July 2023 HRE Newsletter
Hello from your local Human Rights and Equity (HRE) Committee!
Apologies for the late delivery of this newsletter.
Every month the committee will share information with the crew about certain HRE issues. We
also seek to highlight, celebrate, and recognize certain causes and encourage members to take
part in actions and activities related to those causes.
WHAT IS THE MISSION OF THE AFA HUMAN RIGHTS AND EQUITY (HRE) COMMITTEE?
The AFA Human Rights and Equity Committee is committed to providing the broadest possible
representation of our members regardless of age, disability, marital status, national origin, race,
religion, differently abled, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression. We
honor and celebrate the shared humanity of the members in our care. We shall at all times
endeavor to promote the principles of tolerance, fairness, equity, justice, respect and inclusion
within our Union. It is only when we all band together and work together that we can rally
against the walls of division to create a progressive culture that values social and economic
justice for all working people.
JULY CAUSES AND CELEBRATIONS
In the month of July we celebrate and recognize the following:
- Disability Pride Month
- French American Heritage Month
- National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month (BIPOC Mental Health Month)
- International Non-Binary People’s Day
What is a disability?
A disability is any condition of the body or mind (impairment) that makes it more difficult for the person with the condition to do certain activities (activity limitation) and interact with the world around them (participation restrictions).
One in 4 U.S. adults – 61 million Americans – have a disability that impacts major life activities.
Not all disabilities are visible to the naked eye. Here are some common “invisible” disabilities: Allergies, Asthma, Diabetes, Depression, Endometriosis, Lupus, Migraines, Personality Disorders, and more! You can find more invisible disabilities HERE.
July is celebrated as Disability Awareness Month in honor of the anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) being signed. To learn more about disabilities, READ THIS.
What is non-binary/nonbinary?
Some societies only recognize two genders - male & female. The idea that only those 2 genders exist is called the gender binary. Non-binary is an identity embraced by some people who do not identify exclusively as a man or a woman. Non-binary people may identify as being both a man and a woman, somewhere in between or as falling completely outside of these categories.
To find more information about gender, READ THIS.
To educate yourself more on the non-binary experience, you can start HERE and also read THIS FAQ
**If you would like additional resources, don’t hesitate to contact me**
What can you do to support/recognize these issues?
- Learn more about non-binary people and adopt gender inclusive/gender neutral language.
- Learn more about the Americans with Disabilities Act, and the different disabilities that people may have, as well as the issues they face. You can dive into the history of the ADA from a movement perspective, learn about Disability Discrimination, and learn to fight ableism and how to include people with disabilities
- Learn the history of the French-American relationship
- Here is a quick resource on French-American Heritage Month
- Support French-American owned business
- Learn about BIPOC Mental Health Month
Here are some additional dates to note this month:
- JULY 1 - International Reggae Day (learn more about it here)
- JULY 4 - American Independence Day
- JULY 14 - International Non-Binary People’s Day (find out why this day was created here)
- JULY 14 - Bastille Day/French National Day
- JULY 18 - Nelson Mandela International Day (learn more about this day here)
- JULY 26 - National Disability Independence Day (#ADA33)
- JULY 30 - International Day of Friendship (find out about this day here)
UPCOMING EVENTS:
The APALA Convention is August 3-6, 2023 in Seattle and there are still some scholarship opportunities available for the event!
What is APALA?
The Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance (APALA) is the first and only national organization of Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) workers advancing worker, immigrant and civil rights.
Interested in joining APALA? Sign up for membership here
**If you would like to attend the APALA convention and are interested in the scholarship opportunity, please reach out to me at [email protected]**
OTHER BUSINESS
Union Pins
I still have a few union pins in my possession to distribute to the JFK crew. If you need a union pin, please reach out to me to coordinate delivery. I am on the UK AOC but do have others who can distribute to the NO AOC if we are unable to coordinate schedules.
Current stock: Black History Month pins (February), AANHPI Month pins (May), Pride Month pins (June)
REMINDER:
The AFA HRE has two (2) surveys that they would like the crew to take.
The first one is an HRE Survey to learn about our membership and how you would like us to approach our work as a committee. This survey allows you to tell us the issues that are important to you and helps give us some direction to focus on the causes that matter to our membership.
CLICK HERE TO TAKE THE HRE SURVEY
The second survey is about Uniform Gender Expression and seeks to identify how the crew feels about uniform choices, policies & guidelines at our airline and how it relates to their gender.
I understand that some crew have not received their full uniform compliment as yet, however, that does not mean that you aren’t allowed to have thoughts about our current uniform guidelines and distribution and if those policies are inclusive.
CLICK HERE TO TAKE THE UNIFORM SURVEY
We ask you to fill out these surveys as soon as possible.
If you would like to attend an AFA HRE meeting, have any questions or issues, or have suggestions for causes or activities to highlight, feel free to reach out to me any time at [email protected].
Happy Flying!
Jhenelle (she/her)
HRE Committee Chair
