EEOC Is Dropping Certain Discrimination Claims. Experts Say It’s Time To Lawyer Up
The EEOC reportedly plans to notify claimants who filed complaints on “disparate impact liability" by the end of October that they must file a lawsuit on their own if they want to continue to pursue their claims.
Lawyers with Cohen Milstein are sounding the alarm that the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), the federal agency Congress tasked with enforcing federal employment discrimination laws, has plans to drop specific discrimination claims.
In a memo first obtained by The Associated Press, the EEOC says the agency will discharge any complaints on “disparate impact liability,” a legal concept that argues a policy or hiring practice could still be discriminatory even if it looks fair on the surface, if it creates an unnecessary barrier that makes it harder for certain groups of people to succeed. The EEOC plans to notify claimants by the end of October that they must file a lawsuit on their own if they want to continue to pursue their claims.
According to Joseph M. Sellers and Christine E. Webber, attorneys and partners with Cohen Milstein, the “disparate impact liability” rule has eliminated arbitrary hurdles for job applicants, creating a more level playing field for everyone.
What Claimants Need To Know
The EEOC has forbidden employment practices having a disparate impact since at least 1971. Sellers and Webber said that as the EEOC plans to drop claims under disparate impact liability, it leaves those who filed charges to think “that it [the EEOC] found their claims had no merit.”
According to the two attorneys, this means that workers need to take action, as lawyers in the private sector can still enforce these civil rights laws.
“Workers who receive notices of a right to sue should know that the EEOC’s refusal to investigate their claims does not necessarily mean that their claims lack merit or that there is no way forward,” said Sellers and Webber. “To the contrary: the courts are still enforcing the law, including the disparate impact rule.”
Unfortunately, this means that claimants have only 90 days to file their own lawsuits, or their claims will be barred for good. Both Sellers and Webber encourage people to consult an attorney as soon as possible, especially lawyers with experience in disparate impact claims.
“The EEOC may be abandoning decades of precedent, but the doors to courthouses remain open to workers with disparate impact claims,” the lawyers add.
Pastor Marvin Winans Faces Backlash For Criticizing Woman’s $1,235 Donation, ‘That Ain’t What I Asked You To Do’
Pastor Marvin Winans is under fire for scolding a woman who donated $1,235 instead of $2,000.
Pastor Marvin Winans is under fire after a video surfaced online showing him reprimanding a woman who fell short of the $2,000 donation he requested from his congregation.
The now-viral clip captures a woman at Perfecting Church in Detroit, Michigan, approaching the pulpit with her son during the church’s “Day of Giving” to offer a $1,235 donation, according to Atlanta Black Star. However, Pastor Winans appeared visibly displeased, as he had specifically asked congregants to contribute “$1,000 plus 1.”
“I’m giving in faith and standing in unity with the vision of Perfecting Church, sowing this seed of $1,000 plus $235 and receiving the blessings to come,” the woman said when she gave her donation.
Winans, a member of the famed Winans gospel family and star of Tyler Perry’s House of Payne, publicly chastised the woman in front of her son and the congregation for falling short of his $2,000 donation request.
“That’s only $1,200,” he said.
Even after the woman admitted she was short of the requested amount, Winans continued to reprimand her publicly before the congregation.
“You’re not listening to what I’m saying. If you have $1,000 plus $1,000…,” he said.
Although the woman promised to bring the remaining $800 later, Winans remained unsatisfied.
“Well, that ain’t what I asked you to do,” he said.
The video has gone viral on social media, with many criticizing Winans for dismissing the woman’s financial circumstances and failing to appreciate the $1,200 donation she was still able to give.
“Pastors like this are the main reason people are turning away from the church,” one X user wrote. “I don’t understand how people are willing giving him this money when he talks like this.”
“I would’ve snatched my money back so fast! These ungrateful, over-begging, false prophets are out of control, nothing but fake religious pimps,” added someone else. “Nowhere in the Bible does it say to demand $2,000 from every member. In this economy, someone giving you $1,200 is already a blessing! 🙏🏾 People need to stop letting these so-called pastors use and disrespect them. This kind of behavior is not godly.”
Black-Founded Invention Of Hair-Braiding Robot Crowned Winner Of Startup Contest At Harvard
Deemed the "Halo Braid," the braiding tool helps stylists by reducing the time needed to complete the popular style.
