Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/1546862
9 ADVOCATE | FALL 2026 AEA IN ACTION is summer, AEA delegates joined thousands of educators from across the country in Denver for the 2026 NEA Representative Assembly. At a time when public schools, educators, students, and communities are facing unprecedented challenges, delegates prepared to organize. For the second year, NEA dedicated significant time at the Representative Assembly to its Days of Learning and Organizing for Power. Delegates participated in dozens of hands-on sessions designed to turn union values into action — from strengthening bargaining and engaging members in elections to fighting disinformation, protecting immigrant students and families, and organizing against efforts to divert resources away from public schools. Across the sessions, one message was clear: our power comes from organized educators acting together. Delegates le Denver with new tools, strategies, and action plans to bring back to their local unions and communities — building the collective power we need to protect public education and create the schools our students deserve. Days of Learning and Organizing for Power For another year, NEA delegates participated in the Days of Learning and Organizing for Power, where members had tough conversations about the challenges facing public education, learned to build plans they could take home, and discussed becoming leaders in the communities. Across 80 hands-on sessions, educators built skills to strengthen their unions and advocate for students. Workshops topics included: • Protecting immigrant students and families by organizing for Safe Zones policies and preparing schools to respond to immigration enforcement. • Fighting for public school funding by learning how corporate tax breaks take/steal/capture school resources to line billionaire's pockets. • Countering disinformation about public education and unions with authentic messages rooted in trusted educators' own experiences. • Improving special education services by organizing around the needs of students and educators at the local level. • Building political and union power through stronger bargaining strategies, member engagement in elections, lobbying, and even preparing educators to run for office themselves. Interested in attending next year's RA? Speak to your local president about the process to become an elected delegate. Building Our Power at RA It was Becky Pringle's last RA as NEA President. To thank her for her leadership, all AEA members wore t-shirts in her signature purple, with her quote on the back.