National Action Network rallies for jobs and justice

Miller Photography

Roberson addresses the group.

Following up on organizing the Oct. 15 March for Jobs and Justice and the unveiling of the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., Rev. Al Sharpton’s National Action Network sponsored rallies on Dec. 9 at the State Office Building in Harlem and in 25 other cities across the nation. Among the speakers at the Harlem rally was UFT Vice President for Career and Technical Education High Schools Sterling Roberson who told an exuberant crowd that the recent victory in overhauling the state’s income tax system — which created a higher tax bracket for New York’s wealthiest residents while lowering the tax rate on middle-income earners — was a great first step. “But we have to continue to push for jobs and economic justice because many people are still out of work and a lot of families struggle just to make ends meet,” Roberson said. Work remains, he reminded, “because many of Dr. King’s goals are still being denied today to the nation’s middle class and working families of all ethnic backgrounds.” His advice to rally-goers: “Take that anger and channel it to work for us. Raise your voices at rallies like this one. Write to and call your elected officials in the state Legislature and Congress to let them know where you stand on the issues.”

Miller PhotographyTammie Miller, chair of the UFT Child Care Providers Chapter, and Roberson with Sharpton.