CFA is a union dedicated to economic, political, and cultural transformation through collective bargaining and anti-racism and social justice organizing. Our power as a union comes from the diverse experiences and identities which make up the whole of who we are, together.

In 2022, CFA established an Art Organizing Committee. Its first collaborative art project — engaging CFA members and staff — was the publication of a short chapbook. As artists, writers, dancers, meme makers, and creative thinkers, we know that art, in all of its expressions, is about connection. Art lets us communicate more deeply, helps us see new perspectives, and helps us imagine and dream.

CFA Chapbook v. 1: We Rise, Move, Build, Sing, Make, Work Together

The first CFA chapbook features a variety of art from over 30 contributors, but most importantly, it tells a collective story. Telling our stories is how we build solidarity with each other, within the labor movement. Below, scroll through chapbook excerpts, or contact your chapter field representative to order a hardcopy.

Cover of chapbook. White background with red fading on the left. Large red text across the middle reads We rise move build sing make work together. Vol. 1 // CFA Chapbook
White background with red fading toward the middle. Red and black CFA logo to the left of middle toward the bottom of graphic. Red text to the right of middle reads: A chapbook made by CFA for: storytelling, sharing, commiserating, documenting, celebrating, organizing, archiving, the act of creating.
White background with red text that reads: In your hands is the first collaborative art project created by the CFA Art Organizing Committee. As artists, writers, dancers, meme makers, and creative thinkers, we know that art, in all of its expressions, is about connection. Art lets us communicate more deeply, reaching each other through poetic breath. Of course, sometimes art is goofy, snarky, strange, perplexing… just like the human beings that make it. At its best, art helps us see new perspectives, helps us imagine and dream. CFA is a union dedicated to economic, political, and cultural transformation through collective bargaining and through anti-racism and social justice organizing. Our power as a union comes from the diverse experiences and identities which make up the whole of who we are, together. Telling our stories is how we build solidarity with each other, within the labor movement. As you look at, read, and interact with the following pages, know that your story is important. Together we are CFA. This book would not be possible without the contributions and collective energy of CFA members. Contributors are listed in the index. Thank you to those who were moved to submit to this experimental publication. It’s just the beginning of cultural and arts based organizing...join us.
White background with red text that reads: WE WALK TOGETHER My silent tongue longs to speak To speak is a frightening beginning My silent tongue longs to speak To speak is a new beginning Hear me out — We Walk Together I give thanks to my witnessing to our ancestor warriors and my fellow journey people on the CFA journey for rights justice dignity and social change I walk because you walked before me and you walk with me Threaded with pain and fear and rage and with courage we walk With linked hearts and generations now and before and after we walk Up the Golden Shore and in Sacramento and San Francisco we walk We walk to seek siblings and justice to break the bounds of oppression we walk
We Walk Together, Jie Tian
White background with red text that reads: We walk to test the limits of conditions and constraints that cast us in bondage To free ourselves we walk We are the workers and laborers We are the teachers and philosophers and dreamers In our own skin we walk, with kindred connections we walk Even in turmoil and waiting and uncertainty we walk We walk carrying fire holding light Laughter and joy and songs burst open as we walk We walk growing strong & powerful Gaining momentum we walk Into new fields of possibilities we walk Because it is in us to walk And we dance walk and make beautiful movement
We Walk Together, Jie Tian
White background with red text on the right that reads A day in the car as an adjunct: Route to campus #1: 1 hr 43 min; route to campus #2 1 hr 15 min, route back home: 45 min, total estimate/day: 3 hrs 43 min. Car: Honda Fit 2018, total current mileage 68,120. A photo on the left shows a road with trees and rocks on the side. A black and white QR code is layered on top and a headline with yellow text reads Playlist for road weary adjuncts. The link to the QR code is https://bit.ly/adjunctplaylist.
