UFT members in all five boroughs gathered to support each other and raise money for the American Cancer Society at Making Strides Against Breast Cancer walks in October.

Pink Day returned to schools as UFT members across the city dressed in pink on Oct. 13 to raise awareness about breast cancer.

There were plenty of smiles and a bit of trepidation as the 2021–22 school year kicked off with all students returning to in-person learning in their classrooms for the first time since the start of the pandemic in March 2020.

UFT members and other frontline workers were honored at a ticker-tape parade through the Canyon of Heroes in Lower Manhattan on July 7. 

UFT President Michael Mulgrew visited MS 245, MS 247 and PS 334 — three co-located schools on the William J. O'Shea Campus in Manhattan — to walk through the site and check in on members.

UFT volunteers, including public school parents and members, partnered with local restaurants and food banks to distribute 20,000 meals to hungry New Yorkers. The initiative included events in each of the five boroughs at which 1,000 meals per week were given away in each borough over a four-week period. 

The UFT Brooklyn parent and community outreach committee celebrated the winter holidays by providing nearly 200 Brooklyn families with free books, backpacks and other goodies. Through the UFT's First Book program, they handed out about 4,000 books. 

Federation of Nurses/UFT members and school nurses in November attended the UFT’s 41st annual Professional Issues Conference, held virtually for the first time.

Whether through activities associated with Making Strides Against Breast Cancer or Wear Pink days, UFT members across New York City have been front and center during October to raise awareness and funds to fight the disease.

With social distancing guidelines and aggressive health and safety measures in effect, New York City public schools welcomed back thousands of students during a phased reopening.

UFT members across the city participated in a “A Day of Peace and Justice” on June 9, 2020, to pay respect to George Floyd on the day of his funeral and to show solidarity with the movement to confront racism in the United States.

The 16th annual School Counselors Conference at UFT headquarters, Manhattan, brought counselors together on March 7 to celebrate the positive change they bring to New York City public schools.

About 220 UFT members and retirees gathered at a Chinatown restaurant on March 6 for the annual Lunar New Year Banquet organized by the UFT Asian American Heritage Committee.

UFT members celebrated African heritage and honored students and colleagues at the 17th annual UFT African Heritage Committee Awards Dinner on Feb. 7 at Antun’s in Queens Village. This year’s theme was “Stand up and be counted!”

More than 70 outstanding CTE educators were celebrated by their union, their colleagues and special industry partners at the 2020 CTE Awards Recognition Ceremony on Feb. 7 at UFT headquarters in Manhattan.

UFT President Michael Mulgrew met with staff at PS 811 in Queens on Jan. 22 to discuss various education and union issues and also checked in on members during a tour of the building.

Hundreds of social workers and psychologists spent a snowy Saturday at UFT headquarters attending professional development sessions about test anxiety, LGBTQ inclusive schools and more at their UFT chapter’s 14th annual Clinicians Appreciation Day.

UFT President Michael Mulgrew met with educators at John Dewey HS in Gravesend, Brooklyn, to update them on political and educational news and to learn about the school’s innovative programs.

School secretaries came from every corner of the city to UFT headquarters on a Saturday for a day of professional development, networking and mutual support.

UFT members and guests celebrated the African American holiday of Kwanzaa at the union’s Brooklyn borough office on Dec. 19. Kwanzaa — a non-denominational celebration that lasts for a week, from Dec. 26 to Jan. 1 — combines customs from several cultures and enables African Americans to connect with and honor their heritage and culture.

District 75 educators from around the city gathered at an upper Manhattan restaurant on Dec. 10 to celebrate the holidays and meet with UFT President Michael Mulgrew to discuss their issues and concerns.

Magic was in the air at the UFT's annual holiday party for homeless students, hosted in partnership with the Coalition for the Homeless.

“You have reached the promised land,” UFT President Michael told 650 cheering audience members at the union’s annual New Retiree Luncheon at the Hilton Hotel in midtown Manhattan on Nov. 26. “You had hope and passion to change children’s lives,” he said, “and you did.”

The new UFT Queens borough office was decked out with colorful balloons and banners to welcome hundreds of Queens parents, grandparents, guardians and education activists for the 10th annual UFT Queens Parent Conference on Nov. 23.

About 200 students living in transitional housing received free winter coats, ate a Thanksgiving meal and tried their hands at many crafts and activities at the sixth annual UFT Thanksgiving Luncheon on Nov. 23, thanks to a partnership between the UFT’s Middle Schools Division and the DOE.

The annual Federation of Nurses/UFT Professional Issues Conference drew 250 nurses to the Westin in Manhattan on Nov. 22 for workshops, presentations, exhibits, lunch and a raffle.

The NYC Association of Foreign Language Teachers/UFT held its 22nd annual conference on Nov. 16 at UFT headquarters in Manhattan, where more than 200 participants chose from among 20 workshops during a day of professional development and camaraderie.

UFT President Michael Mulgrew met with the staff at PS 277, a Bronx Plan school, to assure them that the union has a dedicated team for Bronx Plan schools and is committed to giving them the necessary support to meet the needs of their students.

About 250 school psychologists came to UFT headquarters on Nov. 12 to enjoy free professional development, camaraderie and some appreciation from their union at the fourth annual School Psychologists Appreciation Day at UFT headquarters, Manhattan.

Bronx parents, grandparents, guardians and education activists came to the UFT Bronx borough office on Nov. 9 for the 10th annual UFT Bronx Parent Conference to learn about how to advocate for their families and public schools.

More than 100 Staten Island parents, grandparents, guardians and education activists came to IS 2 in Midland Beach for the 10^th annual UFT Staten Island Parent Conference to learn about college, bullying, special education and other topics of interest to public school parents.

The UFT High School Division and the AFL-CIO New York City Central Labor Council hosted the fourth annual Future in Focus career fair at UFT headquarters in Manhattan on Oct. 31 to help students at New York City’s public high schools learn the benefits of unionized careers.

Members from District 79 schools throughout the city gathered at Dallas BBQ in the Chelsea section of Manhattan on Oct. 29 for a Meet the President event with UFT President Michael Mulgrew.

Art educators converged on Beacon HS in Manhattan on Oct. 26 for a day of workshops and celebration at the 38th citywide Art Education Conference sponsored by the New York City Art Teachers Association and the UFT.

Nearly 600 Manhattan parents, grandparents, guardians and education activists came to UFT headquarters for the 10th annual UFT Manhattan Parent Conference to learn about college, bullying, special education and other topics of interest to public school parents.

UFT members across the city wore red on Thursday, Oct. 24, 2019, to show solidarity with striking Chicago educators and the Chicago Teachers Union.