“I went to that dinner prepared! I had a hand-written tentative conference schedule ready to pitch, complete with potential speakers and breakout sessions. I wanted this idea to work for our members,” said Zigan, now president of WEAC-Retired.
The Ed Minnesota leaders listened carefully and agreed something needed to be done to bring members together. “We both wanted to be part of something new and exciting,” said Tessman.
Beyond the Mississippi
The Mississippi River separates Minnesota and Wisconsin, but the two states have more in common than not. WEAC-Retired members who live in the northern part of the Badger State often identify more with the Twin Cities than Milwaukee or Madison, due to their geographic proximity.
Realizing that union members in northern Wisconsin sometimes felt disenfranchised simply due to their geographic distance from Milwaukee or Madison, the creation of what would come to be known as the Border Conference seemed like an important way to show respect and increase engagement of among WEAC-Retired members.
“We knew we had to bring something to our members that kept them coming back each year. We use the time to network with old friends, to educate our members on important issues impacting education and our lives, and to activate the membership on key advocacy issues,” said Zigan.
From that goal, came the birth of what is now known as the Joint State Border Conference.
Learning Together
To keep retired educators engaged, the conference has unique offerings including keynote speakers, like former NEA Executive Director John Stocks, former Wisconsin Governor Marty Schreiber, President of NEA-Retired Anita Gibson, former President of NEA-Retired Sarah Borgman, and even a special presentation by the Gabbert Raptor (yes, actual raptors!) Center from the University of Minnesota.
On tap for members at this year’s event: information on Medicare Scams, Racial and Social Justice, Chair Yoga, and more.
“This Border Conference has been a game-changer for members in both states. Working together our membership is more engaged, and every year our retirees look forward to learning, growing, and most importantly developing stronger relationships with one another,” said Tessman.
For more member stories or submit the name of an educator you’d like to see featured.
