Since I was a kid, I have always looked forward to summer as a time to recharge, spend time with my family, and enjoy a break from the demands of the school year. Once I became involved with the Union, however, I have also learned something important: the work of our union does not go on vacation.
Every two years, the AFT holds its national convention, bringing together thousands of educators and union members from across the country. This summer, from July 15 through 19, I traveled to Washington, D.C., for my third AFT Convention as an elected UFT convention delegate.
Being a convention delegate means showing up when our members need representation, even when the convention takes place during the summer. UFT members elect their traveling delegates, with each delegate representing over 100 members. That means we are not simply attending the convention as individuals. We are there to represent the members who elected us.
That is one of the reasons I made sure that I showed up and participated fully. I wanted to make sure I fulfilled my responsibility to represent not only myself, but the UFT members whose voices I was carrying with me.
There were approximately 3,000 delegates at this year’s convention, representing education unions from across the country. The UFT had approximately 730 delegates. Over five days, we heard speakers, debated issues, and considered resolutions dealing with everything from labor and the economy to healthcare, human rights, and international issues (Resolutions passed at 2026 AFT convention).
I have seen some criticism that conventions like this are not democratic. After spending five days there, I can tell you that democracy was very much on display.
People traveled from across the country to participate. They spent hours listening to different perspectives. They debated issues they felt strongly about. They made their cases. They listened to arguments with which they agreed and arguments with which they disagreed. Then they voted.
Democracy at a convention is not only about voting on resolutions. It is also about protecting the rights that make meaningful debate possible.
This year, there were efforts from some to restrict democracy at the AFT conventions. There were resolutions put forward to curb how delegates could participate in the convention, including efforts to limit who could speak and attempts to restrict delegates’ ability to call for an end to debate. UFT members stood up during those discussions and defended the rights of convention delegates.
That is democracy.
Democracy means you do not have to agree with every resolution that passes. You do not have to agree with every speaker. You do not even have to agree with decisions made by the majority. Instead, democracy is what happens when members show up, participate, debate, and ultimately have the opportunity to vote. When thousands of people are willing to travel, spend days listening and debating, and exercise their right to vote, that is a democratic process. When members stand up to protect the rights of other members to speak, debate, and vote, that is democracy, too.
I was particularly struck by how much we have in common with educators and workers from other parts of the country. The challenges facing a teacher in New York may look different from those facing a teacher in another state, but issues such as affordability, worker safety, healthcare, and the well-being of educators came up again and again.
One of the speakers who stood out to me was Maryland Governor Wes Moore, who spoke about his administration’s support for collective bargaining, organizing rights for more than 2,000 library workers, raises for state employees, and investments in teacher recruitment.
Those are the kinds of conversations that make attending the AFT Convention worthwhile for me. You get to step outside of New York City and hear directly from educators and working people dealing with challenges across the country. You hear different perspectives, sometimes very different perspectives, and you come home with a better understanding of the larger labor movement.
That is really the point of being a traveling delegate.
It is not about agreeing with everyone in the room. It is about participating in our Union.
Some of the criticism of the convention came from people who were only present for one day. After spending all five days in the convention hall, I can say with confidence that judging the entire convention based on a single day gives you only a fraction of the story. Being an elected UFT delegate has reminded me that while schools may close for the summer, the work of our union does not.
This summer, I was proud to show up and do my part.
