I’m Danica Puente from the Davis Education Association, and I serve as a Member Organizer. My career in education began as a paraeducator, where I often felt like my voice didn’t matter. When I returned to school in my late twenties to earn my teaching degree, I knew I wanted to ensure that all school employees had a voice. At my teacher orientation, I signed up for the Davis Education Association (DEA) because I knew these were the people who would have my back. I applied for the Member Organizer program to learn how to better engage my fellow educators and help them experience the safety and security that I’ve found by belonging to my local association.
During my Member Organizing visits this year, I noticed a recurring question from potential members: “What will DEA/UEA do for me?” This was a common theme. In response, I tried to reframe the conversation by asking, “What can you do to help your fellow teachers?” While this approach didn’t always work, I appreciated the opportunity to shift how people viewed the association. As part of my grant proposal, I included a plan to update the literature available for both members and potential members. Ideally, we would have a full-time Member Organizer, but that’s not always feasible. So this summer, I’ll be working with our Executive Board, UniServ director, and local president to create materials that serve as an introduction for potential members and a refresher for current members about what the association is doing for their benefit. My grant proposal also includes funding for Executive Board members to visit schools, identify potential members, and build capacity within our existing membership.
One of the most important lessons I’ve learned as a Member Organizer is that people need to know you care. Whether you’re speaking with a member or a potential member, people want to feel heard. As an introverted extrovert, I had to learn how to approach people by finding common interests. But once I got people talking and they realized I had a genuine interest in them, they were more open to hearing why I believe being a part of their teacher association is so important.
