Champions of Justice

New Mexico educator Grace Mayer remembers seeing her sisters struggle with having children and full-time jobs. Like several of Mayer’s colleagues, they wanted to return to work as soon as possible, but a lack of affordable child care meant they couldn’t go back until their kids were 8, 10, or 12 years old.

“That’s a huge loss to our profession,” says Mayer, in a video shown at the Human and Civil Rights (HCR) Awards ceremony, held in Orlando, Fla., in July.

Mayer, one of the winners of this year’s awards, was honored for her successful advocacy for a high-quality, affordable day care center for the children of Santa Fe educators—a first in the state.

Forty teachers and education support professionals now benefit from the center, which offers a safe place for their children during work hours; reduces the need to find child care far from their workplaces; and mitigates the high cost of raising a family in one of the most expensive cities in the state.

“The field of education is predominantly women, and so we have to acknowledge what their life paths are,” Mayer said. “Child rearing is a big part of that. You shouldn’t pay half of your salary to raise your children, especially when you’re taking care of the community’s children.”

NEA’s HCR Awards honored a total of eight educators and two organizations for their inspiring commitment to advancing social and racial justice. Here are more of their stories:

Leading with her history

California’s Arlene Inouye has long reflected on the trauma her family experienced while being incarcerated in Japanese internment camps during World War II—and how that experience relates to the systemic racism that exists today. Her family’s history drives her to transform public education and her union into a force for racial, educational, and social justice.

Based in Los Angeles, Inouye is currently collaborating with UCLA’s Asian American Studies Center on the Multimedia Textbook on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, an online platform that teaches students about the history and dynamics of being an Asian American and Pacific Islander in the United States.

Sparking self-determination in African American boys

Cartier Scott’s peers describe him as a life-changer—one who does everything well and with love, honor, and pride. Scott is a math teacher, coach, and mentor, in Riviera Beach, Fla., as well as a co-founder of Connect to Greatness, a nonprofit organization dedicated to inspiring African American boys and their mothers to become leaders and changemakers.

The nonprofit has two tracks: The Boys to Men Leadership Academy, which exposes young males to new experiences, from tie-tying and yoga to college tours and navigating tough conversations about growing up.

Meanwhile, the Women of Boys Empowerment Program provides the boys’ mothers with mental health counseling, classes in first-time homebuying and rebuilding credit, and more.

Championing LGBTQ+ rights

Dirk Andrews advocates for a better world for the LGBTQ+ community in Wyoming and nationwide. As a Wyoming Education Association Safe and Just Schools cadre member, he facilitates a frequently requested session on LGBTQ+ rights in education, designed to help eliminate discriminatory and abusive behavior toward LGBTQ+ people. Plus, he assists NEA members, school leaders, and community members in developing  programs that help defend students’ rights and make them feel welcome and seen at their schools.

During his trainings, Andrew shares his personal story of growing up gay in Wyoming. His story helps remove barriers and cultivates a safe environment for growth, where diversity in sexual orientation and gender identity is respected.

Empowering workers and their families

Jeanette Arellano is an educator, artist, organizer, and activist in Milwaukee, Wis., who uses her talents to 

organize community groups across racial and ethnic backgrounds. As a steadfast activist who combines labor relations strategies, grassroots organizing, and art builds (artwork that amplifies a collective action or message), Arellano helps to improve workplace conditions for the working class and immigrants.

In her efforts with Voces de la Frontera, a local immigrant rights organization, she tutors community members in English proficiency and literacy and prepares them for the U.S. citizenship exam.

Preserving and sharing Black history

Derron C. Cook, an art and media teacher, local association president, and Black history enthusiast in St. John the Baptist Parish, La., leads student and community talks about Black history.

He is described by his community as a griot who preserves Black history and traditions. People often seek out Cook’s expertise on the history he has captured from African American elders in his community.

Seeing a need for continued education in African American studies in his parish, Cook founded the Revolt1811 Museum—which includes reenactment photos of the 1811 Slave Revolt that began at the nearby 

Woodland Plantation.

The museum is his answer to taking a stand against politicians who seek to ban books, whitewash history, and erase Black excellence.