The invention of a hair-braiding robot has won a startup competition at Harvard Innovation Labs.
The 2025 President’s Innovation Challenge Winner crowned Halo Braid as its latest winner. The competition, conducted at Harvard, challenges alumni and students from its 13 schools to present innovative ideas that could transform industries. In its Alumni + Affiliates Open Track, the top prize went to the game-changing Halo Braid.
Halo Braid’s inventors, Harvard Business School’s Yinka Ogunbiyi and David Afolabi, hope to cut braiding time by half. With the introduction of the braiding robot, they aim for braiders and their clients to save time and money, boosting efficiency and speeding up the lengthy process.
Meet 2025 President’s Innovation Challenge Winner: Halo Braid. Halo Braid is reducing hair braiding time from six hours to minutes, empowering hair stylists to double their business. Watch to see how innovation is transforming an industry that hasn't changed in thousands of years.
The pitch immediately garnered attention by mentioning the struggles of traditional hair-braiding today.
“What if every time you got your hair cut, it took six hours, cost $200 to $300, and gave your hair stylist arthritis at age 2? This is what it’s like to get your hair braided. And I know this first hand because I’ve worn braids all my life,” shared Ogunbiyi.
She continued, “Hair braiding is now the most popular hairstyle for 20 million Americans who experience this miserable process every eight weeks. And yet, braiding hasn’t seen innovation since braiding was invented 5000 years ago.”
The patent-pending hair braiding robot assists braiders by finishing the braids they start. This helps not only decrease styling time by hours, but also ensures both parties can reduce time in the salon for the protective style.
“Stylists start the braid. Halo finishes it. We reduce braiding time from hours to minutes, making braiding joyful, not painful, and allowing a stylist to grow their business without destroying our hands,” added Ogunbiyi.
According to Custom Market Insights, the global hair braiding market is expected to reach a market valuation of over $625 million by 2032. Now, Halo Braid hopes to capitalize on this growing trend by helping stylists reduce braiding time while not forsaking quality.
Ogunbiyi explained, “Our devices have done 1000s of braids and braided full hairstyles like mine for the past year, and we use machine learning to match professional quality, but to do it five times faster.”
Currently, Halo Braid has a waitlist for professionals and novice braiders to elevate their services. With this win, Halo Braid can use this funding to bring their idea to fruition, forever changing the diverse hairstyling landscape.
Trump Administration Says It Will Cancel Certain Student Loan Debt For Millions
The Department of Education will resume loan cancellations for the two Income-Driven Repayment (IDR) plans, grant payment refunds to eligible borrowers, and provide regular status updates to maintain transparency and compliance with federal law.
The Trump administration says it will agree to canceling student loan debt for eligible borrowers under certain plans, following a legal agreement with the Department of Education and the American Federation of Teachers (AFT).
This marks a significant pivot for the Trump administration, which previously paused or restricted access to student debt relief through federal income-driven repayment programs. An estimated 2 million to 2.5 million student loan borrowers who met the requirements for having their student loans forgiven were caught in the crossfire in the Trump administration’s policy shift.
The agreement between the Education Department and AFT now allows borrowers to resume their plans for student debt forgiveness and also provides legal clarity.
Who Is Eligible For Student Loan Debt Relief?
According to Newsweek, the Department of Education will resume loan cancellations for the two Income-Driven Repayment (IDR) plans, grant payment refunds to eligible borrowers, and provide regular status updates to maintain transparency and compliance with federal law.
Borrowers who have made 20 to 25 years of consecutive qualifying payments, depending on the loan origination date and plan enrollment, qualify for student loan forgiveness. The agreement also acknowledges borrowers who are eligible for student loan forgiveness in 2025.
As BLACK ENTERPRISE previously reported, a temporary tax rule approved by President Joe Biden will end in December 2025. This means that IDR plans will once again be taxable as the 2021 provision in the American Rescue Plan, which made forgiveness tax-free, is set to expire. For borrowers, this would have resulted in thousands of dollars in tax bills, depending on the amount forgiven.
Eligible student loan borrowers will not be forced to pay the pending tax penalty because of current government processing delays and ongoing litigation under the agreement.
Borrowers who are eligible for relief will begin receiving notifications from the Department of Education in October. The email will outline options for accepting forgiveness or opting out.
Police Take Down Man At ATL Airport For Threats To ‘Shoot It Up,’ Nixing Potential Mass Shooting
The man reportedly had mental health issues as detailed by Atlanta police.
