and future retirees can retire with dignity. We must fight any attempts, such as the TRUST Act, that would pave the way to cut it." e LCLAA presented Garcia with the award on August 5, 2021, at their 23rd National Membership Convention, saying "Your persistent leadership in the labor movement, including during the 2018 Red for Ed walkouts in Arizona, are an example of how union activism can build strong communities." "I couldn't be prouder to accept the Women's Leadership award from the LCLAA," said the AEA Vice President and Isaac Middle School Teacher upon receiving the award. "To be honored by my community of Latinx union leaders means the world to me. We are resilient like our ancestors. Sí, se puede!" AEA Vice President Honored with Women's Leadership Award Congratulations to Marisol Garcia for winning the Labor Council for Latin American Advancement (LCLAA) Women's Leadership Award. Sponsor Your Student Teacher Member H ere's your chance to support your student teacher and start their career off right! e AEA Aspiring Educator Program is offering a promotion for members to recruit and sponsor a student teacher's AEA membership. If you have a student teacher this fall or know of one in your district, then you can sponsor that future teacher by paying their Aspiring Educator member dues, which are $20 for the year. is entitles them to liability protection in the classroom, and much more. As a thank you, we will send you one of these exclusive license plate frames. Contact AEA Organizational Consultant and Aspiring Educator Program Staff Liaison Jeff Lang at jeff.lang@arizonaea.org for details and how to sponsor a student teacher member. E d u ca t i o n . A c t i v i s m . S o li d a r it y A SP I R I N G E D U C A T O R S A R I Z O N A E D U C A T I O N AS S O C I A T I O N