3-1(g)
Colorado Education Association
3-1(g) Vision
The CEA Equity Council for Race and Culture (Equity Council) encourages all unit councils and local affiliates to recruit BIPOC members to become involved at all levels of the Association. This includes positions as officers, Association Representatives, delegates/representatives to Delegate Assembly and NEA Representative Assembly, and involvement in UniServ Unit/local functions, and CEA conferences and training.
Many local affiliates will soon be starting the process of recruiting and electing delegates to the 2025 Delegate Assembly, as well as these other state and national opportunities. We urge your assertive recruitment of BIPOC members, to not only reach compliance with the requirements of the NEA 3-1(g) Plan, but to engage and empower your BIPOC members. Diversity is increasingly important in our Association, our profession, and our society. Recognizing, appreciating, and valuing diversity helps each of us grow individually and helps us strengthen our local associations. Representatives of the CEA Equity Council are willing to meet and/or consult with local leaders to help develop local plans to involve more BIPOC members in our Association.
NEA’s requirement for BIPOC representation at the NEA Representative Assembly is based on the BIPOC population of the state. The BIPOC population, based on the 2020 census in Colorado, is 35%. Therefore, to ensure compliance with NEA’s 3-1(g) Plan, this year’s goal for CEA is that at least 35% of the Colorado delegates to the NEA Representative Assembly be ethnic minority members. The Colorado Delegation to the 2025 NEA Representative Assembly was not in compliance with 3-1(g).
NEA Bylaw 3-1(g)
It is the policy of the Association to achieve ethnic minority delegate representation at least equal to the proportion of identified ethnic minority populations within the state. Prior to December 1 of each fiscal year, each state affiliate shall submit to the NEA Executive Committee for its approval a legally permissible plan, designed to achieve a total state and local delegation to the Representative Assembly held that fiscal year, which reflects these ethnic minority proportions.
If a state affiliate fails to submit such a plan, the NEA Executive Committee fails to approve a plan which is submitted, or a state affiliate fails to comply with an approved plan, the Representative Assembly may deny to the delegates from the state affiliate any right to participate in the NEA Representative Assembly at the Annual Meeting other than to (i) participate in elections for Association offices, and (ii) vote on increases in Association membership dues. Local affiliates shall comply with the approved plan of the state affiliate, and if a local affiliate fails to do so, the right of its delegates to participate in the NEA Representative Assembly at the Annual Meeting may be limited as indicated above. The failure of a state or local affiliate to comply with the provisions of this Bylaw shall, in addition, be grounds for censure, suspension, or expulsion pursuant to Bylaw 6-5.
Purpose
We will work to ensure that Colorado Education Association’s (CEA) values, actions, resources, funding, staff, and governance are aligned to dismantle white supremacy culture and advance systems and structures of equity in opportunities and outcomes for all.
We know that we must reflect on our own historic and institutional practices, acknowledge where we have been complicit in creating harm to communities of color, and work to dismantle the systemic structures of oppression and marginalization.
We recognize that we have quite a bit of work to do, but we are committed to doing the work.
We are committed to building anti-racists agents of change across our state. We know that by prioritizing this within the association, it will directly impact local school districts and therefore students.
We want to ensure the advancement of racial and social justice in our association through member education and engagement, community outreach, and public policy initiatives.
We want to ensure that, through partnership with our local associations, more educators of color remain in the profession and are active members and leaders in the association. This is important because our students need to see themselves reflected in their educators.
Our purpose is to ensure that members of color are engaged in all levels of the organization. We want our BIPOC members in more positions of power, at the local, state, and national levels.
Enterprise-Wide Commitment and Actionable Strategies
Our purpose is to provide actionable resources to make history-informed actions.
We will do this by:
• Increase BIPOC participation in local and state conferences and events.
• Distribute to locals the NEA Bylaw 3-1 (g) data for Colorado and facilitate discussion on how to increase the percentage of BIPOC participation.
• Local associations create and submit their own plan to involve more BIPOC members in all levels of the organization.
• Have locals do a year-end review of their progress towards their own stated goals.
• Create a Social Media Plan to Highlight BIPOC History Months and our Work
State Responsibilities
NEA RA Recruitment
1. Create an informational video about RA and encourage members to run for election through both their local and state elections.
2. The CEA President and Equity Council chair will write letters to presidents who did not have the suggested number of POC at the Representative Assembly and urge them to begin recruitment immediately.
3. Directly email members of color encouraging them to seek election.
4. Create and distribute a video detailing how to run for elections.
5. Promote the video through an email and phone call to all Unit Chairs in CEA.
Member Engagement
1. Encourage member self-identification within the limits of the NEA.
2. Establish a mailing list of all self-identified members who are POC in Colorado for use in periodic communications.
3. Collect data from each local about the composition of their board (including the number of people who choose to not identify) and work with locals to increase POC representation.
4. Provide trainings and/or materials for all members regarding the various committees that exist within CEA and the role members play.
5. Promote trainings geared towards involving POC members in CEA committees and the CEA Board of Directors as well as Local Association Committees.
Publicity
The CEA will publicize the 3-1(g) Plan with:
1. A feature article in the CEA Journal and/or on the CEA Today website with ongoing articles on major activities and events involving Association leaders and members.
2. A sample article for units and locals to feature in their newsletters.
3. A letter in January from the CEA president and Equity Council chair to local Association presidents, the CEA Retired president, and CEA Unit Chairs detailing the requirements of the local delegate election process.
4. Presentations made as requested to the Presidents’ Council, Region Councils, Board of Directors, and other state-wide meetings.
Equity Council Responsibilities
1. Monitor the progress of the State Equity Plan.
2. Collaborate with the Executive officers and staff to create new materials.
3. Create resources for locals to use to recruit POC.
4. Work with local leaders and unit chairs to provide support in the development and review of local 3-1(g) plans with particular focus on increasing the number of POC members that attend CEA Delegate Assembly.
5. Upon request, representatives of the CEA Equity Council will meet and/or consult with local leadership to assist the units and locals in their endeavor to involve more POC members in the Association.
Local Responsibilities
1. Submit a 3-1-(g) plan. Locals may request support from the CEA Equity Council to support the development and review of local 3-1(g) plans.
2. Request resources from the Equity Council based on the state 3-1(g) plan.
3. Promote trainings geared towards involving POC members in local committees and local boards.
4. Provide names of POC to be considered for appointment to CEA Committees.
Local Affiliate 3-1(g) Plans
Local Affiliate Presidents are responsible for submitting their Local’s 3-1(g) plan via the online submission form. On that form, the Local Affiliate President confirms that his/her affiliate endorses the policy set forth by NEA Bylaw 3-1(g) and commits to following the steps outlined in the Local Responsibilities section of the Colorado Education Association’s 3-1(g) Plan in order to achieve the desired level of ethnic minority representation.
Additionally, Local Affiliate Presidents are asked to answer the following questions:
1. How did your Local 3-1(g) Plan work last year?
2. Did you increase the number of minority association representatives; increase minority representation in membership; have minority members attend CEA/NEA functions?
3. Did your local have more or less minority member involvement than in prior years?
4. List one new thing your Local Association will do this year to increase ethnic minority participation in our Association.
