Minority Involvement & PSEA's Minority Affairs Committee
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Minority Involvement & PSEA's Minority Affairs Committee

Why is PSEA using the term “minority” when speaking about our members from historically marginalized ethnic groups in the U.S.?

We recognize that using minoritized language feels both dated and factually incorrect from a global perspective. In public education in Pennsylvania, our members of color represent a minority of our total members. The Minority Affairs Committee (MAC), partnered with governance and other PSEA committees, actively works to change that. These groups are striving for racial and ethnic equity and inclusion within the organization. In fact, this is MAC’s mission. We hope the resources on this page are helpful in your efforts to support this goal so the word “minority” can change to appropriately reflect our membership.

Verify Your Ethnic Classification

Identity matters. It allows PSEA to provide focused leadership training for our members of color, gives us the ability to provide statewide networking opportunities, and helps us put our words into practice. Our ethnic minority members can help create and maintain our Association’s vibrancy and relevancy by being active at all levels: their local associations, their regions, PSEA, and NEA.

How to verify and update your Ethnic Classification online: 

  1. Sign in to www.psea.org.
  2. On the top right of this webpage, click where it says Hello [Your Name]. 
  3. The top left side block will say “My Profile,” and “Edit” will be underlined next to it. Click on the “Edit” link.
  4. Complete second level authentication, if asked.
  5. Once in the editing page, find the “Personal Information” box (left side).
  6. About halfway down, you will see a drop box labeled “Ethnic Classification." Select the appropriate classification.
  7. Click the UPDATE button at the bottom of the page.

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Please complete this form if you would like to receive emails about upcoming Minority Affairs Committee region events.

In providing my contact information, I consent to the sharing of this information within PSEA and with the region Minority Affairs Committee Representative for the purpose of receiving information related to statewide, region, and local events and opportunities. Personal information collected by PSEA is governed by the PSEA Privacy Policy.

Minority Affairs Committee Members (as of June 2024)

  • Katie Landis, Central Region
  • Malika Karunaratne, Central-Western Region
  • Joan Reigner, Eastern Region
  • Tikeesha D. Clemons, ESP
  • Nancy Butcher-Perez, Mideastern Region
  • Veronica Torres Oquendo, Midwestern Region
  • Andita Parker-Lloyd, Northeastern Region
  • Ellen Vahey, Northwestern Region
  • Rebecca McLain, Vice Chair, Southeastern Region
  • Chantal Waters-Maddox, Southern Region
  • Vacant, Southwestern Region
  • Giselle Bey, Chair, Western Region
  • Nanda Mitra-Itle, DPS Liaison
  • Marissa Riddick, Student PSEA
  • Melvin Riddick, PSEA-Retired

Kizzy Nicholas: Board of Directors, Ethnic Minority Representative

Resources for Minority Members

Upcoming Minority Affairs Committee Events

July 2025

  • July 2-6: NEA-RA, Portland, Oregon
  • July 20-25: Summer Leadership Conference, Gettysburg
    • July 20: Minority Affairs Committee Dinner, Specialty Dining Room at Gettysburg College, Gettysburg

NEA-RA Declaration of Candidacy

Candidates for NEA-RA state delegate must submit their declaration of candidacy forms no later than Oct. 18, 2024, at 4:30 p.m. Candidates must be members of the membership category they are seeking to represent when they declare their candidacy and on the date of the NEA-RA.

In January, all members will receive a paper ballot in the U.S. mail to vote for delegates to the NEA-RA. Paper ballots will be mailed to the home address on file in PSEA’s membership system.

Legislative Advocacy

Create an hourly living wage of at least $20 per hour for education support professionals.

 

Available Scholarships

The Minority Affairs Committee provides input into the NEA-RA MAC scholarship and the Gettysburg minority scholarship program.

Minority Member Spotlights

Our members of color teach, serve, and inspire our students, our public schools, and our communities every day. Click the arrows to hear and read their stories and experiences.

Patty Jackson, Central York EA

Stephen Sharp, Hempfield EA

Dolores "Dee" Scales, Woodland Hills ESP

Jill Helsel, Altoona EA

Jermaine & ShaWanna Bailey, York City EA

Nick Coombs, Upper Darby EA

J’Mel Johnson, North Penn EA

Erica Milbourne, North Penn EA

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Are you a member of color who wants to highlight your public education story or experience that PSEA can share in our digital and print publications? Please complete this electronic form to share your story and photos. Questions can be directed to minorityinvolvement@psea.org.

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