A Georgia man was arrested at the Atlanta Airport after a family member reported him for threats to shoot up the world’s busiest airport.
On Oct. 20, Atlanta police arrested Billy Cagle at the domestic terminal of Hartsfield-Jackson Airport following a family member’s crucial tip. Upon his arrest, Atlanta police uncovered an AR-15 rifle and 27 rounds of ammunition in his pick-up truck, parked right outside the facility. CBS Evening News shared footage of the arrest on TikTok.
@cbseveningnews Police in Atlanta arrested a man on Monday who they say was planning to open fire with an assault rifle at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport. After his family alerted authorities, the man was found walking around a domestic terminal and his weapon was found in his vehicle parked outside. #atlanta#airport#police#georgia♬ original sound – CBSEveningNews
Security footage showed the Cartersville native walking around the domestic terminal with no apparent luggage with him. He looked around the terminal in an apparent move to survey his potential crime scene.
Given the tip from the concerned family member, police approached Cagle to question why he was there. He responded, “Oh, I’m just here, why?”
A family member initially called 911 after seeing Cagle make the threat to “shoot it up” while streaming online. This prompted the Cartersville police department to alert the airport police of the potential danger. Police believe the man had some mental disabilities, following their questioning of him.
Cagle now faces charges of terroristic threats and criminal attempt to commit aggravated assaults, among other counts.
At a press briefing following the arrest, Atlanta Police Chief Darin Schierbaum said that the family member’s tip and law enforcement’s swift action led to a crisis being “averted” at the world’s busiest airport.
“Because of the community — in this case, the family — as well as the joint collaboration of law enforcement, a tragedy was indeed averted,” shared Schierbaum, as reported by ABC News.
An investigation into a motive for Cagle remains underway, as his actions could have resulted in a mass shooting. According to the Carterville’s police department, which received the initial tip, Cagle has a criminal history. This included a past arrest for drug possession, but the law enforcement did not go into greater detail. The FBI’s Atlanta chapter has partnered with the city’s police to launch the investigation.
As Americans Suffer From Gov Shutdown, Trump Demolitions The White House For $250M Ballroom
While insisting that the project won't interfere with the White House mansion itself, Trump claims that many of his predecessors desired a lavish 90,000-square-foot, glass-walled ballroom.
The White House seemingly has its priorities in order as demolition of the East Wing began to build President Donald Trump’s massive ballroom while Americans suffer from the 2025 government shutdown, NPR reports.
East Wing demolition, primarily known as the traditional operations base for the first lady, began Oct. 20 to become home to Trump’s $250 million ballroom — all without construction approval from the National Capital Planning Commission, the federal agency that approves such work. The president boasted about the noisy work while hosting the 2025 college baseball champions, the Louisiana State University team, in the East Room.
While insisting that the project won’t interfere with the White House mansion itself, he claims that many of his predecessors desired a lavish 90,000-square-foot, glass-walled ballroom — holding close to 1,000 people — because the East Room, also the largest room in the White House, is too small. In addition, Trump said that hosting kings, queens, presidents, and prime ministers in the South Lawn pavilions isn’t adequate.
However, the timing of the construction comes as the government shutdown enters day 21 and Americans start to suffer from it. Approximately 42 million Americans depend on food stamps, which they may not receive in November 2025 if the shutdown continues.
Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins told reporters that the food stamp program will run out of money in two weeks, according to CNN, and seemed to empathize with those affected. “So you’re talking about millions and millions of vulnerable families, of hungry families that are not going to have access to these programs because of this shutdown,” she said.
But shortly after highlighting that it’s not clear if the Trump administration will try to find funds so the benefits won’t be paused, Rollins pointed the finger at the Democratic Party for putting “their political agenda ahead of food security for American families” in an X post.
Because of the Democrat shutdown, there are not enough funds to provide SNAP for 40 million Americans come Nov 1.
Democrats are putting free healthcare for illegal aliens and their political agenda ahead of food security for American families.
American voters on social media have openly condemned the demolition, wondering what the need is — since he won’t be staying forever — and the White House is supposed to be a federally protected building. One user pointed out how there should be more outrage on the matter, recalling when former President Barack Obama wore a tan suit that had the internetin an uproar. “Obama once wore a tan suit and they had pitchforks out. Today demolition crews began tearing down parts of the East Wing of the White House to build Trump’s $250 Million ballroom after claiming it wouldn’t “interfere” with the existing White House structure,” @realdavidonline wrote.
