More than 900 people attended the 2025 MTA Summer Conference, where the theme “Now More Than Ever” reflected the urgency of the moment for education professionals and unionists. It was the largest attendance in decades.
The three-day conference, held at UMass Amherst in late July, featured notable guest speakers and a full array of professional development and enrichment selections. In addition to discussion of critical topics, including community schools and the impact of high-stakes testing, the conference featured a member art show, MTA Reads book club get togethers, outdoor yoga, early-morning Zumba, a walking tour of campus architectural highlights led by President Max Page, and fun parties and dances that brought members together at night.
Keynote speakers Cornel West and Keeanga-Yamahtta Taylor inspired members on the opening day. M.O.C.H.A. Springfield and Uncommon Threads received the 2025 Human and Civil Rights awards. In another highlight, United Farm Workers co-founder Dolores Huerta spoke virtually after a screening of the documentary “American Agitators,” which was hosted by the MTA’s Ethnically Marginalized Affairs Committee.
