Members Give Assist to Black Lives United's "Back to School" Backpack Drive

For the second consecutive year, the grassroots Green Bay community organizing group Black Lives United (BLU) organized a “Back to School” drive to help families in the area struggling to pay for school supplies. The effort took place across the month of August, and it all culminated in a “drop-off” day event on Sunday, August 20. People from across Green Bay dropped off backpacks, school supplies, and donations at the residence of UWGB-United member Jon Shelton. BLU also hosted a conversation about race and racism on drop-off day. Four UWGB-United members — Patricia Terry, Jon Shelton, Andrew Austin, and Adam Gaines — were there and others (including Mike Draney and Linda Briggs-Dineen) donated to the cause, too. Altogether, BLU collected thirty backpacks filled with supplies and another $850 in donations to buy more!

Union President Andrew Austin and Secretary Patricia Terry
engage in a conversation about race and racism with
BLU leader Stephanie Ortiz and UWGB student Ibrahim Budul.

UWGB-United Plays Key Role in AFT-W Higher Ed Council’s “Fund the Freeze” Campaign

From the modest beginnings of a small meeting in Stevens Point in September 2016, the AFT-Wisconsin Higher Education Council (HEC) developed a state-wide budget campaign called “Fund the Freeze.” Revolving around a pledge that called for fully funding tuition freeze over the next two biennia, the HEC got the support of SGA’s, Faculty Senates, and Academic Staff Senates across the state, in addition to two state senators and seven assembly representatives (including Green Bay’s own Senator Dave Hansen and Assembly Representative Eric Genrich).

AFT-W locals across the UW system held on campus events during “Fund the Freeze” week late March, and our panel discussion and march were among the most well attended in Wisconsin. (Thanks to both Dave Hansen and Eric Genrich for speaking at both!)

With generous financial support from AFT-Wisconsin and from UW-Milwaukee’s Local 3535, the HEC launched a facebook ad connected to the pledge. The post garnered 4,000 “likes” and the pledge and additional 1,500 signatures from faculty, staff, students, and the public across Wisconsin.

The HEC capped it all off with a media conference call in May. Union leaders Dan Strouthes (Eau Claire), Andy Felt (Stevens Point), and Jon Shelton (Green Bay) joined a call with three pledge signatories form the legislature: Jill Billings (La Crosse), Katrina Shankland (Stevens Point), and Genrich. You can read all about the conference call here.

Thanks to all of our members in Green Bay and the HEC for all of their hard work in changing the narrative around funding public higher education in Wisconsin!