Playlist for Road Weary Adjuncts, Kamy Martinez
Black background and white text to the left. Text reads I DON'T LIKE BEING A TEACHER ANYMORE. I DON'T WANT TO BE TREATED LIKE I DON'T MATTER ANYMORE. I DON'T WANT TO HEAR ABOUT MY COLLEAGUES BEING MISTREATED BY ADMINISTRATION ANYMORE. I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHY I'M IN THE CLASSROOM ANYMORE. I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHY I'M IN THE CLASSROOM ANYMORE. IS IT FOR THE EVALUATION? IS IT ABOUT THE MATERIAL? IT IS ABOUT THE FUTURE? I DON'T WANT TO BE A TEACHER ANYMORE. White background and black text to the right that reads BUT, THIS WAS MY DREAM.
I Don’t Like Being A Teacher Anymore, Anonymous
Left half has red background with black text in all caps of a list reading 1 semester; 4 classes; 168 students; 68 modules created; 45 zoom classroom hours; 25 total office hours; 4 conferences; 2 letters of rec. written; 201 student emails received; 3,570 assignments graded; 916 union emails received; 35 hours of union events; 300 hours spent organizing; for higher education; white text at bottom reading $30.99/hr; right half has pastel blue background with black text in all caps reading “Hi [blank}, I will be graduating next month and I feel the need to let you know how much your course impacted my college career. Environmental politics was one of the first courses that I took at HSU and I can honestly say that I bring up content I learned in your class on a weekly basis. Because I was a transfer student and I had to move back home during the pandemic, I didn’t get a lot of time to meet people or have in-person discussions – a really important part of someone’s college experience. The enriching discussion we had in your class not only deepened by love for my major, but also pushed me to make connections with my peers in the short amount of time that I loved there. Seeing a younger female professor who facilitates a class so well and has such a broad amount of knowledge to share was really, really impactful to me. You helped me gain confidence in my own knowledge and that has helped me so much in the past year. Thank you for everything you do and I hope you have a great rest of your semester!”
I Don’t Like Being A Teacher Anymore, Anonymous
Black background with two overlapping circles. The circles have a red border and a heart when they overlap. The left circle has white text inside that reads Go faster! This is urgent. The circle on the right reads Slow down! This is important.
Go Faster! Slow Down!, Anonymous, inspired by Vent Diagrams: Move From the Overlaps
White background with red text that reads: Longing give me an untroubled mind a street of people happy to see me play me a newscast without my heart collapsing plant me in a country of care and compassion where the sick are freely treated the elderly not alone children tended like orchids streets cleared of cars for bicycles and pedestrians beaches welcoming black and brown rural areas free of rifles and rednecks family the work we do, work the play part of day schooling here there and everywhere, teacher the highest calling things we need freely given greedy driven to learn from old and young to share and play together longing for an untroubled mind
Longing, Sharon Elise
White background with red text that reads: PAST ALL PRETENSE OF POST RACIALISM woke up numb, like I dreamt the election never slept but woke up to a whiter world. to the despair my friends shared I posted: “WTF white people…so predictable.” told myself the other shoe will drop, come down harder, steel toed. broke racial etiquette, saying “white people” suggesting there was any kind of pattern to whiteness. go ahead ignore how only and all whiteness qualified for citizenship in 1790 while you talk about building a bigger wall ignore how whiteness was the basis for owning and not being owned forget the pattern of whiteness in our wars on Southeast Asia, wars on Latin America, Central America, Pacific Islands, Congo, Dominican Republic and more called it spreading democracy forget the wars on our bodies, whippings, hangings, sterilizations, experimentations, bombs and more forget how whiteness rules the street, who is surveilled, policed, detained, interrogated, photographed, labeled, archived in gang books, posted as criminals, locked up, locked out, shot down in the street, at home, at school, even in playgrounds and churches there are no safe spaces in this white world
Past all Pretense of Post Racialism, Sharon Elise
