Rev. Terrence L. Melvin, President - Coalition of Black Trade Unionists (CBTU)
Rev. Terrence L. Melvin, President - Coalition of Black Trade Unionists (CBTU)
holds the second highest office in the New York State labor movement
– Secretary-Treasurer of the 2.5 million members, New York State AFL-CIO. In July 2007,
Mr. Melvin was elected to this position. In August 2008, he was re-elected to a four-year
term.
In May 2012, at the 41st International Convention of the CBTU, Mr. Melvin was elected
unanimously as the organization’s new president, succeeding William (Bill) Lucy, who had
held the position since he co-founded CBTU in 1972. CBTU, which is dedicated to
addressing the unique concerns of black workers and their communities, has 50 chapters
in major U.S. cities and one in Ontario, Canada. President Emeritus Lucy is a heralded Civil
Rights and Labor Leader, marching with Dr. King and working with Nelson Mandela
advocating the end of apartheid in South Africa.
Amongst his various Labor and community roles, Mr. Melvin is an ordained Baptist Minister. He is married to Sonja Marie Melvin, and has three
children
Montserrat Garibay, Assistant Deputy Secretary & Director for the Office of English Language Acquisition
Montserrat Garibay is the Assistant Deputy Secretary and Director for the Office of English Language Acquisition at the U.S. Department of Education. She was formerly Senior Advisor for Labor Relations at the Office of the Secretary.
Garibay was a bilingual pre-kindergarten teacher for eight years and National Board-Certified Teacher in Austin, Texas. She came to the U.S. from Mexico City as an undocumented immigrant and became a citizen 20 years later. She graduated from the University of Texas-Austin with a Master of Education.
Michael Harriot, author of Black AF History: The Unwhitewashed Story of America
Michael Harriot is an award-winning journalist, bestselling author, celebrated poet and public historian hailed as "one of the most eloquent writers in America." His NY Times Bestseller Black AF History: The Unwhitewashed Story of America is required reading in at least 10 universities and numerous colleges have adopted his "Race as an Economic Construct" curriculum, which examines social structures using history, data and the laws of supply and demand. Michael is one of the most-requested public speakers and scholars on the subject of Black history, journalism, and race. He currently serves as a columnist for theGrio and The Guardian covering the intersection of race, politics, and culture.