AFSCME Family Scholarship Winners Share Union Impact on Their Lives

As the summer fades into memory and autumn approaches, students around the country prepare to return to school, ranging from kindergarteners to college freshmen. AFSCME members who are parents reflect on the upcoming year, particularly those with children starting their college journey. The transition to new environments often prompts curiosity about what these young adults carry forward, from personal beliefs to values and life lessons.

Insights into these transitions can be gleaned from the essays submitted to the AFSCME Family Scholarship program. These essays offer a look into the influence of family and union values on students heading to college. They highlight the union's impact, solidarity, and the meaningful experiences shared by the children of AFSCME members.

Many essays illustrate the respect for the public service work performed by their parents. Farihah Kemp, for instance, praises her father’s role as a sanitation worker, describing it as crucial and physically demanding. “Every hour I spend working is a reflection of the lessons he’s taught me: that hard work is honorable, that every contribution matters and that we are stronger when we support one another.” Similarly, Kimberly Wang connects her mother’s nursing profession to the union’s role in maintaining her work-life balance and dignity.

The concept of “the union difference” is given a personal touch by these students. Sophia Dailey shares that AFSCME’s advocacy for fair wages allowed her mother to leave behind multiple jobs. Christina Shaju notes the transformation in her family’s financial situation when her father became a corrections officer and AFSCME member. Emilia Regan-Boné values the medical benefits secured through union negotiations, which alleviate common family concerns. Aaron Gill expresses relief knowing that his father, a social services worker battling stage 4 cancer, can access necessary treatments without financial devastation. Alivia Foster encapsulates it well: “It is not just about financial security; it is about the ability to dream and aspire to a better life.”

These young writers also recognize their parents’ dedication to public service and community advocacy. Emilie Garrabrant admires her mother’s AFSCME membership, which empowers her to advocate for herself and the vulnerable people she serves as a social worker. Mason Jordan learned the importance of workplace advocacy from his mother, a 911 dispatcher who became a shop steward, emphasizing the power of organized efforts.

Inspired by their parents, many students plan to pursue careers in public service. Aadarsh Kumar recounts his mother’s journey from an Indian immigrant to a library worker in the U.S., highlighting the library’s role in their family’s education. Aadarsh became a library volunteer, teaching programming to middle school students. “Libraries are one of our most sacred institutions, and ours would not have the resources it has today without the work of AFSCME,” he notes, intending to further equity and inclusion in communities.

The essays of these AFSCME children are a testament to the union’s enduring influence as they embark on college at a time when financial support for working families is uncertain. The proposed budget cut to Pell grants by the Trump administration highlights the challenges ahead, although the Senate rejected these cuts. AFSCME remains committed to advocating for student aid programs to ensure educational opportunities for all, underscoring the importance of initiatives like the AFSCME Family Scholarship program.

For AFSCME members with high school seniors or financially dependent grandchildren, more information on the scholarship program is available on our website, with applications due by December 31 each year. Additional scholarship opportunities for members and the Union Plus College Program can also be explored online.