Great news, members! The UFCW OUTreach, the UFCW constituency group for LGBTQ+ and allies, is offering five scholarships nationwide to union members to attend the 2019 Creating Change Conference in Detroit, Michigan from January 23-27, 2019.

From the United Food and Commercial Workers International website:

“Creating Change Conference is organized by the National LGBTQ Task Force. It is the foremost political, leadership, and skills-building conference for thousands of committed people to develop and hone their skills and share victories.  Scholarship recipients will learn from a broad range of social justice issues and develop skills to bring back to their workplaces and local unions.  Past session topics include labor, gender equality, community organizing, criminal justice, immigration and more.”

Read more from the International’s website here.

Application Instructions

What: Creating Change Conference
When: January 23-27, 2019
Where: Detroit Marriott at the Renaissance Center

Scholarship includes:

• Conference Registration Fee
• Hotel and Meals
• Transportation

Eligibility and Requirements:

1. Applicant must be an active UFCW member.
2. Applicant must be able to take time off to attend the conference in its entirety.
3. Arriving at the Marriott Renaissance Center in Detroit, MI, no later than 9:00am on January 23, 2019 and leaving the hotel no sooner than 12pm on January 27, 2019.
4. Applicant must submit a short paragraph to answer the following:
   • What does being a union member/activist/shop steward mean to you?
   • Why are you interested in attending this conference, what do you hope to get from this experience?
   • Please share an example of you standing up for yourself or others.
5. Applicant must submit a letter of recommendation from his/her/their local union.
6. Download, complete, and submit this application.

The deadline to submit an application is Wednesday, November 7th, 2018 to Michele Kessler at MKessler@ufcw1776.org and Jean Tong at tong@ufcw770.org. Scholarship winners will be announced on Wednesday, November 21st, 2018.

Best of luck to our members!