Hannah StClair for NEA Aspiring Educator Chair

Spent quality time with some of my favorite folks in Illinois this weekend and Arizona the weekend prior!

Thank you to all the Aspiring Educators who show up, say yes to new opportunities, and push yourselves to lead!

In Arizona, I spoke at the NEA Higher Education Conference about the importance of connections, organizing, and support across our union for college students, graduate workers, and faculty. I got to attend a session by Dr. Brittany Patrick, an NEA staff person that I’ve been working alongside to lead our Aspiring Educators Disability Rights & Inclusion Panel this year where we are coming up with recommendations for our nations union, policy makers, and educator preparation programs to be more inclusive and just for disabled college students.

Then, I had a quick turn around and attended the Illinois Education Association’s Representative Assembly. If you haven’t heard, I’m job searching in the Chicago area, so it was a special opportunity to see how my (hopefully🤞) future union operates & see myself coming back as a delegate soon!

The NEA Leadership Summit was also in Chicago, so I hopped over to downtown to connect with colleagues and aspiring educators — returning and first timers! I presented a session on using social media to engage your allies & members alongside Oregon Ed Association member, Katie Lukins! Then I also worked alongside Gigi Whisler, AE from Oregon, to lead the Aspiring Educators Caucus afternoon meeting where we shared out ways to get involved and continue advocating and organizing!

After all that, the weather decided to have a wild time and keep many of us stuck in Chicago! I left Monday morning back to DC and onto the next adventure🤩🤩

Oceans of Possibility: Leading Boldly in the Face of Uncertainty🌊✊

This week, I attended the National Council of Urban Education Associations (NCUEA) Fall Conference alongside NEA Aspiring Educator Director Faron Haase!

We met, discussed, and planned alongside local union leaders to build our collective power. We heard from Native Hawaiian keynote speakers, authors, advocates who grounded us in indigenous perspectives of future-building. We learned about advocacy efforts for Black studies across the country.

I co-facilitated a session alongside Oregon leaders (& friends!) on using social media to engage your members and allies!

We also organized to create a work group of NCUEA local leaders, early career educators, and aspiring educators to create a more streamlined pipeline for union leadership and build our collective power! Stay tuned for more info!

A great week to be a union member‼️

How lucky I am to do the work of education justice alongside such passionate and dedicated fellow NEA Aspiring Educators, staff, and leadership!

Despite all the challenges educators & students face for and within public education in our country, we remain steadfast in our commitment for a free, accessible, high-quality, safe, and culturally responsive public education for every student no matter their zip code.

Stay tuned for a powerful year ahead with NEA Aspiring Educators!

Zoom photos dump!

Photo #1 is after two energizing days of the first Virtual State Leaders Retreat!
Photo #2 is after the first meeting of the new Disability Rights & Inclusion Aspiring Educator Panel!
Photo #3 is after speaking with Wisconsin Aspiring Educators and hearing about their wonderful upcoming Campaign: WI are Aspiring Educators Wisconsin!

During back-to-school season, I had the pleasure of joining Connecticut Aspiring Educators at the CEA Summer Leadership Conference to work with chapter leaders on how we can work across our differences to support all of our members and leaders!

I also got to spend time with Oklahoma Aspiring Educators hearing about the challenges and hopes for Oklahoma public schools.

Stay tuned for upcoming travel to even more Aspiring Educators!

I’m not usually one to be speechless, but I’m unsure how to put into words yet the experience that was my first Aspiring Educators Conference as Aspiring Educators Chair.

The words that come to mind:
Smile often, laugh loudly, and love hard.

Thank you to everyone who helped make this AEC one for the books. Through all the hiccups, we laughed our way through, gave each other grace and empathy, and built a space where we could tackle the challenges facing us together.

As the words come to me, more photos and reflections to come❤️

It’s better in a union!!!

This month, I visited Ohio and assisted an issue organizing training for paid student teaching with the !

I visited Illinois and assisted with the first annual Union Choice Awards ceremony with the !

I assisted in California and encouraged members to take on leadership roles and get more connected to our union with !

I spoke at the Connecticut Aspiring Educators Apple Banquet with around the importance of upholding your calling no matter the institutions we’re faced with.

Then I spent a week in Washington, D.C. meeting with NEA leaders to discuss our political action strategy, Aspiring Educators Conference, rallying and marching for workers and immigrants, and organizing for the movement to protect and promote public education.

2025 is a whirlwind and AEs are busy learning, organizing, and advocating! We’re coming together to build community, deepen relationships, and fight for one another and our students.

Aspiring Educators are diverse and passionate about protecting the future of our profession. It has been an honor to support and be present with AEs at state and national conferences the past few months. Check out the highlights! You may even see some familiar faces- maybe yourself!🍎

What a great whirlwind of a weekend at the NEA Leadership Summit!! About 50 Aspiring Educators from all around the country joined over a thousand other NEA members to deepen our leadership development!

We got to hear from NEA President, Vice President, and Secretary-Treasurer, Comedian Michael Jr, Detroit Youth Choir, Author Shaun Ginwright, and Historian Heather Cox Richardson who all helped remind us about our importance as educators in this time of backsliding democracy, and how to find joy, laughter, and love through it all!

From meeting new AEs to catching up with AE-Retired friends😉, I always love being with my union community!!

Thank you to all the AEs who said YES to this opportunity! It’s crazy how one decision can open so many more doors, so keep saying YES!

Text ACTION to 48744 to stay connected to actions to protect public education!

Spot me and my AEs behind Bernie!!🤩