Jackie Anderson

Jackie Anderson was elected as the Houston Federation of Teach-ers President in 2020. Jackie was recently elected vice president of the American Federation of Teachers. In her leadership roles, Jackie led the devel-opment of HFT’s Leadership Development Program and served as HFT representative on the Houston ISD Special Education Ad Hoc Committee for former superintendent Richard Carranza. Jackie has also served on the District Advisory Committee. In 2017, Jackie co-founded Houston United for Strong Public Schools to advocate for students and elect champions for public education in Houston. Jackie also serves as president of the Harris County Labor Assembly. A lifelong resident of Houston, Jackie worked as a middle school special education teacher for 33 years in her teaching career.

Jackie is married and has one son. She is blessed with four granddaughters. She is a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. and Hadassah Chapter #03, Order of Eastern Star, AF & AM. Additionally, Jackie has been honored by the NAACP with the President’s Award and the Gulf Coast AFL-CIO President’s Award.

As a retired special education teacher, she has always been a union member and an advocate for children, and now teachers and workers in HISD and her community. When she retired from HISD in December 2019, she went to work, continuing her ad-vocacy. She is humbled and yet proud to serve as president of the Houston Federation of Teachers Local 2415.

Her concern for workers and worker rights has always been paramount. Her concern for the last and least has compelled her into service. At the same time, she realizes that the accomplishments that have been made are too precious to lose. Jackie feels we cannot allow those who are divisive and self-promoting to impede future progress, and we cannot afford to lose ground.

Jackie wants to leave this world a better place than the one in which she has lived in– a world where opportunities are a re-ality for all. She believes that unions are the mechanism to achieve this goal. Al-though she views herself as a behind-the-scenes person, she does not mind taking the lead if need be. She too believes that power built is power shared. Collectively and collaboratively, Jackie feels we can sustain what we have accomplished, and united we can achieve more success and gain great ground. She believes in organized labor, racial justice, and the democratic process.