Activism 101

AFT interns get real world lesson in grassroots democracy

Community college student Joana Batz, 21, has mobilized classmates to fight education cuts, marched in rallies and phone banked voters to educate them about elections.

Her hands-on experience in grassroots democracy, through an internship program organized by American Federation of Teachers, Local 1521, is grooming her to be part of the next generation of progressive activists. But she has also performed a valuable community service by connecting with voters who are often left out of the political process.

Through her AFT internship, Batz was part of a dedicated team of phone bankers at the Los Angeles County Federation of Labor for the 2008 presidential race and in this year’s local elections.

Over and over again, she heard the same thing from Spanish-speaking voters: Thank you.

Local media often ignore downballot races, and not every candidate can afford outreach to Spanish-speaking voters. Phone banking allowed Batz to educate voters about cuts in disability centers, reductions in library hours and layoffs of teachers.

“I got a lot of thank yous from Spanish-speaking voters,” said Batz, a student at Los Angeles Trade Technical College.

Batz’ mother is a Marriott housekeeper and proud member of Unite Here, Local 11. The internship has also been a chance to learn more about the labor movement, Batz said.

“I just really, really wanted to get involved with the unions,” she said.

Zack Knorr, a community college philosophy instructor who runs the program for Local 1521, said 55 students are currently in the program, or about six students for Los Angeles’ nine community colleges. During the 2008 election more than 100 students were in the program.

In addition to receiving class credit and a small stipend, the students receive 16 hours of classroom training on mobilizing and organizing. Students have helped organize teach-ins, rallies and town halls attended by hundreds and have led delegations to visit the staff of U.S. senators about the Employee Free Choice Act.

The result has been the formation of a powerful coalition of students and faculty fighting to protect education. Knorr said students’ stories have the most influence on elected officials.

“They represent these students,” Knorr said of legislators. “If they’re going to represent their constituents, they need to support education.”

But Knorr hopes that students have more than just an impact on the budget discussion.

“They’re going to be progressive activists for the future,” he said. “These are people who are going to go on to be union organizers or politicians.”

Organizer Priscilla Cheng, who often runs the federation’s phone banking operation, says the interns are a valuable part of the federation’s political program. The interns are speaking with voters on a daily basis during election season, and are the first to learn what the electorate cares about the most.

“They really realize the whole sense of what it means to be politically active,” Cheng said. “They are getting a bird’s-eye view of what voters want and what they’re talking about.”

The internship is more than just a job, Cheng said. The night of this month’s election students were calling Cheng to find out the election results.

“They really feel a big sense of ownership in what they do,” Cheng said.

For more information, visit standup4cc.com or e-mail Knorr at zknorr@gmail.com