Not for Women Only
A week of summer school for union women gave this New York City secretary and activist a year of inspiration and exhiliration
NEW YORK CITY
Cheryl Minor credits the summer school for union women with helping her find her voice — both in her union and in her own life.
"Summer school is the door I went through from not knowing what I wanted to do, to saying this is what I want to do," says Minor, a secretary at New York City’s Department of Transportation and a member of AFSCME Local 1549 (D.C. 37).
Already active on D.C. 37’s Gay and Lesbian Committee, Minor was 39 years old last summer when she traveled the six hours to State College, Pa., to spend the week with some 150 women from different unions throughout the Northeast. Sponsored by the University and College Labor Education Association and the AFL-CIO Department of Education, regional summer schools for union women now take place in four locations across the country, bringing together over 600 women each summer to learn, network and be inspired.
Though Minor spent the bus ride up "looking out the window, thinking it’s too late to go back," she soon was glad she’d come. "That school made me come alive," she says.
| A Woman Can Carry...
A woman can carry a message by body language — she can carry a tune while cooking a meal — She can carry a baby stroller up five flights of steps while holding on to the hand of her 7 year old — a woman can carry on with her friends a woman can carry her mate, her brothers, her cousin kids and still get to work on time — a woman can carry her clothes from one year to the next without going out of style — A woman can carry an attitude with a smile — A woman carries her head up high as she carries on with her life — A woman can carry... by Cheryl Minor |
Minor took workshops on get-out-the-vote campaigns, public speaking, and membership involvement. As a reporter for the summer school newsletter, she talked to other women about their experiences. When she turned 40 that week, her new friends brought her a cake. Her poetic speeches led her union sisters to encourage her poetry writing, and Minor says, "Since then, I’ve been writing all the time."
"When you come back home, you can do anything," she says. "You ride on the strength of all those other women."
Indeed, since coming back to New York City, Minor has decided she wants to hold an office in her local union, no small ambition given that her local includes 24,500 members. She’s also signed up for a college course in labor studies and has been invited to read her poetry at a D.C. 37 poetry reading.
Minor’s advice to other women considering attending a summer school for union women? She says: "If you’re afraid, pack your fear up and bring it along with you. At the end of the week, you’ll be amazed. I don’t think we know how powerful we are."
By Alison S. Lebwohl
Regional Summer Schools for Union Women
For further information, please see the March/April issue of Public Employee and call the listed coordinator for your region.
Western Region, July 16-20, Olympia, Wash.
Coordinator: Helen Lee (360) 866-6000 x6525
Midwestern Region, July 30-Aug. 3, Lansing, Mich.
Coordinator: Elise Bryant (313) 764-0492
Northeastern Region, Aug. 3-8, Silver Spring, Md.
Coordinator: Francine Moccio (212) 340-2836
Southern Region, Aug. 9-13, Birmingham, Ala.
Coordinator: Judi King(205) 934-2102
