When the president of Colorado WINS learned that the president of the United States might be targeting Denver next in his anti-immigration campaign of terror, she knew how she’d begin to mobilize. One simple thing Diane Byrne does is deck out her activists in matching T-shirts. Wearing union colors promotes team spirit and builds confidence, she says. The AFT Public Employees program and policy council, meeting in New York City Feb. 5-6, abounded with tips to help locals mobilize. PPC chair Gary Feist, president of North Dakota Public Employees, recommended finding members who can tell a personal story to draw media attention. With more media on the issue, he said, legislators will become more motivated to fix the problem.

Federal immigration actions are rapidly expanding, with deadly consequences. The killings of poet Renee Nicole Good and nurse Alex Pretti by Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents in Minneapolis have brought intense focus on the use of excessive force. An AFT webinar, co-hosted by AFT President Randi Weingarten and AFT Massachusetts President Jessica Tang on Jan. 28, featured experts on immigration and the law. It highlighted AFT resources and showcased how our locals are showing up to minimize fear and trauma.

The. St. Lawrence County People Project, in partnership with the St. Lawrence County Youth Bureau brought Gizmo's Pawesome Guide to Mental Health to 3rd and 4th grade classrooms.

A portion of the funds were used to purchase a total of 3,000 books and school supplies, which included 800 new books, 250 backpacks, 200 highlighters, 550 pocket folders, 600 glue sticks, and 600 elementary school supply kits. The People Project of St. Lawrence County distributed books and supplies to school districts in Ogdensburg, Morristown, Potsdam, Massena, Lisbon, Madrid Waddington, Parishville-Hopkinton, Clifton-Fine, Brushton-Moira, Brasher Falls, Hammond, Heuvelton, and Edwards-Knox.