Building Women's Leadership

Women's Institute for Leadership Development

WILD is an inspirational educational program that provides women with the leadership vision, confidence and skills to become more effective leaders and organizers in the Massachusetts labor movement. Workshops in leadership development, understanding racism, and practical knowledge and skills related to building worker power and a just society. ‌‌

For thirty years of the history of UMassD Labor Education Center, we have been engaged in promoting and leading educational opportunities for women to develop their skills to become strong leaders.  Our labor center was part of a founding group for the Women's Institute for Leadership Development.  This is a statewide organization supported by the Mass AFL-CIO and many unions and community groups across the state.  The commitment to this program continues by having the LEC Director on the governing board of WILD and teaching at the Summer Institute every year.  Besides the Summer Institute, WILD presents an event for Women's History month and offers training throughout the year.

For more information, please visit: Wild Labor

The Labor Education Center is a part of the Advocates for Women of Southeastern Massachusetts, which fights for the rights of low income women in our area.

Advocates for Women of Southeastern Massachusetts

Thanks to Everyone who helped with our first Women's Committee Breakfast

On Saturday, October 3, nearly 75 women and allies attended this event co-sponsored with the UMassD Labor Education Center and the Greater SE Mass Labor Council.  We were honored to have a discussion led by Clayola Brown, civil rights and labor leader, as well as the president for the A. Phillip Randolph Institute within the AFL-CIO.  Local musician, Candida Rose, led us "And Still I Rise" as other speakers inspired, called us to collective action, and led forward with two initiatives, one for more women's labor education and another for women helping women by collecting interview clothes.  

Speakers included: Clayola Brown, longtime leader of Needletrades Unions and civil rights leader,  Cynthia Rodrigues, President of the Greater SE MA Labor Council, Kim Wilson, of the UMassD Labor Education Center and Lisa Lemieux, labor leader and staff, formerly of the  Communications Workers of America and now for Personal Care Attendants in 1199SEIU in SE Mass.

For more information on this Committee, contact Kim Wilson at 508-910-7106. 

SE Mass Women's Committee

However, we have a great need for similar support for women in SE Mass involved in workplace issues and worker rights.   With the Greater SE Massachusetts Labor Council, the Labor Education Center has confounded a local group for building women's leadership, particularly in unions and in other workplaces.  Several months ago, we held a day long planning session on building this group and to build strong womens committees in general.  The following statement came out of this meeting:

Why

  • To encourage more women to be active and LEADERS in unions and community organizations
  • To connect union and community women, to explore different models of women in leadership
  • To partner with existing committees and organizations, not to duplicate efforts

Goals

  • Providing training for leadership skills and networking with other women’s groups, currently we are building relationships with the Women's Fund of SE Mass, the YWCA, and the Center for Women, Gender and Sexuality at UMassD
  • To advocate on collective issues 
  • To help women find union jobs, particularly entry into the building trades through apprenticeship programs
  • To providing training and educational events in the community