Human Rights

Everyone who lives, works, and plays in our country wants to live with dignity and have an equal opportunity to succeed.

We support our communities by building relationships. We strive to have equity and opportunity for everyone. Access to higher education and racial equity in our communities is a Human Right and should be supported and defended.

We believe in the goal of honoring the shared humanity of all our members. We seek to accomplish this goal by promoting principles of tolerance, fairness, and respect. Building meaningful relationships within and outside our organization enhances our collective efforts to improve our communities. We work to combat racism and prejudice.

The Human Rights Committee is committed to social justice, human rights, and racial equity. We represent our members working together and making our voices heard around these issues.

Our Mission

We are a committee representing the diversity of AFT Washington. Our goal is to honor the shared humanity of all our members. We seek to accomplish this goal by promoting principles of tolerance, fairness, and respect; building meaningful relationships within and outside our organization; and monitoring our effectiveness regularly.

What We Do

We represent AFT and AFT Washington at national and local events, and strive to foster relationships with like-minded groups in the region. To support these relationships - and our communities - we publicize, participate in, and organize events that will help fight human rights abuses in our union, our community, our country, and our world.

We promote education as a way to develop equity and change for those being left behind. We also believe in the power of educators to make a difference in student success, and have adopted resolutions calling on AFT Washington to promote immigrant and refugee rights, LGBTQ rights, and racial equity, among others.

We “walk our talk” through actions — leafletting, marching, rallying, and adding our voices to those of others fighting for equity and justice.

We provide a platform for all members of our union to educate, inform, and be recognized so that we eradicate all forms of classism, heterosexism, racism, sexism, and other forms of dehumanization that exist within our union.

The Human Rights Committee is seeking donations of backpacks to use in building basic supply kits for immigrants leaving the Northwest Detention Center in Tacoma. Upon their release from immigration detention, AIDNW volunteers warmly welcome immigrants to the Pacific Northwest, unite them with their U.S. families or sponsors, provide temporary housing, and connect them to resettlement resources. You may find more information regarding AIDNW on their website aidnw.org.

If you are interested in making a donation, please contact Ray Carrillo at rcarrillo@aftwa.org.

The Human Rights Committee brought forward a resolution, Resolution 2023-06: Building Authentic Tribal Relationships, at the 2023 AFT Washington convention, calling for AFT Washington to prioritize building authentic tribal relationships with the Indigenous communities of Washington state. This work is an essential part of building a stronger, more diverse, more just state. 

We look forward to providing an update on the status of this resolution at the next convention.

You can read the text of the resolution here. 

The AFT Washington board presents an annual award, the César Chávez Human Rights Award, to recognize those who fight for social justice and human rights at their workplaces and in their community. The award is presented at the biennial convention, and is open to nomination by any member of AFT Washington. 

In 2023, the award went to three recipients. 

Tracy Lai, AFT Seattle Local 1789, received the award in recognition of her extensive work on human rights issues. Her nominator wrote "While navigating the terrain of diverse needs and interests, Tracy has facilitated rich discussion with space for all voices to be heard, helped groups find common ground and priority principles, and consistently brings groups back to shared values and a respect for human dignity and rights. This leadership style has ensured that all stakeholders feel comfortable expressing a wide range of opinions and perspectives and has culminated in the development of concrete policy positions. ... We have many dedicated activists in this work, but few of Tracy’s caliber."

David Ortiz, Cascadia College Local 6191, also received the award for his impressive contributions to justice-focused work. His nominator wrote "David has served as a visionary leader, an inspiration and a role model for how to keep the arc of morality moving toward justice in our day-to-day work and interactions. Additionally, he sets high expectations and supports us all in our efforts to attain our goals." His work on AFT Washington's human rights committee and all the many other places he has made contributions and improvements for justice set a high bar.

The final recipient, Lynn Palmanteer-Holder, is the Director of Tribal Government Affairs at the State Board of Community and Technical Colleges. Her nominator wrote "Lynn’s groundbreaking leadership in holding SBCTC accountable to Tribes embodies the struggle for human rights and Indigenous Sovereignty. Lynn is also helping AFT Washington to go beyond land acknowledgement and reimagine its relationships, as well as that of the Labor movement, to tribes."

We appreciate the work all of these leaders have done, and see in them inspiration to keep moving forward for and with justice.

We have compiled a list of resources on immigrant rights in this 3-page document.