White background with red text that reads: forget how whiteness rules schools with detention and suspension for Black and Brown, pushed down into special ed, voc ed, continuation schools rehearsal for the prison life envisioned for you… while advanced courses are linked to white skin and the curriculum serves up a diet of delight in white deeds, where white is right ignore white silences at work where virtue is white, words from white mouths heard and deserved but when that is broken by difference it is heralded as wonderfully diverse— that lone person of color—or forgive-ably foreign or sadly not well articulated or not well developed ignore how whiteness built better neighborhoods and jobs, schools, health and wealth …call it skill, intelligence, work ethic …don’t call it white, call it genius, call it accomplishment, call it gifted forget your role in history, how lynchings were celebrated with picnics, shared on postcards, how we built the nation on stolen ground, cotton king like gasoline now, forced to build it all to build you up, even put the white on the white house. forget white laws green lining vanilla suburbs and schools segregated behind gates away from the hate that walled us away, redlined into compounding poverty. forget how overt racism slid into silent American custom so we don’t need Old Jim Crow, we have New Jim Crow:
Past all Pretense of Post Racialism, Sharon Elise
White background with red text that reads: new lock up Jim Crow says we are there cuz we are criminals new working poor Jim Crow says we would have better jobs with a better work ethic new it ain’t race it’s class Jim Crow because the Civil Rights Act they fought against got passed so it’s ain’t no more racism Jim Crow, it’s you, Jim Crow change your culture Jim Crow learn English Jim Crow loving America means no criticizing Jim Crow, go back where you came from Jim Crow, quit asking for a hand out Jim Crow I got mine so go get yours Jim Crow don’t say white people Jim Crow don’t say race or racism Jim Crow cause you are the racist, Jim Crow maintain the silence that hides how white privilege gets rebuilt daily Jim Crow new Jim Crow walks hand in hand with old colonialism still stealing Indian land, Standing Rock and Flint evident of the same genocidal practices most offensive thing we can do is say white people white racism white privilege we will break this silence every day in every way we can we cannot afford white silences they only protect you white people and cost us dearly we always pay whether marching in the street or going to church to pray cannot afford whiteness that holds money for schools and health and parks hostage in the fear that something good may happen for a public that is not widely white here— we cannot afford this whiteness, this silence nor can you
Past all Pretense of Post Racialism, Sharon Elise
White background with a centered photo of an oceanscape seen through close up yellow, white, and green flowers.
Installation view of: Come to this Water, Jamie Nakagawa Boley
Photo shot from ceiling looking down on a child laying down on the ground with their legs under the couch. The child has brown hair, is wearing a black and white striped shirt, and is reading a Star Wars book. The floor is a dark wood floor. The couch is dark wood with olive green fabric. Next to the child on the floor is a power strip, an open laptop with a Zoom meeting. The laptop is charging via the power strip. And a Cool Cars book lies on top of the laptop keyboard.
Untitled, Clare Sandy
White background with a photo of scissors and a card with the word salary on it cut in half sitting on a wood desk. White text layered on top reads I have run corporations. I have earned credentials, degrees, and accolades for securing the best education that has impact on my teams, the products, the community. I have impacted thousands of community members through sharing my experiences for a more positive impact within my sphere. You would not have your job, if it were not for my, and others like me, teaching you. To share my knowledge and experiences at this level, I had to take a 50% salary cut! 50%! Who can live like this> It makes me craft a contingency plan to lend my skills and knowledge to someone who will pay me my worth.
Cut My Salary In Half, Devery Rodgers
White background with photo of a clipboard and stethoscope with red and black text that reads why do I have no benefits until October, when I started working for you in August?
Benefits, Devery Rodgers
Black and white comic strip illustrating the life cycle of a college lecturer. Depictions include salary of $25,000, low pay due to labor of love, continuing more during tight budgets, COVID-19, increased workloads, and burnout.
Life Cycle of a College Lecturer, Steve Cannon and Loren Cannon
Chart showing CSU campus president pay increases. Columns are campus, president name, previous salary, new salary, percent raise, housing allowance. The rows alternate between white and gray and the data source is listed at the bottom. Salary increases ranges from 7 to 29 percent.
Salary Schedule, CSU Board of Trustees
White background with small square of white lined notepad paper and drawing of stick figure with their head on a desk and gibberish markings over their head.
Budgets are a Morale Document, CFA Art Organizers, with Steven Filling
White background with crumpled up yellow lined notepad paper with black handwriting that reads Budgets are morale documents.
