Leadership Conference

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UTLA 2020 Virtual Leadership Conference

 Uplifting the health, safety and well-being of our members, students, and communities
Dates: Aug. 5-7, 2020

CONFERENCE REGISTRATION CLOSED

Over three days, we will strategize and organize as we recognize our responsibility in this unique moment to rise together for the safety, health, and well-being of our students and communities.

***For questions, email: LeadershipConference@utla.net

 

FAQs + Agenda
agenda flyer

Who can attend the conference?
This year the conference is open to all UTLA members. We especially encourage all chapter leaders and CAT members to attend.

What is the conference agenda?
Here’s a quick breakdown for the three days:
 

  • On Wednesday at 3:30 pm, UTLA President Cecily Myart-Cruz will deliver her first State of the Union address, followed by a virtual DJ party at the Member Reception.
     
  •  Thursday will begin with Core Trainings from 9 am to 11 am, followed by a panel discussion from 11:15 am to 1 pm with activists who have been leaders of the Black Lives Matter movement long before it was a global phenomenon.
     
  • On Friday at 9 am, Dr. Bettina Love will deliver the keynote address on how we acknowledge with honesty the institutional racism in education and embrace a revisioning of pedagogy and practice to improve educational opportunities for Black students. At 10 am the UTLA officers will address the conference, and then participants will break into groups for the UTLA Area meetings from 10:30 am to noon.

Can nonmembers participate in the conference?
Many of the sessions are for members only, but the State of the Union address on Wednesday and the Black Lives Matter panel on Thursday will be streamed live on Facebook and Instagram.
 
Where can I get more info?
Questions can be sent to LeadershipConference@utla.net 

 

More than 650 UTLA site leaders powered up for the school year ahead at the UTLA Leadership Conference from July 28 to 30 at the Bonaventure Hotel. 

 

Alex Caputo-Pearl

July 28, 2017 — In his Friday night speech, UTLA President Alex Caputo-Pearl blasted the dismal level of school funding and introduced a bold concept—20 by 20—to fund LA schools at $20,000 per pupil by the year 2020.

 

“If public education is to survive and thrive in Los Angeles, it is time for us to call the question on why our schools are being starved,” Caputo-Pearl said. “Jumping from $11,000 to $20,000 is aggressive, but it is far from crazy.  Several other states, far poorer than California, are already in the $20,000 per student range.”  

 

view or read entire speech >>

 

Speaker Videos

Panel Videos

 

Core Trainings

Core Training

During the conference, core training covered how to organize effective worksite structures to enforce the contract, defend members’ rights, and build a successful contract campaign. UTLA is in bargaining with a comprehensive package of proposals for the Schools LA Students Deserve on critical issues such as competitive pay, class size, staffing, testing, school climate and student discipline, and enhanced professional rights.

 

PACE Reception

At the PACE reception on Saturday night, Congresswoman Maxine Waters, one of the leaders of the Trump resistance in D.C., shared a little of her fire, and educators talked with Tony Thurmond, the Assemblyman taking on a billionaire-funded candidate in the state superintendent race in 2018.

 

General Sessions

Panel Discussion

During general sessions, site leaders heard from parents, students, and critical community partners, including CHIRLA, Reclaim Our Schools LA, the California Alliance for Community Schools, and the Alliance to Reclaim Our Schools. While the challenges we face are big, we have local, state, and national allies fighting with us. In an energetic conference-closing speech, Alliance to Reclaim Our Schools Executive Director Keron Blair spoke about the righteousness of our struggle.

 

Blair

“They starve our schools, call them failing, and then blame teachers and say that private interests are the way forward,” Blair said. “We didn’t pick this fight but we're ready to fight, and when you fight for public education, you are fighting for kids to get a fair shot and that is worth everything.”

 

 

Year In Review Video

 

Conference Tweets

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2017 Leadership Conference Sponsors

PLATINUM PLUS
  • NTA Mangement
  • Bush, Gottlieb
PLATINUM
SILVER
  • Gordon, Edelstein, Krepack, Grant, Felton & Goldstein
  • Trygstad, Schwab & Trygstad, www.trygstadlaw.com
BRONZE