Another user said the construction symbolizes what is happening to democracy today. “The demolition of The White House East Wing feels like the perfect metaphor for America today,” @acinphilly said.
“Maybe I’m missing something..how is this f’ing allowed?? By ANY President, not just this jerkoff orange tyrant.”
Ask Your Fairygodmentor®: About The Secret To Get Noticed (And Promoted) Into Leadership
Like any good candidate running for office – you have to figure out your platform.
Dear Fairygodmentor,
I want to move into a leadership position, but I’m not sure how to position myself as a candidate. What’s the best way to get noticed? – Aspiring Leader
Dear Aspiring Leader,
I just love getting this question because you tapped into what I love to do. As a Fairygodmentor®, I love to grow leaders for a living! I’m honored that you asked me how to campaign for your career.
Plan Your Platform
Like any good candidate running for office, you have to figure out your platform.
What do you stand for? What is your career mission/goal? Take some time and marinate on what you want to do in your organization. Brainstorm it out. I knew where I wanted to go next on my first day of work. During a career development meeting, I shared these goals with my supervisor, and we developed a strategy. He became my running mate. It’s up to you to know where you want to go and ask for help along the way.
What’s Your Slogan?
Develop your campaign “slogan.” Create a quick soundbite or elevator pitch to inform mentors, recruiters, or possible networking connections about who you are and your career goals. Don’t know how to set some goals? Try these questions to get started:
• Where do you see yourself in one, three, and five years?
• What do you want to accomplish?
• What’s your WHY? (What is the reason that you’re doing this type of work in the first place?)
Get On The Campaign Trail!
It’s one thing to know your value–it’s another thing to show it. Make sure you’re tracking your accomplishments in your DIG(Da*n I’m Good) Folder. What have you done for the business or the team? Your accomplishments need to tie to the success of the company and team. You can use this information as a reference when you’re discussing your plans with your running mate (Supervisor/Mentor/Sponsor).
Find opportunities to be more visible. Educate yourself on the business and the department you’re working in. Volunteer to be the point of contact when your supervisor is out of the office. Be the subject matter expert when reporting out at staff meetings. Act as an internal consultant when trying to identify what the business needs to drive results.
Schedule informational interviews and look for opportunities to shadow others in departments or positions that you’re interested in. These actions will help you learn more about the place you’re working in and who you’re working with. I learned so much about the roles that I thought I was very interested in by shadowing and through informational interviews. I quickly learned what I did and didn’t want to pursue.
Gain Supporters
As you campaign for your career and network with others, you may get a mentor or sponsor along the way. Here’s a flex: if you act as a mentor to others, studies show you’re more likely to be promoted to a bigger leadership role. Not only is this another way to build your brand, but it’s also another way to further campaign for your career. Lift while you climb!
Invest In Your Cause
Campaigning for your career will require a few resources, such as money, time, and energy. If you’d like to hire a career coach (like me), take a prep course for a certification to build your skills, or get a degree, you may need some financial support. See if your company has a tuition assistance program or offers discounts for certifications in your field. Look online for scholarships and grants that may support your desire to grow into a leader.
Be mindful that your commitment to career growth may mean giving back to the organization that supported you. Many companies that provide assistance will ask you to commit for several years to support the business’s growth. Keep your commitment. You’ll definitely build more bridges by staying and developing, rather than hitting the proverbial piggy bank and running. It’s not cool to dine-and-dash.
If you have time, don’t forget to look for volunteer opportunities outside your office. These are also ways to build your skills while supporting your community. Put those experiences on your resume.
Don’t Lose Sight Of The Key Issues
There is such a thing as over-campaigning. You still want to give 150% in your current role to add value to the business. Try not to let the future position distract you from your current job. Every step you take can lead to amazing career opportunities. Make every day count.
Don’t just be visible when the job opening has been posted. Hiring managers and recruiters can see the fake effort a mile away. Show up every day and be the leader you want to be, whether you get the job or not.
What If You Lose The Campaign?
A very wise man gave me this wonderful life advice: “No means Next Opportunity.” How you show up after a turndown will be observed. Badmouthing the hiring manager or the candidate who was selected for the position is not good form. You’re bigger than that. This is where your character is really put to the test. Ask for feedback on how to build up your skills so you’ll be THE candidate of choice next time an opportunity arises.
