Randy Azevedo, Local 160-C
“I was inspired by seeing so many people from different industries come together with a willingness to help one another. We all face challenges, but seeing that unity motivates me to work even harder to make sure our members know the UWUA has their back. The conference reinforced that we are strongest when we stand together, and I plan to bring that spirit of solidarity and support back to my local.”
CJ Marquette and Malisa Megerle, Local 132
“As organizers at Local 132, we were especially energized by keynote speaker Jon Fussell’s presentation on the ‘Five Behaviors of Elite Teams.’ His message about selfless leadership and using unconventional tactics to better serve members and organize workers really resonated with us. One idea we plan to bring back to our local is the ‘mindset of continuous improvement’ — identifying knowledge gaps and constantly learning so we can become stronger advocates for both our current members and those we hope to organize in the future.”
Kito Singleton, Local 522
“What energized me most was the overarching theme of working together to build a stronger union. Speakers from different backgrounds shared how diverse teams can use their individual strengths to achieve a common goal: creating better lives not only for members, but for the communities we serve as well. I left the conference inspired to continue building solidarity and reminding members that we are strongest when we work together. Kudos to everyone involved in planning the conference and to all who participated.”
Nikolaus Park, Local 483
“The Region V Conference was more than just a gathering — it brought together different pieces of the same puzzle and helped us see the bigger picture of who we are as a union. It reminded us that no local is out there fighting alone. Seeing the work being done through the National committees and hearing from members across the country strengthened my sense of solidarity and community within the UWUA. ‘Stronger together’ is not just a slogan — it’s reflected in the commitment our 42,000 members have to one another.”