More than 3,000 newly hired teachers poured into Barclays Center in Brooklyn despite the rain and received a warm UFT welcome at the start of the DOE’s New Teacher Week. Union representatives helped them get enrolled on the spot and provided the new educators with helpful information about their contractual rights, retirement benefits, health care, professional learning resources and more.

If you’ve heard the phrase, "Put on your oxygen mask first before helping others," you’ll understand why strengthening educators’ emotional well-being and resilience is so important. In this episode of the Brewing Wellness podcast, Dr. Cynthia Kaplan and Ryan Oelrich from the Center for Trauma and Stress Education, share practical strategies for navigating stress, trauma and difficult emotions. Learn to feel and name your emotions and use tools to respond more effectively. Through its ongoing partnership with the center, the UFT Member Assistance Program is introducing new monthly trainings to support members’ well-being and resilience throughout the school year.

The UFT distributed 1,600 backpacks, as well as school supplies and food, to families on Staten Island during the union’s fifth annual Back-to-School BBQ. The union collaborated with District 31 and more than 35 community organizations to host the event in the schoolyard of PS 18 in West Brighton.

What does it take to support students’ mental health, academic success and personal growth in schools today? In this episode of the Brewing Wellness podcast, Reverly Holder and Diane Washington, school counselors and members of the UFT School Counselors Chapter Executive Board, explore the vital role counselors play in helping students navigate life’s challenges. Learn how to recognize a child in need and support them effectively by building trust; creating safe, supportive spaces; responding calmly during crises; and collaborating with families, teachers and mental health professionals.

In a rapidly changing world, how can we find our calling and live a more fulfilling life? In this episode of the Brewing Wellness podcast, Dr. Reef Karim — keynote speaker at the 2026 UFT MAP Mental Health Symposium — joins us to explore how we can "master the madness" and cultivate our passion, fostering greater personal growth and fulfillment. Dr. Karim, a transformational scientist and humanistic psychiatrist, delves into how health care providers can better support clients in dismantling barriers and embracing their authentic selves. To learn more, visit reefkarim.com.