If your campaign pitch (request for a promotion, etc.) didn’t get approved, it may have been a good idea but just bad timing. Be professionally persistent. Keep Showing Your Ask. Don’t ever stop growing and glowing up!
You got this!
Yours truly,
Your Fairygodmentor®
About Joyel Crawford:
(Photo: Kirten White Photography/BE)
Joyel Crawford is an award-winning career and leadership development professional and founder of Crawford Leadership Strategies, a consultancy that empowers results-driven leaders through coaching, training, and facilitation. She’s the best-selling author of Show Your Ask: Using Your Voice to Advocate for Yourself and Your Career.
Have a question for Your Fairygodmentor®?
Submit your career and leadership questions, whether it’s about navigating a micromanager, setting boundaries, negotiating for a raise, or handling burnout. Ask Your Fairygodmentor® today!
Fannie Lou Hamer Was ‘Sick And Tired’ Of Racism, And Sick And Dying Of Breast Cancer
She died March 14, 1977 at age 59
On Oct. 6, 1917, Fannie Lou Hamer was born in Montgomery County, Mississippi. She died March 14, 1977, at age 59, after aggressively fighting breast cancer. Starkly different from 2025, where advanced technology is used to successfully treat breast cancer and the current five-year survival rate for breast cancer is 91%, according to the American Cancer Society, survival in the 1970s was bleak.
The rate of survival was an abysmal 55% to 68% for women diagnosed with stage 2 breast cancer and a mere 16% to 19% for advanced metastatic cancer. Hamer, a freedom fighter for Black rights, fought fiercely against white supremacy and failing health.
Hamer is heralded as one of the famed Mississippi activists coming out of Mississippi and the civil rights movement. The civil rights leader had a down-home, grassroots approach to fighting for equality in the Deep South and was very vocal about voting rights for African Americans. A woman of little means but great determination, Hamer mobilized hundreds of Black Mississippians to register to vote at a time when Jim Crow had the region in a chokehold. Hamer was harassed, threatened, jailed, and severely assaulted in her attempt to fight racism. She was even the target of an assassination attempt on Sept. 10, 1962, after racists fired 16 shots into a room where she slept. In 1963, she was arrested and brutally beaten with batons by two Black prisoners at the behest of racist police officers.
Even then, Hamer’s civil rights activism and leadership were not deterred. She went on to serve in several roles for civil rights and political organizations, including the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC), the National Women’s Political Caucus, the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC), and the Freedom Democratic Party. Hamer appeared in Harlem with the honorable El-Hajj Malik El-Habazz (Malcolm X) on Dec. 20, 1964, where she presented her notable speech “Sick and Tired of Being Sick Tired,” where she gave a raw account of the racism, voter suppression, and police brutality she endured. Hamer stated:
“Some of the things I’ve got to say today may be a little sickening. People have said year after year, “Those people in Mississippi can’t think.” But after we would work ten and eleven hours a day for three lousy dollars and couldn’t sleep we couldn’t do anything else but think. And we have been thinking a long time. And we are tired of what’s going on. And we want to see now, what this here will turn out for the 4th of January. We want to see is democracy real?”
Hamer returned to Mississippi after that powerful speech and continued to fight for civil rights. In 1968, she purchased over 600 acres of land in Ruleville to start the “Pig Bank,” a community farm and affordable housing initiative for low-income families. Hamer even helped start a Head Start program and pressed on with activism through the mid-to late 1970s until her health became grave.
Hamer was not just sick and tired of being sick and tired—she was literally sick and dying. She was diagnosed with late-stage breast cancer in 1976, which halted her activism. She died of breast cancer complications shortly thereafter.
Young Thug Connects With Adidas For Sp5der Collaboration
Sp5der x Adidas Superstar will debut Spring 2026
Despite an unintended break to defend himself in court, Atlanta recording artist Young Thug has picked up on business as adidas releases photos of a collaboration with the YSL rapper.
The partnership, Sp5der x Adidas Superstar, will debut next year, and some preview photos were released and shared online. The exact date of the release was not disclosed.
“Here’s a first look at Young Thug’s brand Sp5der x Adidas Superstar collab. Are these a must cop?”
For sneakerheads and older adidas fans, the sneaker, of course, is the shell-toe footwear made famous in the 80s by hip-hop legends, Run-DMC. Combining the classic design with a look catering to the stylings of Thug’s fashion line, Sp5der.
