Making Waves: Building Stronger Communities Through Member Activism
By Riley Jordan, Communications Chair, Tacoma Federation of Education Support Professionals Local 461
Even though times are uncertain, Tacoma Federation of Educational Support Professionals has been showing up strong for our communities. As a union we are dedicated to lifting up the voices of all workers, and most especially those of us most at risk. Solidarity and activism take many different forms, and TFESP has taken part in many of them, from marches to Lobby Day.
May Day 2025
May Day is an essential part of union history, celebrating the hard-won rights of the past and looking forward to the future of rights we have yet to gain. Last year’s May Day march was endorsed by TFESP, as well as attended by members. This march highlighted immigrant workers vital members of our community whose rights are under attack and need our solidarity more than ever under the current administration. As Donald Trump works to divide the working class against ourselves, showing up in force for all workers will continue to prove we are stronger together. We also look forward to this year’s May Day, as TFESP has endorsed the 2026 May Day march.
Cut Ties with Genocide
One of the most pressing issues in the world is the ongoing genocide of Palestinians in Gaza. As Washington workers, our retirement funds are being invested in several companies that directly fund this ongoing humanitarian crisis. This is deeply personal to us as educators; the students of Gaza have been unable to go to school for over three and a half years. To make our voices heard, we endorsed and sent out the Cut Ties with Genocide petition. This was to make it clear that as Washington workers, we do not want our money to continue to fund companies like Raytheon and Lockheed-Martin, the two leading arms manufacturers in our country, or investing in Palantir Technologies, a surveillance company that is participating in violating human rights abroad as well as in the United States. Thanks to the pressure of the Cut Ties campaign, Washington has divested over $50 million from Caterpillar as of March of this year.
School Board Meetings
Last year, the Tacoma School District made sweeping cuts to both teaching and support staff, firing or displacing hundreds of workers. This has a vast and devastating effect on not just us, but our students, many of whom rely on the stability of staff. As a community, we showed up in force, holding a rally and packing the rooms of school board meetings to make it clear that we did not agree with this decision, especially while the superintendent continues to make a six-figure salary. Members were also interviewed by local news sources, bringing the situation to the broader community.
Transgender Kids’ Rights Rally and Petition
Transgender children’s rights are under direct attack in our country, as a scapegoat to take away rights to bodily autonomy. Though we are privileged in Washington to have protections and access to healthcare for gender diverse people, there are still moves to change that. Last fall, Mary Bridge decided to end access to gender affirming care for all minors. This goes against The World Professional Association for Transgender Health guidelines for children and adolescents, which advocates to provide children with age appropriate and often life-saving care. As a response to this, TFESP endorsed a petition and rally in solidarity with transgender students and their families. This is an ongoing legal battle, and TFESP will continue to monitor actions taken by the state and local organizations.
Lobby Day
Lobby Day is a yearly part of TFESP’s activism, going to Olympia to speak to our legislators. As a union, we continue to ask for greater recognition of our jobs as Educational Support Professionals. We are vital parts of the school ecosystem, supporting students and teachers directly, allowing our students to access the education they are entitled to. One of these asks is for higher budgets for pay, as there are many ESPs who work multiple jobs to stay afloat. This year we also asked our legislators to support Senate Bill 6346, also known as the millionaire tax bill, a 9.9% tax on personal income over $1 million. This bill has since passed into law. Lobby Day overall is one of the best ways to get into contact with those who make decisions that affect working people.
Inauguration March - January 2026
On January 26th, 2026, one year since Donald Trump took office for his second term, as well as MLK Jr Day, organizations around the area came together for a march to resist fascism. As with the May Day march in 2025, this event centered on justice for immigrants, a key target of the Trump Administration’s efforts to crack down on the rights of all of us. This also came during the ICE occupation of Minneapolis, following the death of Renee Nicole Good two weeks prior, and the killing of Alex Pretti that morning. Members of TFESP marched as well as supported on the safety teams of the Inauguration March. As Tacoma is home to the Northwest Detention Center, and ICE can be deployed to any city at any time, it is incredibly important to continue to show up for our most vulnerable community members.
This year has only begun, and TFESP and our members will continue our advocacy, showing out and standing up for the rights of the working class. As a large local union, we have an incredible resource, sheer numbers. At over 500 members strong, not only can we show up as members, we have a ripple effect by way of family and friends to inspire. Here’s to another year of making waves!