Here are the results of the DFT Election which were announced at the end of the March 2023 General Membership Meeting. 

one (1) vacancy on Executive Board

• Gavin Buckley 26
• Stephen Conn 22
• Rachele Green 39
• Kwesi Matthews 4
• Kimberly L. Mitchell 69

Kimberly L. Mitchell was declared the winner in this race. She will be sworn in at the April General Membership meeting.

three (3) positions on the Election Committee

• Cheryl Constantino 21
• Hope Gibson 42
• Theodosia Gulley 21
• Tamika Merchant 87
• Jacqueline Robinson 93
• Queen Watkins 102

The three members who were elected to the Election Committee are Queen Watkins, Jacqueline Robinson and Tamika Merchant. They will be sworn in at the April General Membership meeting.

The DFT was proud to be a part of this special event: the film premiere at the Detroit Institute of Arts about the life of Rosa Parks.  After the screening AFT National President, Randi Weingarten, was part of a special conversation  moderated by the film’s executive producer Soledad O’Brien with Jocelyn Benson, Michigan’s Secretary of State, the film’s directors Yoruba Richen and Johanna Hamilton, the book's author, Dr. Jeanne Theoharis and Lonnie McCauley, Rosa Parks’ grandnephew. 

Arrive early! See you all there!

The district’s proposed layoffs for our Attendance Agents have been rescinded. Formal notification will be forthcoming from DPSCD. We will continue our negotiations with the District regarding the issues related to this concern and will provide it to you as it becomes available. This is a victory we are celebrating with you.

Congratulations to President Donna Jackson, Detroit Federation of Paraprofessionals, Local 2350, for receiving the inaugural Ruby Newbold award at this year's AFT PSRP Conference in Baltimore, Maryland. Donna has served as DFP president for the past 13 years, having started her career in the district in 2005. The DFP represents paraeducators, noon hour aides, and school culture facilitators in the Detroit Public Schools Community District. Upon receiving this award, Donna says she was so surprised and honored. What makes this even more special is the connection between Donna Jackson and Ruby Newbold. Both women served as presidents of their locals within the Detroit Public Schools at the same time. The award was created to honor the late Ruby Newbold and her dedication to advocating for the most vulnerable students and the school employees who supported them. It's clear that President Jackson shares that passion as she is committed to fighting for what our students need and what our union brothers, sisters, and siblings deserve.

The DFT joins the community in expressing our sorrow for the former long-time president of the DAEOE, Ruby Newbold. She served as president of the Detroit Association of Educational Office Employees, Local 4168, affectionately called the “clericals union”. She was a labor activist her entire career, from her start as a payroll clerk with the Detroit Public Schools until her retirement in 2018. During her long career she served in various capacities with AFT Detroit, the Coalition of DPS Unions, AFT Michigan and even with AFT National. Here in Detroit the DFT appreciated the support she lent on the many collaborative initiatives for the membership and the community, such as Nutrition Night, Literacy Camp and First Book. She has left her mark on the legacy of the labor movement not just locally, but statewide and across the country. We send our condolences to her son, Demetrius, and his family.

Here is more about the career  of labor activist, Ruby Newbold, written by AFT National: https://www.aft.org/press-release/aft-president-randi-weingarten-celebr…