Tonight, January 30: Join Randi Weingarten at Boston Teachers Union!
Please join us for a timely conversation with Randi Weingarten on her new book, Why Fascists Fear Teachers. Why Fascists Fear Teachers tells the story of what educators do and why those who are afraid of freedom and opportunity try to stop them. Learn what’s at stake, how these attacks hurt our kids and our country, and how we can fight back. There will be a social reception beginning at 5:00pm, followed by a book talk and signing at 5:30pm. RSVP to join!
Tomorrow, January 31: ICE Out of Everywhere Rally
This Saturday, a broad coalition of Boston-area organizations is gathering on Boston Common to demand that Massachusetts end all cooperation with ICE. Cosponsored by AFT Massachusetts, Boston Teachers Union, MTA, Indivisible Massachusetts, Mass50501 and more. Meet at the Liberty Mall on Boston Common at 11:30am to join!
Wednesday, February 4 & 11: MA Advocates for Children Know Your Rights in Education Webinar Series
Massachusetts Advocates for Children will host a two-part workshop series on protecting immigrant and multilingual students with disabilities. The first session on Feb. 4 will focus on the education challenges immigrant families are facing, including enrollment, trauma/mental health, and more, with an introduction to special education for newcomer students. The second session on Feb. 11 will dive deep into language access rights, special education referrals and evaluations, and the Team meeting process. Register separately for February 4 and February 11 to participate in either or both!
Thursday, February 5: School Defense 101 Teach-In
Educators are only increasingly on the front lines as ICE operations impact our students, communities, and fellow members. Join AFT Massachusetts, Boston Teachers Union, and the Massachusetts Teachers Association for a webinar for educators (and other school community members) to quickly learn how to set up a rapid response team at your school and get access to resources. We’ll cover how to build a rapid response team, best practices & examples from local educator unions with well-organized teams, introduce LUCE & how to get connected with your community’s LUCE hub, and more. RSVP here to join!
Wednesday, February 18: Daily Habits for Educator Wellness and Well-Being Webinar
AFT’s Share My Lesson offers this monthly Wellness Series to support the wellbeing of members & students. This month’s session will focus on sustainable self-care practices that fit into real school days to help manage stress and prevent burnout. Attendees will receive PD credit. Register here to join.
Monday, February 23: Retirement Planning Workshop for Public Sector AFT Members
All public sector members are invited to join the AFT Massachusetts for an upcoming retirement planning workshop! AFT MA has partnered with Teacher Retirement Solutions to provide prospective retirees with this comprehensive workshop. We cover a variety of topics, including the Massachusetts' public employee retirement formula, Social Security, and living in retirement. Sign up to join us for the next workshop in Lawrence on February 23. Want to bring this resource to your local? Talk to your local President today!
Wednesday, March 4: MA State Education Rising Conference
The 2026 MA State Educators Rising Conference will be held on Wednesday, March 4, in partnership with UMass Boston. This year’s competitions will include Educators Rising Moment, Lesson planning for the arts, Children's Literature Pre-k - K English, Children's Literature Pre-k - K Spanish, and Research Learning Challenge. More information available here.
Sunday, March 22: 26th Annual Labor Seder
The New England Jewish Labor Committee’s Labor Seder is a unique interfaith and inter-community awards dinner that ties the rituals and stories of Passover to contemporary labor struggles. Register here to join us at IBEW 103 as President Tang is honored this year!
Saturday, March 28: No Kings III!
Mark your calendars: the next No Kings Day will be March 28! Stay tuned for more information on local events.
May 1 & 2: 2026 Para/PSRP Conference & Social!
Join Boston Teachers Union and AFT Massachusetts for the 40th Annual Paraprofessional/PSRP Statewide Conference at the Boston Teachers Union this May. This year's conference is centered around “40 years of Para/PSRP Solidarity”. Friday, May 1, will start with a night of bowling, followed by the conference itself on Saturday, May 2, at BTU. The deadline to register is April 17—register today to join!
Sunday, May 3: 2026 Step Up for Colleen 5K
The friends and family of Colleen Ritzer created this 5K Walk/Run to celebrate Colleen’s life and her commitment to helping and inspiring others. The net proceeds benefit the Colleen E. Ritzer Memorial Fund, Inc. which supports charitable activities honoring Colleen’s legacy, including the Colleen E. Ritzer Memorial Scholarship. The Scholarship was established by Colleen’s family to benefit graduating high school seniors, who are Andover and Danvers residents, who demonstrate a passion for teaching, academic excellence and love of family and who will pursue a degree in education. Sign up to join the AFT Massachusetts team today!