At this year's National Alliance of Black School Educators (NABSE) Conference, AFT-Maryland and Baltimore Teachers Union President Marietta English was sworn in as president of that organization. She will serve a three year term as head of the educational lobbying organization. English has been a NABSE member since the 1980s.

In her inauguration speech, English thanked her friends and family that were in attendance as well as the staff members of the BTU and AFT-Maryland. She promised the organization would be more visible and have a prominent role influencing lawmakers on public policy.

NABSE

Meet MCEA member Ray Crosby. He is a 39-year veteran of State and County Service in Harford County. Throughout his two decades of membership in MCEA Chapter 610, he has served the union in a number of roles including chief steward, county chair, and chapter treasurer. In Harford County he is a Senior Water Plant Operator and monitors water quality for a plant that produces 20 million gallons a day. His hard work goes to ensuring that there is safe drinking water for the residents and that county emergency services such as the fire department are up and running in case of emergency.

Being a

The following is a primer on the AFT-Maryland and the endorsement process for the federal races.

The AFT-Maryland is a federation of local unions of the AFT within the state, including the Baltimore Teachers Union, the City Union of Baltimore, the Maryland Public Employee Council (for state employees), the AFT-Healthcare Maryland (for state healthcare workers), the Baltimore County Federation of Public Employees, the Maryland Classified Employee Association, to name just a few.

The unions of the AFT-Maryland participate fully in the endorsement process of the Maryland and DC AFL-CIO. For the US