Today, thanks to the training and support my union has given me and the power we have when we are organized, I increasingly have an opportunity to work on issues that are critical to me. I can address them with my community college students, who face them every day, and my colleagues, who as educators need support and can benefit from a better understanding of social justice and human rights issues.
Beyond that, I hope I can have a broader effect on my community and society at a time when there seems to be so much work to do.
I am a sociologist, first, I think, and the valuable perspective about social justice and human rights issues it affords me is very closely connected to my work in those two other areas of my professional life – as an educator and union activist. My interest and my work in all three always have been intertwined, and I’ve been so fortunate to find ways to learn and grow in each and, I hope, apply what I’ve learned in support of my students and my colleagues.
My inclination to work as a sociologist and educator may have always been stirring—I can remember being concerned about fairness at a young age and active in human and women’s rights in high school. I went on to study sociology and learn more about ways we can improve people’s lives and ways that I could contribute, including by teaching about these issues. I also found that teaching at a community college in the Rochester, N.Y. area gave me an opportunity to offer views about critical issues related to fairness and justice with students challenged by them each day.
My background in sociology is important as I work with the students here at MCC, who have a wide variety of circumstances but often come to higher ed with non-traditional backgrounds and challenges. I love teaching them about the hard work that has been done on the issues that they face, strategies they can use to navigate their own situations, and the ways they can have an impact on the issues longer term and for others.
The involvement in the union came naturally because I understood the value of activism and organizing around an important cause. Now I am president of the Faculty Association of Monroe Community College (FAMCC), an active affiliate of the New York State United Teachers (NYSUT) and NEA.
I have used the support of the union in two important ways.
As president of MCCFA, I have led our union in key battles over the rights of our students and the faculty. I see the union as an advocate for our rights as workers and educators, but I also see us as the strongest advocates on behalf of our students. The conditions under which we work are the conditions under which our students learn. We have had contentious and productive battles to improve both here on campus and have made great strides.
Also, the training I have received from NYSUT and NEA in areas such as implicit bias, inclusivity, and creating safe space for LGBTQ students has allowed me to train my colleagues to be more aware of these issues, to advocate for them, and institute changes on campus. In addition, I’ve been given an opportunity to train trainers throughout NYSUT so that this valuable information can be passed on and take shape in other schools and colleges, where it is so important.
This meshing of areas in my professional life has been incredibly fulfilling for me. I have been very lucky to have this foundation of sociological studies on which to use the support of the union and opportunities it has presented to learn and contribute. On top of that, I have the reward of working with students to improve their challenging circumstances and perhaps spark in them the activism for important causes that has motivated me.
Bethany Gizzi, Professor, Monroe Community College, Rochester, NY
Be sure to share this Member Monday with an educator that inspired or empowered you when you were in school or tag them in the comments below!
