From MEA's Executive Director

Rachelle Johnson

It’s That Time of Year

It is only natural at the end of anything, particularly a calendar year, to take stock of what you have accomplished and what lies ahead. Given the trying times we still find ourselves in, this is especially true this year.

For me personally, a lot has happened… MEA celebrated significant and numerous legislative wins this past year, moving the needle on multiple issues that affect our members, including a long-fought battle about planning time and full 55% state funding for public education. The summary of those wins can be found on the MEA website.

I became a resident of Maine in January when I moved to South Portland in the middle of a pandemic. One of my first memories is that of standing in line outside the DMV to obtain my Maine driver’s license/Real ID which made me somewhat official albeit still “from away”.

Wicked has become part of my vocabulary in a way I couldn’t have imagined before moving here.

I learned that sailing along the beautiful Maine coast can be the cure for almost anything that ails you if you let it.

I learned to appreciate that there is joy in the Maine landscape and coast. I took a trip up Mt. Battie and took in the amazing vistas that present themselves to those who make the journey.

And lastly, I have learned that the things you may have thought you wanted, you don’t really want at all, and if you are open to it, the life you were truly meant to live will find you.

I am looking forward to what 2022 will bring – hopefully the end of a pandemic, a return to the new normal, and a refreshed look at priorities and life.

For MEA, a lot has happened as well.

As when the pandemic started, MEA pivoted how we support members and met a variety of member needs through virtual and in person (as appropriate) meetings, conferences, and events. and ongoing communication channels, balancing the need for information against information overload. We surveyed our members and conducted focus groups to learn what our members and potential members needed and wanted from their union. MEA evolved to begin to meet those needs to be responsive to current members and attractive to potential members alike.

MEA advocated for following the recommended CDC guidelines to keep both educators and students in school and for keeping educator voices at the table when decisions around Covid protocols and policies were decided and implemented.

MEA’s membership remained vibrant. Our membership numbers stayed steady, and we were one of a small number of states that did not lose membership during this crisis. Leaders and staff kept MEA visible and relevant despite the challenges. We are stronger together and keeping a robust membership is key to maintaining our influence both locally and statewide. As the 2022 year unveils, MEA will move our mission and values forward and will implement the Board’s adopted three strategic foci: membership growth, racial and social justice, and local capacity/member engagement. Stay tuned for opportunities to move this work in your local.

MEA is also looking forward to how we continue to support our members in this everchanging environment and look forward to staying connected to all of you to help emerge successfully from this moment in history. We know each of you is struggling in different ways as this pandemic creeps on, and we will look for new ways to provide much needed emotional and professional support.

So as the calendar pages turn, here’s hoping that the new year brings continued resiliency and strength for us all.

Stay safe. Stay well.

Rachelle Johnson MEA Executive Director