NEA-Alaska Solidarity Summit

Conference Strands

Seeing Our Own Lens/Storytelling to Build Community: In this two-part session, led by the Alaska Humanities Forum, participants will explore how one’s values, assumptions, beliefs, and life experiences create a lens through which they see and relate to the world around them.  Our distinctive approach to cultural competence starts with self-reflection, and this workshop invites participants to examine their own lens and how it informs their connections with others. In the afternoon, participants will explore a leadership framework and method that enables you to identify the sources of your calling and share them through story in a way that motivates others to join you in the pursuit of a shared purpose.  

From Campaigns to Policy Wins, How Politics Shapes Public Education: Join NEA-Alaska Government Relations Director Matt Moser for an overview of how the decisions we make at the ballot box impact funding decisions and education policy at the local and state level. This session will focus on tools and tactics to increase member engagement and support legislative advocacy efforts. 

NEA Micro-Credentials – Free and Flexible! Think of a Micro-Credential as a small, focused learning opportunity that shows you've mastered a specific topic or skill. They're designed to be practical, flexible, and useful in your everyday job role. NEA-Alaska supports over 200 NEA Micro-Credentials FREE for members. There are topics relevant for anyone, from Native Education, Paraprofessional Teams, Technology, Classroom Management, and more. These can be used for certificate renewal in Alaska and can count for university credit for a small fee. This session will teach you what these are, how to access them, and what it takes to earn them! 

Communications Training – Telling the Story of Education: This strand explores the many ways to communicate as an association – internally with members, externally with communities, and across an array of digital platforms. Participants will learn best practices for websites, newsletters, social media, interviews, and other digital campaign tools. You'll have the opportunity to practice writing, design, on-camera skills, and more. Your NEA-Alaska team will also use this session to collaborate with you and capture stories about issues impacting your students, your working conditions, and public education in Alaska. Be prepared for a hands-on training with plenty of real-world practice. 

Creating Better Working Conditions for Educators with Disabilities: During this session, attendees will leave understanding protections and accommodations for employees with disabilities, laws that support individuals with disabilities, a deeper understanding of educator rights for accommodations, learn about the NEA disability rights resource cadre and hear about work that Anchorage EA is doing to create a more inclusive work environment with support from an NEA grant.