It’s All About Perspective
So, it’s been a minute since we last chatted. A lot has happened. The summer has come and gone, and now there is a crispness to the morning air. Schools have reopened, and we all are dealing with the ongoing stress and complications of a new school year while still in the land of Covid-19.
I hope each of you took time to do some self-care and find the joy that still exists in the world, even if you must look harder these days. I got the amazing opportunity to experience the Maine coast from the ocean which is far more beautiful than I could have imagined. The water has always been my happy place, and I finally got to see a familiar ocean from a different perspective.
We have all been challenged over the last year and a half to see things from a different perspective. Despite this year not being the year we all had hoped it would be, we have all learned many things about ourselves and our connections to others.
MEA is no different. This past year, we took stock of several things, including how we communicate with our members and how we connect to the most important part of the organization, you.
We have taken a step back and engaged current and potential members in conversations about who and what we are. We have listened to different perspectives on how we do our collective work and how we advocate for our members. MEA conducted surveys and focus groups and engaged members and non-members alike in dialogue. And it changed the way we think about some things.
The MEA Board also wanted to move its work differently and adopted three strategic foci: membership growth, racial & social justice, and local capacity/member engagement. All previous priority objectives have been succinctly synthesized into 3 clear goals which now drive the work of the union.
In addition, some very exciting changes are happening this month at MEA, all designed to provide a different, fresh perspective and experience for our members and make MEA more attractive to potential members. I hope you will find the evolution as exciting as I do.
First, the MEA Board of Directors adopted a new logo, a refresh of MEA so to speak. It honors the history of the organization by utilizing the same color scheme and incorporates an homage to the previous swish in an inclusive and inviting circle. The font is modern and bold. The letters connected and strong. It positions MEA to lead clearly on all things public education.
Second, the MEA website will now have a member only section which will contain information that only our members can access. Things like legal information, bargaining guidance, breakings news, political updates to name a few. These additional pieces of information provide value to our members that a nonmember will not receive. You will find more information on how to access the members only section in this edition of Maine Educator.
Third, MEA has an app! Members will now have MEA at their fingertips. This app is again a member only benefit, and only MEA members can log-in and connect to MEA and MEA staff. We are conducting a contest for those members who download the app and will give away a $500 gift card to one individual who downloads and interacts with the app by filling out the contest information. The app contains a wealth of information, and I think you will find it an additional easy connection to your union.
Those of you at the MEA RA or at a recent membership meeting have heard me talk about MEA’s growth and evolution. These new tools for MEA members and refresh of the MEA brand are just the beginning. While things are still very difficult in this continuing stressful environment, sometimes a fresh perspective can make all the difference.
I hope you like the refresh, and I look forward to meeting more of you as it is safe to do so.
Stay safe. Stay well.
Rachelle Johnson
MEA Executive Director
