Marilyn Ricketts-Lindsay

About

My relational and communicative approach to doing this work will be very helpful in my duties. Anti-racism and anti-oppression issues are not always well received making it imperative to listen to the concerns of individuals with an openness that will help them feel at ease in discussing these challenging topics.  I will endeavor to share the research and theory in a format that invites dialogue in a safe environment without judgment or critique. This approach is essential for progress because it is based on the understanding that although we all have biases, we’re all at different stages of our learning journey.

I am a Learner Support teacher in Surrey with specialized training in special education. When I tell colleagues that union work is the most engaging work of my twenty-year career, they ask me why. I tell them that I get to collaborate with a group of knowledgeable and passionate educators who care deeply for students. The work augments my pedagogy and challenges me to advocate for students and teachers in defense of public education. I am acutely aware of the value of a fully funded education and its benefit of creating equitable outcomes for underprivileged and marginalized students. I know that improvement in working conditions for teachers is essential for a viable public education system and when teachers’ working conditions deteriorate, students are negatively impacted. My eclectic experience, from growing up in the Caribbean to teaching in northern Canada, brings value to the leadership role on the executive committee. Finally, as a Black educator and a parent, I will bring an intersectional and anti-oppression lens to table discussions. I am eager to advocate for BC teachers, giving voice to members who want representation that can truly relate to their experiences.

Experience

Provincial:

BCTF AGM,

BCTF Rep. Assembly

Bargaining Conference Delegate

Professional and Social Issues BCTF Facilitator

AOEC PSA Member

CTF AGM Delegate

Tri-National Conference Delegate

Local:

STA Executive, Racialized Member at Large

Local Representative

Social Justice Contact 

International Solidarity Chair

Resolutions Committee

Environmental Justice Committee

Political Action / Public Relations Committee

Members of Colour Committee

Social Justice Directory Committee

Surrey Teachers Advocating for Refugee Students Committee

Staff Representative