Budgets are a Morale Document, CFA Art Organizers, with Steven Filling
Timeline around November on yellow notebook paper with black text that reads While bargaining for salary increases … The CSU lawyer had a Blue Lives Matter flag in the background. November 2021 – we bargain. CSU bargaining team seems intent, as they have for the entirety of our interactions, on ensuring that we don’t reach agreement on anything unless they get significant takebacks. They bring Ryan Storm to mansplain the state budget to us and predictably that doesn’t go well. CSU bloviates ad nauseam. They do the usual “unfunded mandates” budget mail and tell us there isn’t funding for compensation increases. Images include screenshots of handwritten notes on yellow lined paper, a stick figure holding a Blue Lives Matter flag with a red circle and line drawn through it.
Budgets are a Morale Document, CFA Art Organizers, with Steven Filling
Timeline in late 2021 on yellow notebook paper with black text that highlights are negotiated tentative agreement with raises. It becomes clear CSU stakeholder group for budget advocacy isn’t on the same page. Photos of our expired contract with multicolored fists over it.
Budgets are a Morale Document, CFA Art Organizers, with Steven Filling
Timeline in early 2022 on yellow notebook paper with black text that highlights our efforts to work with sibling CSU unions and student groups to lobby for increased CSU funding. CFA tentative agreement is ratified by members. Sticky note has a drawing of morale with arrows that go up and down.
Budgets are a Morale Document, CFA Art Organizers, with Steven Filling
Timeline around Spring 2002 on yellow notebook paper with black text that reads When the last chancellor had to resign over a public scandal where he covered up the behavior of a predatory, abusive vice president of student affairs… the Board of Trustees continued paying him a full year’s salary and 6 months of his housing allowance to be their consultant. Nuggets from timeline read: We advocate but don’t explain CFA and CSUEU lobby hard for more funding for employees and classes. Campus presidents lobby for projects and buildings, CO tap dances around everything. Talking to legislators and policy staff CFA GR continues conversations with legislative leadership and budget committees, CSU seems absent. As before, legislators are supportive. March 2022: Talking to more and more legislators and policy staff CFA Government Relations continues conversations with legislators, CSU seems absent. Encouraging CSU State Relations (SR) to advocate for resources, we pretty much beg the CSU SR folks to join our efforts. April 2022: talking to legislators for the third time, fourth time, fifth time. CFA Lobby Days and one group is in person. Our Officers group meets with legislative leadership and the Governor. Everybody says “Why are you the only ones we see?” CSU SR continues to be absent, although they tell us they’re “working behind the scenes.” May 2022: May Revision leaves us out.
Budgets are a Morale Document, CFA Art Organizers, with Steven Filling
Timeline around June 2022 on yellow notebook paper with black text that highlights all the work CFA members are doing to lobby for full CSU funding including speaking at legislative budget hearings. We were successful and the legislator put our needed funding in their budget proposal. Visuals include a black and white photo of the state capitol, rights, respect, justice, multicolored fists and handwritten notes from budget meetings.
Budgets are a Morale Document, CFA Art Organizers, with Steven Filling
Timeline on yellow notebook paper with black text that reads The governor lied…He agreed to support the legislature’s recommendation to fund that raise but at the very last minute, did not. Drawing of a person with steam bursting out of their ears and more text about how CFA was abandoned by governor and CSU administrators.
Budgets are a Morale Document, CFA Art Organizers, with Steven Filling
Timeline around July and August 2022 on yellow notebook paper with black text that reads The CSU did not give us a raise … CFA won a raise from robber barons, then lobbied the state legislature and the governor to fund that raise. Why isn’t 8 million dollars enough to pay faculty fairly. More text detailing CFA’s efforts to get necessary funding with a drawing of a school of fish chasing a shark and a fist with text saying we won’t stop!
Budgets are a Morale Document, CFA Art Organizers, with Steven Filling
White background with red border and red text in the center that reads CSU 2022-23 Budget: $8,102,772,000.
Budgets are a Morale Document, CFA Art Organizers, with Steven Filling
Black and white comic strip with balding administrator man in a suit using the pandemic crisis, hollow platitudes, and a new strategic plan to get a massive pay raise.
Life Cycle of An Administrator, Steve Cannon and Loren Cannon
White background with yellowing piece of paper in the middle. Black typewriter-like text header reads Faculty Ratings of Administration and Institutional Expectations Spring 2022. Six sections feature statements and then five choices: not at all, minimally, somewhat, mostly, and very much. First statement reads I have adequate resources to teach effectively. Second statement reads I have administrative support of my research, including financial support. Third statement reads Administrators listen to my needs and concerns. Fourth statement reads Administration responds in a timely manner. Fifth statement reads I feel supported by CSU administration. Sixth statement reads Administration creates a safe and equitable work environment. A seventh statement reads Overall, administration is unsatisfactory, poor, fair, good, excellent.
