Because of You - A letter of gratitude to NYSUT delegates

Dear NYSUT members,

THANK YOU!

Because of you, our union is stronger today than it ever was.
Thank you for seeing NYSUT through the last three years. You've had our backs every step of the way. You’ve seen us through the Janus decision and stuck by us as we fought for fair and reliable state testing for our students. You’ve been there while NYSUT lead the conversation in this state on the teacher shortage and the need for a more diverse workforce to meet the needs of New York’s students, and you’ve joined our women’s movement by the hundreds to create a fairer more equitable world for girls and women. And you’ve done all of this while conducting your full-time jobs whether you are an SRP, teacher, professor, or health care professional. You’ve stood by us and with us, whether your home is a small rural town, medium-sized suburb or giant city!

Because you opened your school and classroom doors to us during NYSUT's Fund Our Future Bus Tour, citizens across the state have seen the struggles our schools and campuses face each day. And yet everywhere we traveled, SRPs, teachers and professors were thanking us for visiting. But right now, amid this crisis, communities around this state are now THANKING YOU. They are thanking you for keeping their children connected to their schools, campuses and friends. They are thanking you for keeping students fed and cared for, and they are thanking you for going above and beyond when it comes to providing instruction, remediation or enrichment during this period of remote learning. They are thanking you for putting 2020 graduate signs on the front lawns of high school seniors. They are thanking you for the virtual college commencement ceremonies and the words of advice and reassurance. And they are thanking our #HealthCareHeroes for saving lives. Because of you, the image of a NYSUT member is that of a hero. Christopher Reeves once said, "A hero is an ordinary individual who finds the strength to persevere and endure in spite of overwhelming obstacles." Our NYSUT heroes have empathy, expertise, compassion, professionalism, drive and perseverance to endure in the face of these COVID challenges. You are nimble and responsive, innovative and intuitive. And as our educational heroes, you never quit on a student or a family even when the situation seems insurmountable. Because of you, we are better leaders today than we were three years ago. We will never stop being your advocates or your partners in this fight for educational equity and gender and social equality. It has been the greatest professional honor of my life to serve as your Executive Vice President. Thank you for entrusting me to represent you for the next three years. I hope to make you proud as we embark on this journey of advocacy and service together.