Leadership Conference
Skill-building and organizing for local union leaders

Training Training Department

Leadership Conference

The Leadership Conference will bring members together to organize around our union’s work to address ongoing challenges in public education and other key issues under the theme Unleash your JEDI (Justice, Equity, Diversity, Inclusion). The conference will be held in person
at the Sheraton Universal Hotel in Universal City. 

Attendees will have the opportunity to sharpen leadership skills by attending useful plenaries, a legal update, and workshops on a variety of topics. There will be organizing, political, racial and social justice strands to give members the skills and knowledge to address the systemic racism in our society and in the educational community. We aim to give you the skills, tools, and knowledge to unleash your inner JEDI for our schools, and communities. 

Register Your Attendance

  • Registration is closed! Please contact Crystal Drake if you have any questions.

Schedule

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 3

11:30 am  Lunch General Session
1:15 pm  Workshops
5:30 pm  Dinner
8 pm  Party Like A Jedi! Return of the Jedi was released in 1983 so we are heading back to the 80’s. Bring your best 80’s outfit or Star Wars Costume and come dance.  We will have a Dance Floor, DJ & Costume Contest.

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 4

7:30 am  Breakfast General Session
9 am  Workshops
12:15 pm  Lunch
1:30 pm  Workshops
3:15 pm General Session
5 pm  Adjourn

Workshops

  STRAND 1:  Racial and Social Justice

  • Courageous Conversations
  • What Parents and Educators Need to Know About LGBTQ+ Youth
  • Asian American Workers Rising
  • Ways to Engage Equity Partners in Developing a District Equity Plan 
  • Creating and Supporting Programs for Black Students
  • Climate Equity 101

STRAND 2:  Political Action

  • Running for Office 2.0: What Does it Take to Run for Office?
  • Lobbying 101
  • COPE 101

STRAND 3: Organizing 

  • Contract Campaigns
  • Engaging Members and One-on-One Conversations
  • Strategic Communications
  • Community Organizing: The Superpower We All Possess 
  • Community Schools Panel Discussion
  • Crash Course for New Presidents (pre-cursor for Union Summer School)
  • Legal Responsibilities of the Site Representative: Duty of Fair Representation and Weingarten Rights
  • Tools for Taking Action: Gripes or Grievance 
  • Emergency Response Training 

Reserve a Hotel Room

Sheraton Universal hotel with mountains in distance

  • The deadline to reserve rooms at the CFT conference rate has passed. The deadline was January 20th.
  • Rooms reserved now are subject to availability and price fluctuation. Reserve rooms through the Sheraton Universal.

Getting There

BY PLANE

  • If are you flying, the closest airport is the Hollywood Burbank Airport (BUR).
  • The Sheraton Universal is 5 miles from the Burbank airport.
  • You can take a taxi to the hotel; it’s about a 15-minute ride.

BY CAR

Set your driving directions to: 

Sheraton Universal Hotel
333 Universal Hollywood Drive
Universal City, CA 91608

Parking rates at the hotel

  • Daily self park: $12
  • Daily valet park: $20
  • Overnight self park: $25
  • Overnight valet park: $45