Ethnic Minority Affairs Committee

Members are annually appointed to Education Minnesota’s Ethnic Minority Affairs Committee (EMAC) by the president of Education Minnesota. EMAC meets at least three times per school year to discuss the union’s racial equity work and examine the union’s roadmap for its racial equity work, the Affirmative Involvement Plan (AIP). EMAC also has a presence at Education Minnesota’s major events, such as the Minnesota Educator Academy (MEA) conference and Summer Leadership Conference.

The chair of EMAC is a nonvoting member of Education Minnesota’s Governing Board. This allows the union’s members of color to have representation and interaction with governance.

EMAC originated in 1991. The primary charge of EMAC is to provide continuous oversight and input into Education Minnesota’s AIP. The AIP also works as Education Minnesota’s 3-1(g) plan, NEA’s policy to guarantee representation of delegates of color commensurate with the percentage of people of color in the state. NEA requires each state affiliate to submit a biennial plan that explains the state’s procedures, recruitment practices, ongoing work and past achievements regarding engaging and supporting the union’s members of color—in other words, the affiliate’s blueprint for meeting its 3-1(g) goals.

Aside from overseeing the AIP, EMAC also:

Advocates for academic success for all students.
Promotes culturally inclusive, anti-racist instruction for all students.
Promotes fairness and equity in teacher preparation and licensure.
Aims to recruit, retain and engage minority members in our union and our schools.
Promotes opportunities for members to pursue professional development and continuing education.
Continues to build a network for communication, connection and support.
Advocates pathways to union leadership for ethnic minority membership.

Members

Dee Adams, St. Paul
Linda Azure Big Day, St. Paul
Uriel Cruz Rojas, Bloomington
Nguyen Dang, Edina
Annette Davis, Roseville
Jennifer Ernst, Dakota County ESP
Lisa Harris, Bloomington ESP
Kendra Kuhlmann, Osseo
Nicole Lawson, Osseo (Chair)
Diana Morales, Minneapolis
Job Nyangacha, Roseville
Sylvia Perez, St. Paul
Jonathan Ponce, St. Paul
Tavarra Price, Roseville
Rashelle Redmon, Dakota County ESP
Alberto Serrano Rivera, Duluth
Dawn Shannon, Brooklyn Center
Lisa Yankton, St. Paul

Staff

Athelgra Williams

Documents

Education Minnesota Affirmative Involvement Plan

Also, check out Education Minnesota’s MEA FIRE anti-racism program!

Resources

Educator of color affinity groups

Are you a BIPOC educator? Keep yourself connected with Education Minnesota’s educator of color affinity groups. Click on the logos below or visit this page for more information!