According to Sneaker Bar Detroit, the Sp5der x adidas Superstar collection is slated to debut in Spring 2026 and can be purchased for $150 on the adidas website and select retailers. There are two colorways that will go on sale: Supplier Colour/Core Black-Silver Metallic and Core Black/Core Black-Supplier Colour.
Thug is acclimating to regular life again after spending more than 900 days in police custody, after being charged and on trial for Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO) charges associated with alleged crimes in the Atlanta area spanning several years. Last November, it was reported that the “Stoner” recording artist agreed to enter a non-negotiated guilty plea deal. Some of the charges included firearm possession and participation in criminal street gang activity, and Young Thug also pleaded no contest to racketeering and leading a criminal street gang. He was in custody after being booked in May 2022. He was one of 28 people named in a 56-count indictment. He was sentenced to time served and released from custody following Fulton County’s longest trial.
He hosted a free concert at a rally at the Fulton County Courthouse on Sept. 28, in front of many children who showed up to see him perform.
Stacy Davis Gates Makes Power Move To Lead Illinois Teacher Unions
Under her leadership, Davis Gates' key initiative has been advocating for state funding to be increased for schools, given Chicago Public Schools’s public battle with budget deficits over the past two years.
Stacy Davis Gates, president of the Chicago Teachers Union (CTU), plans on fighting for more funding for schools and universities after being elected president of the Illinois Federation of Teachers (IFT), putting her in a dual position representing over 100,000 teachers, the Chicago Sun Times reports.
Davis Gates faced no challengers in the unanimous Oct. 19 vote during the IFT convention. With her slate representing Southern Illinois, the northern suburbs of Chicago, and higher education workers, she replaced Dan Montgomery, who led ITF for 15 years. While Davis Gates often received criticism for what is labeled as divisive rhetoric, CTU has brought people together who work in different school environments, all for one common goal.
She feels she can do the same thing on the state level. “We have to show people how to practice democracy, how to work across our differences, how to create solidarity based on our collective needs, and I don’t think it’s a better place to do that than with teachers from all over this state,” Davis Gates said.
Under her leadership, Davis Gates’ key initiative has been advocating for state funding to be increased for schools, given Chicago Public Schools’ public battle with budget deficits over the past two years. She plans to expand that agenda to IFT by providing training for members with supportive tactics, including how to bargain with administrations and ways to support locals in contract fights.
In addition to public schools, Davis Gates plans to campaign for more funding in higher education, touching on colleges and universities being severely underfunded, resulting in driving up costs for working families. According to Politico, during an interview, she boasted of holding the recipes handed down from her ancestors to lead, understanding the need to sacrifice to accomplish goals. “Look at me. Like, both my grandmothers: sharecroppers. Literally, Sunflower County, Mississippi. Eudora, Arkansas — and I get to lead the largest union in the Illinois AFL-CIO,” she said.
“I am a manifestation of that sacrifice, and I work so very hard to make good on it because I knew what it took.”
While her election will ruffle feathers from some critics of her methods — in particular, a social media post paying tribute to Assata Shakur — Davis Gates has already received some praise from elected officials. Illinois House of Representatives Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch celebrated her for “always blazing her own trail,” and “always knowing her ‘why.’”
Congratulations to Stacy Davis Gates on her election this past weekend as President of the Illinois Federation of Teachers. Stacy has always blazed her own trail, and she always knows her ‘why.’ At every step of her career, she has been focused on the needs of our educators, our… pic.twitter.com/g22u0TJd2A
— Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch (@SpeakerWelchIL) October 20, 2025
Illinois Rep. Delia Ramirez says she is excited to continue to work with her friend, whom she calls one of the “most courageous labor leaders in Chicago.” “As everything we care about is under attack, we need leaders who will boldly fight for the schools and fully resourced public education system every community deserves,” she said in a post on X.
Congratulations to my friend and one of the most courageous labor leaders in Chicago, Stacy Davis Gates, on her election as @iftaft President. As everything we care about is under attack, we need leaders who will boldly fight for the schools and fully resourced public education… pic.twitter.com/vE1l6T608D
She is even receiving recognition on the national level. American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten said it’s time to see leadership from the next generation. “We as a union have a lot of different kinds of leaders that together represent the next generation,” Weingarten said.
