Nine exceptional educators from across California are this year’s winners of CTA’s annual Human Rights Awards for their outstanding commitment to social justice and for promoting and protecting human and civil rights, both in the classroom and in their wider school communities. In addition, CTA chapter Anaheim Secondary Teachers Association received an award for its exemplary work on community schools.

“I’m proud to honor these educators for the truly extraordinary work they’re doing,” said CTA President E. Toby Boyd at the awards ceremony in Santa Clara on March 18. “There isn’t a student who goes unseen in the communities of these exceptional educators. Their individual commitment to inclusiveness and to celebrating every student’s uniqueness will have a lifelong impact on our students, as well as on our schools and our communities.”

Congratulations to this year’s winners!

• Nalik Davis, Jr., Rialto Education Association,
  African American Human Rights Award in Honor of Lois Tinson
• Vanessa Yava, Pittsburg Education Association,
  American Indian/Alaska Native Human Rights Award in Honor of Jim Clark
• Ron Espiritu, Camino Nuevo Teachers Association, Cesar Chavez “Si Se Puede” Human Rights Award
• Anaheim Secondary Teachers Association, CTA Chapter Human Rights Award
• Stacey Yakimowich Chavez, UTLA/NEA,
  CTA Member Human Rights Award
• Frank Palad Mata, Corona Norco Teachers Association, CTA Peace and Justice Human Rights Award
• Dr. Phe X Bach, San Juan Teachers Association
  Pacific Asian American Human Rights Award
• Gretel Rodriguez, Sweetwater Education Association, Human Rights Award for Women’s Advocacy
• Skye Tooley, UTLA/NEA, Human Rights Award for LGBTQ+ Advocacy in Honor of Nancy Bailey
• Jeanna Tang, Ontario-Montclair Teachers Association, Students With Exceptional Needs Human Rights Award

Watch and Listen

Videos of CTA’s 2023 Human Rights Award winners feature the awardee talking about their work and what it means to them, their students and community. Watch the videos here.

Group photo caption: Back row, standing from left: Melissa Fitzgerald (ASTA [Anaheim Secondary Teachers Assn.]), CTA Secretary-Treasurer Leslie Littman, Geoff Morganstern (ASTA), Ron Espiritu, CTA Vice President David Goldberg, Grant Schuster (ASTA), Vanessa Yava, CTA President E. Toby Boyd; front row seated: Frank Palad Mata, Nalik Davis Jr., Skye Tooley, Gretel Rodriguez, Stacey Yakimowich Chavez, Jeanna Tang, Dr. Phe X Bach. Photo by Chris Robledo.