BROOKLYN — When Brooklyn Developmental Center Local President Faye Wilkie-Fields first got elected as a local officer, she admittedly didn’t have much knowledge about CSEA.
Today, Wilkie-Fields also serves as the Metropolitan Region Secretary and chairs numerous committees, including the CSEA Standing Women’s Committee and her region’s Women’s Committee.
Her endless hard work and mentorship by other union women gave Wilkie-Fields the confidence to gain the knowledge and experience to lead. She is also fueled by her strong faith and determination. “I learned that your work precedes you,” she said.
Among the leaders who helped her learn more about running the local are two of her local president predecessors: now CSEA Executive Vice President Denise Berkley, who initially had Wilkie-Fields join the local leadership slate, and CSEA Labor Relations Specialist Adriane Hudson, who pushed Wilkie-Fields to master her skills.
For one year, Wilkie-Fields would work her overnight shift and then voluntarily report to the CSEA local office during the day before going home to rest before her shift.
“This wasn’t for money; it was [to gain]knowledge,” she said. “I wanted to be ready to lead when the time came.”
After Hudson joined the union’s staff, Wilkie-Fields, who is from Guyana and speaks with a local accent, was still reluctant to step into a leadership role.
“I doubted myself, not knowing I had a greater thing within me,” she said. “I didn’t think I had it in me to lead.”
Then, Wilkie-Fields was selected to participate in the union’s CSEA Leadership and Education Development (LEAD) Program, which grooms future CSEA activists. “I always thought my accent was a barrier,” she said. “Then, I went to LEAD and I learned to (publicly) speak.”
LEAD pushed her to not only get past her reluctance to be in a leadership role, but to pursue an Associate’s Degree in Labor Studies.
“That’s what really opened up my knowledge,” she said. “It’s so important to our work. We really need to push forward because the future eventually becomes history.”
Wilkie-Fields also readily admits she is a fighter, including for social justice, labor rights and human rights. “When someone’s rights are being violated, I speak up and let my feelings be known,” she said. “Every day, I fight against segregation and for equality.”
Her strong determination to fight for members was a key factor in helping Wilkie-Fields cope with a difficult time in her local. In Spring 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic had hit New York City hard, with the virus claiming the life of the local’s 1st Vice President, Ed Holder.
“We went through a very bad time, but I still felt I had to be there (for members) because leaders never quit,” Wilkie-Fields said. “I had to put my emotions behind me and continue to lead. I was determined to make sure that we don’t lose another member. I never left the front line.”
As chair of the union’s Standing Women’s Committee, Wilkie-Fields is determined to give union women the tools, training and inspiration to succeed. “This is a sisterhood and we want women to know they’re not alone,” she said. “We must stand up to be recognized and not be silent. We must fight for equality and inspire women to get knowledge and rise up.”
— Janice Gavin
