The Local 1000 African-American Committee
Fighting on the Front Lines for Social Justice

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Ten different Local 1000 Human Rights Committees are at the forefront of our efforts to create a good life for our members—and All Californians—at work and at home. It’s the mandate of our Local 1000 Purpose Statement, and the member leaders who volunteer are leading the fight for social, economic, and environmental justice.

A little more than 50 years ago, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. called for a “revolution of values.” Today, Tonya Bealey, a long-time member leader and the chair of the African- American Committee (AAC) is working with her fellow committee members to honor Dr. King’s legacy and bring dignity and social justice to our communities.

The AAC brings leaders together to spearhead positive community events designed to improve the lives of our members, the livelihoods in which they engage, and the neighborhoods where they live. Their signature annual events include: the Leora Hill Scholarship Fund, the Annual Thanksgiving Holiday Turkey Give-Away, and the Christmas Toy Drive, along with a number of regional events.

In partnership with our Women’s Empowerment Committee—another of the ten Human Rights Committees—the AAC hosts a monthly virtual meeting where members learn self-care strategies for dealing with stress related to living and working in a COVID-19 world.

On the heels of the May 2020 murder of George Floyd, and with the help of the AAC, Local 1000 launched weekly racial justice phone calls to create a place where members and staff could process, reflect, and share their feelings.

This February, we can also look forward to the AAC joining our union-wide celebration of Black History Month, where we will honor the contributions of Black leaders—known and unknown—who have made an important and lasting impact on the American landscape.

Thanks to their leadership and commitment, exemplified by events like these, Tonya and the African-American Committee is helping us build a stronger movement to dismantle structural racism.