Remembering civil rights icon Reverend James Lawson, Jr.
We are very sorry to report the passing of civil rights leader Reverend James Lawson, Jr., a lifelong advocate of the philosophy of nonviolence and a former CFT member.
Rev. Lawson dedicated his life to advancing nonviolence and social justice. He was a close friend and comrade of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., who called Rev. Lawson “the leading theorist and strategist of nonviolence in the world.”
In 1960, Rev. Lawson launched the lunch counter sit-in campaign to desegregate public facilities in Nashville, Tennessee. The Nashville sit-in leaders went on to mobilize the Freedom Rides of the 1960’s, and spread the teachings of nonviolence throughout the South.
Rev. Lawson was also a leading force for social change in California, where he lived for over 50 years. A UCLA Labor Studies faculty member, and member of UC-AFT, Lawson taught a course on nonviolence at UCLA for over 20 years, inspiring thousands of students to pursue a path of peace and social justice.
Former UCLA Labor Center director, and CFT Vice President, Kent Wong, who co-taught the nonviolence course alongside Lawson, expressed profound admiration and respect for the loss of his esteemed mentor and friend.
“Rev. Lawson was an extraordinary visionary leader who introduced the philosophy of nonviolence to a new generation of Los Angeles labor and civil rights leaders,” Wong said in a statement via the UCLA Labor Center. “Our deepest condolences go out to his family. Let us all continue to carry on his memory and legacy.”
Pictured above: Reverend James Lawson, Jr. speaks to UCLA interns (Photo courtesy UCLA Labor Center).
CFT celebrates Juneteenth
Juneteenth is the oldest nationally celebrated commemoration of the ending of slavery in the United States. Dating back to 1865, it was on June 19 that the Union soldiers landed at Galveston, Texas with news that the war had ended and that the enslaved were now free.
On June 17, 2021, President Biden signed legislation establishing Juneteenth as a new federal holiday commemorating the end of slavery. Today Juneteenth celebrates African American freedom and achievement, while encouraging continuous self-development and respect for all cultures. As it takes on a more national, symbolic, and even global perspective, the events of 1865 in Texas are not forgotten, for all of the roots tie back to this day from which a national day of pride is growing.
There are celebrations all over California in the coming days, which you can join to recognize this historic day of freedom. For more information and resources, check out the Juneteenth page on the CFT website.
CFT Executive Council calls for a cease-fire in Gaza and the end of the weaponization of hate
Last weekend the CFT Executive Council voted to release a statement calling for a cease-fire in Gaza and the end of the weaponization of hate. See the full statement here.
CFT Pride shirts now available online
There is no better way to celebrate Pride Month than by ordering CFT’s newest Pride t-shirts online, available in both uni-sex and women’s cuts. Order here.
Pictured above, CFT leaders and members from throughout the state took part in the Sacramento Pride festival last Sunday. Check out these great videos (Video 1 | Video 2) on Instagram for more on the event. Whether LGBTQ+ or an ally, we encourage you to join a Pride celebration near you.
For more, check out the CFT Pride resources on our web page.
News in Brief
Safe Spaces: Trauma-informed training for educators and school staff. All CFT members are welcome to take this free, online two-hour training presented by the California Surgeon General’s office. The training, which is designed to help educators, administrators, and classified staff understand and respond to trauma and stress in young people, is available in English and Spanish and includes three modules for individuals who work with children and youth ages 0–5, 5–11, and 12–18. The training is skill-based and gives individuals tangible strategies to help students experiencing an overactivated stress response. It also includes strategies for education personnel—recognizing that self-care is key to creating trauma-informed environments.
Protect Public Service Loan Forgiveness. Please take a moment to sign this AFT petition to protect Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PLSF). More than 40% of college students receive Pell grants, enabling them to afford to attend college. However, there is a right way and a wrong way to expand the Pell Grant program. Congress may consider legislation in the coming days to expand Pell Grants to shorter-term programs, but it would pay for this by undermining Public Service Loan Forgiveness and other important student loan programs. Tell Congress not to undermine Public Service Loan Forgiveness!
CCTC approves creation of new PK-3 ECE Specialist Instruction credential. Late last week, the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CCTC) approved the creation of a new Preliminary Early Childhood Education Specialist Instruction credential as an intern pathway program. The new credential was established to meet the growing need for PK-3 educators as a result of the expansion of Universal Pre-Kindergarten (UPK) and Transitional Kindergarten (TK) programs throughout the state and allows candidates to earn an income while completing the program through an intern pathway.
Before the vote, CFT EC-TK12 President Steve McDougall spoke in support of the new credential, highlighting the need to increase pay for early childhood educators.