Faculty Ratings of Administration, Anonymous
White background. On the left half is a block of black text that reads Academic Fat Cats Run & Hide When Truth is Hot on Their Trail. On the right half is a white cat standing up on their back paws hiding behind a cement structure. A quote bubble is pops out to the right of the cat with black text that reads Maybe they’ll ignore that fat raise I gave myself on the backs of faculty, student, and staff labor!” To the lower left of the cat are two Doberman dogs with their ears erect and tongues hanging out.
Academic Fat Cats, Libby Lewis
White background with red text in the upper left that reads Legion of Doom SSU. A drawing is on the right and a figure holding four assorted figures in their left arm. The figures are dressed in blue, red, orange and green and have expressive, disappointed expressions.
Legion of Doom SSU, Clea Felien
White background with a photo of the CSU board of trustees meeting room aligned to the right. Red text in the upper left corner reads white supremacy is not the elephant in the room. It’s the room. – Nelba Márquez-Greene. Cut out lines of black, uppercase text layered over the meeting room photo read Can we change a system that doesn’t have openings? Who’s excluded when we use rules of order developed in 1876?
It’s the Room, CFA Art Organizers
White background with a photo of a student wearing a black shirt with red SQE letters on it. The student is wearing a face mask and holding white and pink signs with red text that reads rights respect justice; and Title IX is NOT enough. Surrounding the student are three social media graphics: the one on the left is black background with maroon text that reads survivors deserve meaningful support outside of carceral institutions. Another graphic has a red background and a list of demands. The other graphic is black with white and red text reading Castro resigned, time to redesign. Harm is systemic not individual.
Title IX is Not Enough, Students for Quality Education
White background with cut out newspaper open letter with black text that reads: CSU Faculty to Rally Against CSU LA President, Trustees as Sexual Violence, White Supremacy Culture Plagues CSU System; Date: May 23 2022; To: Members of CSU Board of Trustees; Subject: CSU Trustees Need to Take Action; At CFA, we have observed that at the highest levels of the California State University system, impunity and incompetency ae the standards. We, the California Faculty Association, demand the following: (bullet list) Open Searches for all administrative positions at the CSU; Cessation of Retreat Rights for executive managers; An overhaul of the Title IX process and enforcement to become a system that respects survivor agency and healing; A dedicated funding stream to create and sustain womxn’s resource centers on campus to foster a place of healing and empowerment for survivors; Urgency and action to seat the taskforce for alternatives to campus police’ Come to the table, work with us on our demands in “Our Way Forward” to address anti-Black racism, anti-Asian hate, and systemic oppressions. To the right is red text saying “Scan QR code for complete CFA letter to BOT” with arrows pointing to a black and white QR code and red text spelling out the QR code link to https://bit.ly/CFAdemands.
Press Release, California Faculty Association
White background with groups of black words cut out from a report. The cut outs say: CFA Statement of Anti-Racism and Social Justice Demands; Uphold Rights to Protest Anti-Black Racism; Increase and Support Black Faculty; Racial Pay Equity; Defund and Remove Armed & Militarized Policing from Campus; Protect Black LGBTQIA+ Folks; Recognize and Reward Black Faculty Scholarship/Creative Activity; Everyone Needs to Recognize: Black Lives are Precious. A black and white QR code at the top left side takes people to https://www.calfac.org/cfa-statement-of-anti-racism-and-social-justice-demands/
CFA Statement of Anti-Racism and Social Justice Demands, California Faculty Association
A drawing in crayon or colored pencils. The background is black and gray with a vertical tear with three circles overlapping like a venn diagram. The top circle has a red outline and orange coloring. The word cultural is written on a torn piece of neon orange lined stickie note. The bottom right circle has a red outline and yellow coloring. The word economic is written on a torn piece of neon orange lined stickie note. The bottom left circle has a red outline and pink coloring. The word political is written on a torn piece of neon orange lined stickie note. The spaces that overlap among the circles are colored blue.
