Rep. Soñia Galaviz captivated an audience of more than 200 Idaho Education Association members.
When Soñia Galaviz was struggling to reach her “babies” – her students – from behind a computer screen during the Covid-19 pandemic, a group of Buddhist nuns on the other side of the world revived her spirit.
When she visited a classroom in South Africa without money for essentials like seats, the enthusiasm of the students and the fierce dedication of the teachers reinvigorated her sense of gratitude.
When she was elected to the Idaho House of Representatives and felt burdened by the Legislature’s vitriolic tone, she rediscovered her purpose by leading a visually impaired student on a tour through the Statehouse.
The one thing these disparate experiences have in common? They were made possible by relationships she built through the Idaho Education Association.
WATCH THE SUMMER INSTITUTE KEYNOTE
Galaviz, a longtime member of the Boise Education Association, spoke about her experiences Wednesday during her keynote speech at the IEA’s Summer Institute in Lewiston. Galaviz spoke to more than 200 educators from around the state who gathered for the annual professional development event.
“The one thing that I take away with me every day – every day that I teach, every day that I’m at the Legislature – is that I’m not doing this adventure alone,” Galaviz said, tying into Summer Institute’s “Adventure Awaits” theme.
Deep Union Connections and Thanksgiving
As Galaviz explained, her union connections have opened doors in far-flung locations – such as when she was invited to teach science to Buddhist nuns in Dharamshala, India, or to tour classrooms in Johannesburg. As Galaviz spoke, she connected each one of her adventures back to tenets she learned from her association with the union, including courage, raising her voice, compassion, interdependence and persistence.
Even before she became a member of the IEA, union values were part of her everyday life. Her father, who completed only an eighth-grade education because he had to help support his parents and siblings, moved Galaviz’s family to North Idaho for a mining job. Her father was a Teamster who held collective bargaining conversations at the family’s kitchen table, so when Galaviz became an educator, there was no doubt she would join her local.
“It never even dawned on me not to do it, because I wanted to go home for Thanksgiving,” she said. “And I knew if I wanted to be welcome back in the home, I’d have to.”
Union Engagement and Career Advancement
Once she was a member, she found many ways to advance her professional and personal ambitions: becoming involved in her building, serving as a building rep, going to Delegate Assembly, running for board positions, joining the women and minority caucus.
“There is a plethora of what we can do – anything you want,” she said.
But Galaviz took her work a step further when she ran for her seat in the Idaho Legislature. Even then, her union experience helped prepare her. IEA Associate Director Matt Compton encouraged her to run for office. Her fellow members knocked on doors to support her campaign. When she was elected to represent District 16, she knew she had the backing of her union and a sense of purpose.
IEA as Her North Star
“I’m so grateful for the north star that this association gives because we are very blessed,” she said. “We are not having an identity crisis. Which other people in this country are? We are not agnostic, looking for a leader, looking for something to believe in. We know what we believe in. We know what our values are. We know where we’re going.”
Mariah Hopkins, a member of the West Ada Education Association, said she was impressed by how genuine Galaviz was and loved hearing about her experiences with students in South Africa.
“That was one that hit me right in the heart,” she said. “I work with language learners who come from Africa, and so that part got me right in the feels that I’m part of their ticket out. And I just love that. So it was great to find that north star again.”
Rep. Sonia Galaviz, a member of the Boise Education Association, gave the keynote address.
Galaviz is helping new educators discover how their union can help them focus on their north stars – even if they aren’t in Idaho. She recounted a recent hiking trip with her daughter and her daughter’s friends, including three student teachers from Maryland. Galaviz used their time on a canyon trail (“Those poor things were trapped, literally trapped!” she laughed) to persuade the new educators to join their local.
“I loved seeing the impact the union had on her,” said Sarah Bender of the Twin Falls Education Association. “And the impact it has had on issues, like talking to future members – future members, instead of just future teachers.”
The Anchor that Leads with Hope
As Galaviz wrapped up her speech, she shared her hope that the union will continue to “speak the language of possibility.”
“We are not only the light at the end of the tunnel,” she said. “We are the tunnel. We are the path through darkness. Together. We know what we have to do, and we are supporting each other in that work … When everybody else wants to walk away, throw up their hands, we don’t.
“We stay. We anchor in and we lead with hope.”