Faces of the 2025 NEA RA
Alisha Chavez is vice president of the Portland Association of Teachers. If you don't see her manning the mics by the RA stage, you might run into her at a few favorite places. These include the Japanese American Museum of Oregon (JAMO) and the city's historic Lone Fir Cemetery, which offers self-guided tours of various sections, including what was once the Chinese section. Speaking of local history... if NEA members venture across the Burnside Bridge, they should know that PAT members shut it down twice in 2023, once before their historic strike and once during. (PS: If you're hungry, check out one of Chavez' favorites: Mis Tacones, a local vegan, BIPoC- and Queer-owned Mexican restaurant!)
The artist Marka27’s I.C.E. Scream entices in an Oregon Convention Center ballroom. Its paletas are vibrant hues of pink and yellow, made of resin, infused with nostalgia. But look more closely. Inside the paletas are photographic images—handcuffs, rosaries, flowers—that represent the strength and struggles of families caught in the U.S. immigration system. I.C.E. Scream stands for inhumane, cruelty, enforcement, Marka27 explained to attendees of NEA’s Conference on Racial and Social Justice. “It was my high school teachers [with their lessons about the Mexican muralists] who put me on to activism through art,” he says. If you didn’t see Marka27 in Portland, check out his work on Instagram.
More than 100 local educators are volunteering with the host committee. The one dancing outside the RA floor is Irene Corbin, a middle school counselor in Vancouver, Wash. Corbin has attended previous NEA RAs as a delegate. She loves the energy. Loves the electricity. "Thank you for being here! Thank you for having your [credentials] visible!" she tells delegates, as they enter the hall. "Have an awesome time! Remember, you get more steps in, if you dance!" Brenda
Brenda Álvarez
When it comes to fundraising for the NEA Political Action Committee (PAC) and helping to elect pro-public school champions, nobody does it better than NEA-Retired delegates. This summer, they raised $12,600 at their silent auction and $6,000-plus at their live auction, including $3,200 for a sweet Cat in the Hat quilt. Now, they’re raffling off a beautiful, blocked quilt, made by Michigan retired member Liz Hubert and inspired by the “The Quiltmaker’s Gift” book. See the quilt—and maybe also meet NEA-Retired President Anita Gibson—in the Oregon Convention Center. “It’s amazing and awesome, the commitment that NEA-Retired members have to the NEA PAC!” says Gibson.
“Lord knows I’m a social butterfly,” says Andy Markus, head custodian at Draper Park Middle School, in Draper, Utah, and the NEA Education Support Professional (ESP) of the Year. Chances are, if you’re at the NEA RA this year, you’ll run into Markus. You’ll also hear him speak on Friday. His main message? “ESPs matter,” he says. “People don’t realize the impact we have.”
Miguel Gonzales
“My mother told me I need to get out more!” laughs Aja Shasanmi. So, for six hours a day, Shasanmi puts on the green vest that identifies members of the host committee, greets Representative Assembly delegates and guests, and answers their frequently asked questions. The top two: “Where’s registration?” and “Will you be my girl?” (Ha! Shasanmi is a funny one!) When Shasanmi’s done here, she will return to Hoquiam, Wash., where she has been a special education teacher for the past 13 years.
Miguel Gonzales
“This is NEA Read Across America!” announces Rachael Walker, a consultant to NEA’s Read Across America (RAA) program. Flanked by stacks of children’s books, Walker urges delegates to visit the RAA website and sign up for regular emails. Get the new RAA calendar as soon as it comes out! Delegates also got a sneak peek of children’s books that will be featured this year, including “Some of Us: A Story of Citizenship and the United States” and “Shift Happens: The History of Labor in the United States.”
While RA delegates bring the energy, DJ Spinna builds it. The talented Brooklyn producer curates the NEA RA playlist, spinning tunes from a spot near the RA stage during breaks in the official program. Something you’re guaranteed to hear this weekend? "Boots on the Ground: Where Them Fans At?"
A former high school counselor and president of Colorado’s largest labor union, the Colorado Education Association, from 2018-2024, Amie Baca-Oehlert spoke to RA delegates on Friday about her current run for Congress. Her message? “We, the NEA, need to be in all the places of power to win all the things. We are the change we need to see! … Let’s send the NEA to Congress!”