Cultural Strategy, Jessica Lawless
White background with graphic on the left side. The graphic is neon pink. At the bottom is a multi-colored group of people holding signs that read rights respect justice; when we fight, we win! Union!; faculty working conditions are student learning conditions; anti-racism and social justice union; and the CFA logo with a fist in a heart. Out of the group and above them grow orange poppies. Above the poppies is a student of color reading an open book. To their left and right are two educators. Along the left side of the graphic is a sun figure with white clouds and a light blue sky and orange and sun colors; along the right side of the graphic is a night figure with white stars on a dark sky.
Rights, Respect, Justice, Sol Collective
Red background with a drawing in the middle. The drawing has a white background with black sketching of a person with short hair and glasses. The person is smiling. The portrait includes the top of their shoulders. Above the person’s head is a banner that reads thank you ellen carlton.
Thank you Ellen Carlton, Clea Felien
White background with red text that reads STAND UP, SPEAK UP, SHOW UP: CFA MOVEMENT ACTION: The goal of this movement action is to create a visual presentation that focuses the body when engaged in union activism. This action can be done with campus e-boards, activists, SQE students and their peers, as well as community members down for the cause! Do you march? Do you stand? Do you turn around? Do you write? Do you sign? Do you sing? Do you move? Do you chant? Do you rise? Do you sit? Are you still? This movement action is in three sections. On the facing page are tips on how to create your own movement choices (or non-movement choices) based on your interpretation of what each section means to you.
Stand Up, Speak Up, Show Up, Leslie Bryan
White background with red text that reads Background sounds Music: the type of music you play may lead to a certain “flow” or movement as well as the energy within the movements. Stronger music may lead to stronger move-ments and vice versa. If there are lyrics, they should match the movement choices you make so the audience is not confused. 1. A Few Artists With Strong Music: The Hu “Wolf Totem” (Instrumental Remix); Bob Marley – Get Up, Stand Up; Hang Massive; Beyonce – My Power. 2. White noise: nature sounds, waves, rain, wind, fan, etc 3. Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response (ASMR) noise: whistling, scissors cutting, ripping paper, zippers, plastic wrinkling, etc 4. Silence
Stand Up, Speak Up, Show Up, Leslie Bryan
White background with red text that reads Stand Up: What does “stand” mean to you? Stand can be a literal movement or an abstraction of the movement. You can face towards your camera/front, sideways or with your back to the front/camera. You can stand from the floor, a chair or any other surface. You can stand quickly or slowly. You can rise your upper torso instead of a complete stand. You can stand in a narrow stance or wide stance. You can move from one stance to another. Speak Up: What does “speak” mean to you? Speak can be a literal vocal expression or an abstraction of using your voice. The audience can actually hear your voice or just see you vocalize but with no actual sound. Speaking can be done facing any direction, not just facing front to the camera/audience. Are you speaking fast, slow, regular mouth, over exaggerated mouth… Show Up: What does “show/gather” mean to you? Are you gathering in real time with real people? Are you moving towards the camera/audience?
Stand Up, Speak Up, Show Up, Leslie Bryan
White background with red text that reads Action Planning Steps: This is a list of action planning steps in a certain logical order. This isn’t the only way things can or should be done, nor is this a complete list of everything that has to happen for every action. Remember, you may need to scout more than once or clarify your strategy on an ongoing basis. This list is just a guide to help you get on your way. Know the History: What has your group (or other groups) done before to address the issue? How can you build on the history to escalate your tactics? Find Allies: Who are your existing allies in this work? Who should be involved? Who is also impacted by this issue? Pick a Target: Who is the decision-maker? Who can help you pressure that decision-maker? Identify the Opportunity: Why now? What is the Action Opportunity? Is there a new development on your issue or change in the political climate that you can take advantage of? Assess Your Resources: What skills does your group have? How many people will participate? How much money and supplies do you have access to? Develop Action Demands: What do you want from your target? What would a “win” look like? Make sure these are realistic, measurable, strategic, and accountable to the impacted community; Determine Your Audience: Who specifically do you want to mobilize with your action? Is it the public? Consumers? Shareholders? Government Officials?
