My Turn: Baltimore County CARE Liaison Cortly Witherspoon

Meet Cortly Witherspoon, a group college liaison at Baltimore County’s Winfield Elementary Faculty. He’s a longtime social and political activist and now, as a member of the Schooling Assist Professionals of Baltimore County (ESPBC), a union activist. This yr, he’s a part of MSEA’s 2024-2025 Minority Management Coaching cohort, one in every of MSEA’s signature management improvement packages.

At Winfield Elementary, I apply the ideas of humanity which have guid­ed me my complete life to my place as CARE (Caregiver, Help, Useful resource, and Engagement) liaison. We’re a group college, and I work carefully with our group college coordina­tor as I help and encourage fami­lies and caregivers to turn into engaged and concerned. We need to construct their capability as caregivers, encourage shared determination making about their pupil’s success, and discover methods to assist them help their pupil’s studying.

I’m based mostly out of our Group Useful resource Cottage the place we inventory meals, college provides and uniforms, and home items. It’s additionally the place we assist our households discover different community-based providers to advertise their wholeness and strengthen their high quality of life.

After I began this job two years in the past, I researched the union and located my constructing rep throughout the week. Regardless that I hadn’t been a union member earlier than, I had labored with unions and revered the mission and core values of unionism and was prepared to seek out my place in our native.

Social and political activism isn’t new to me. My pupil activism and group service dates again to center college days, the place I labored with the NAACP to advocate for packages and initiatives to uplift the African American expertise. Extra lately, I served as president of the Baltimore Metropolis Southern Christian Management Convention and fought for a $15 minimal wage.

This summer season, I labored with the ESP Summer time Organizers to share the ESP Invoice of Rights and join one-on-one with potential members. This highly effective work allowed me to satisfy fellow CARE liaisons, paraprofessionals, college workplace professionals, and others, all combating for respect and decency on the job. Subsequent, I attended the 2024 MSEA Summer time Management Convention the place I used to be blown away by the workshops and shows of passionate and skilled union members. There I met new union brothers and sisters and constructed relationships with different educators beginning their journey with MSEA or their native.

Most lately, I joined ESPBC’s effort to work on racial, social, and financial justice (RSEJ) points, and am amongst a number of members of the 2024-2025 MSEA Minority Management Coaching cohort the place I’ll construct on my information of RSEJ points and the intersection of public training and the union motion. In my personal life, I’m a foster mother or father.

I consider that service is the lease we pay to stay on the earth, and I’m devoted and dedicated to group service, combating for justice, supporting the union, and serving to to organize the following era to make their mark.

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