The American Federation of Teachers convention here honored 300 Filipino teachers in Louisiana who fought back against an unscrupulous recruiting agency that lured them to the U.S. where they worked under conditions of near-peonage.
Dr. Lorretta Johnson, AFT executive vice president, presented the President’s International Democracy Award to Ingrid Jomento-Cruz, founder of the Filipino Educators Federation of Louisiana, in a July 9 ceremony. “It took great courage for the Filipino teachers to come forward,” Johnson said. “Just think about the qualities these teachers have: personal courage, the willingness to speak up and the belief in collective action.”
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