Action Planning Steps, CFA Staff, Inspired by Ruckus Society
White background with red text that reads Decide the Tone: What will the action feel like? Will the action be jubilant, angry, solemn, or calm? How will the tone impact the target and audience? Do you want to invite or repel them? How will the tone impact your group? Choose the Location: Where will this action take place? What does that location look and feel like? Is it a community-based location or is it the decision-maker¹s territory? Are people familiar with the location? Scout the Location: How will your action logistically take place at the location? How will people get there? What goes on there in the course of a day? Is there security on site? Choose a Tactic: Make sure it will move you towards achieving your campaign goal and action demands. What exactly will people do? Why will it put pressure on your target? Why is it perfect for this moment? Make an Action Plan: Think through the action from start to finish. Assign action roles, make a time schedule, list supplies and equipment needed, finalize logistics. Make backup plans just in case! Clarify the Strategy: What do you want to call attention to with this action? How does this support your campaign goals?
Action Planning Steps, CFA Staff, Inspired by Ruckus Society
White background with red text that reads Focus your Message & Media Strategy: How do you make complicated issues understandable? Keep it short and simple. The message should reflect the tone & clearly communicate your demands. Develop media strategy: how will the action be covered, and by who? Create Visuals and Audio: What will your action look and sound like? What imagery do you need to create? How will you amplify your voices and sound? How will the visuals and audio support your tone and convey your demands? Practice the Action: Over and over. Then practice some more. Perform the Action: Be flexible, stay true to your action goals and demands, and be safe—eliminate unnecessary risk. Celebrate! Acknowledge your successes, even if your action demands were not met. Recognize new leadership, and congratulate new members. Debrief the Action: What were the action’s highlights? Where was there room for improvement? Follow up: Reach out to participants & members—keep them updated. Make calls to media—get the story out. Provide jail support if necessary, and keep track of ongoing legal issues.
Action Planning Steps, CFA Staff, Inspired by Ruckus Society
Photo of hundreds of people rallying outside office buildings. Hundreds of white signs saying California Faculty Association. Orange and yellow banner in the front reads Education students, honor faculty, elevate California.
CFA Rally in Long Beach, California Faculty Association
White background with red text that reads RALLY & PICKET CHANTS What do we want? A contract! When do we want it? Now! Everywhere we go (repeat) People want to know (repeat) Who we are (repeat) So we tell them (repeat) We are the people (repeat) The mighty, mighty people (repeat) Fighting for justice (repeat) And for education (repeat) There ain’t no power like the power of the people ’Cause the power of the people don’t stop! SAY WHAT??!?! Who’s got the power? We’ve got the power What kind of power? Union power! Who’s got the power? We’ve got the power What kind of power? Union power! Hey, Hey, Ho, Ho Chancellor (NAME) has got to go. The people united will never be divided! ¡El pueblo unido, jamás será vencido! ¡Sĺ, se puede! ¡Sí, se puede! March today, take a stand. A fair contract is our demand.
Rally & Picket Chants, CFA Staff, Inspired by Ruckus Society
White background with large SQE mural. The mural has blue sky on the top and orange-brown earth on the bottom. Between them is a group of students composed of different races and colors holding signs. Five students toward the front are holding a white banner with red text that reads students for quality education. Two white boxes with red text hover over the mural. The one toward the top reads Students for Quality Education (SQE) was formed during the 2007-08 school year by students in the California State University (CSU) system to build the student movement for educational rights in public higher education. We were assisted in our efforts by California Faculty Association leaders. The one toward the bottom reads Our movement for educational justice in the CSU is not new. Students in the 1960s fought to open up the University for working families and immigrant students. They demanded high quality and relevant education, and badly needed student services such as the Educational Opportunity Program (EOP). From this movement, the CSU grew to become the People’s University, open to all who met the basic requirements for entrance.
Students for Quality Education, California Faculty Association and Raul Gonzalez
White background with three screenshots of SQE Instagram posts with black, red and white coloring. Th first screenshot features an invitation for a COVID and transparency townhall meeting. The second screenshot features red and gray shapes advertising a first general body meeting with a sign reading education is a right. The third screenshot is calling on students to turn out to a Board of Directors action. To the right of the screenshots is red text that reads CFA is an anti-racist social justice organization and one of our main campaigns is to address the over policing in the CSU and beyond. Together CFA and SQE seek to demilitarize our campus police and this is SQE’s priority campaign.
Students for Quality Education, California Faculty Association and Raul Gonzalez
White background with red text that reads The Crescendo Unsilenced, my voice found others, harmonizing our song of protest. Concertedly, our music reached a crescendo, finding power in solidarity that we never discovered alone. Our voices rolled down the hallways, spilled into the open air, creating our unstoppable song of unity.
The Crescendo, Jennifer Kady Stanton
White background with red text that reads Contributor Index: We Walk Together, Jie Tian; Playlist for Road Weary Adjuncts, Kamy Martinez; I Don’t Like Being A Teacher Anymore, Anonymous; Go Faster! Slow Down!, Anonymous, inspired by Vent Diagrams: Move From the Overlaps; Longing, Sharon Elise; Past All Pretense of Post Racialism, Sharon Elise; Installation view of: Come to the Water, Jamie Nakagawa Boley; Untitled, Clare Sandy; Cut My Salary in Half, Devery Rodgers; Benefits, Devery Rodgers; Life Cycle of a College Lecturer, Steve Cannon and Loren Cannon; Salary Schedule, CSU Board of Trustees.
White background with red text that reads Budgets are a Morale Document, CFA Art Organizers, with Steven Filling; Life Cycle of An Administrator, Steve Cannon and Loren Cannon; Faculty Ratings of Administration, Anonymous; Academic Fat Cats, Libby Lewis; Legion of Doom SSU, Clea Felien; It’s the Room, CFA Art Organizers; Title IX is Not Enough, Students for Quality Education; Press Release, California Faculty Association; CFA Statement of Anti-Racism and Social Justice Demands, California Faculty Association; Cultural Strategy, Jessica Lawless; Rights, Respect, Justice, Sol Collective; Thank You Ellen Carlton, Clea Felien.
White background with red text reading: Stand Up, Speak Up, Show Up, Leslie Bryan; Action Planning Steps, CFA Staff, Inspired by Ruckus Society; CFA Rally in Long Beach, California Faculty Association; Rally & Picket Chants, CFA Staff, Inspired by Ruckus Society; Students for Quality Education, California Faculty Association and Raul Gonzalez; The Crescendo, Jennifer Kady Stanton; Membership Signup, Jon Chen.
White background with red text that reads This book was inspired by the negotiations leading up to the 2022 contract ratification, everyone who taught through sheltering in place and the on-going pandemic, and those who are dedicated to keeping the CSU the people’s university. We thank all of the contributors to this chapbook, along with our network of supporters. It is through all of us coming together that we are able to build a better and more equitable educational system in California. We need your support across industries, across governments, and across the CSU. Thank you for being with us, wherever you are, and recognizing the need to support California’s faculty. This book was printed and bound by Commerce Printing Services, Sacramento, CA The typefaces used in the print edition are Loretta, by Joana Correia and Abel Martins, published by Nova Type Foundry; and Owners, by Jeremy Mickel, of Los Angeles. Editing, Design, and Production by CFA Art Organizing Committee: Leslie Bryan, Jessica Lawless, Virginia Patterson, Nicola Walters. This book is published by California Faculty Association 2022 The California Faculty Association is the collective bargaining representative for all faculty in California State University. We represent more than 29,000 tenured, tenure-track, and lecturer faculty, counselors, librarians, and coaches at all 23 campuses. Red and black CFA logo is at the middle bottom.
White background with a maroon graphic toward the top featuring small black and gray figures running away from something. The maroon graphic includes white text that reads want to survive a zombie apocalypse? You'll need a team. Join CFA today. http://calfac.org/join-cfa. Below the maroon graphic is a black and white QR code. The the left is red uppercase text that reads Join your union today. To the right is red text that reads Scan this QR code or visit calfac.org/join-cfa/ to join CFA online.
Membership Signup, John Chen
Back cover of chapbook. White background with red fad to the right. Large, uppercase red text reads justice is everybody's right and everybody's fight. - Cecil Canton, Journey Toward a More Perfect Union

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