05/17/2026
In April, members of CWA’s Retired Members’ Council (RMC), along with CWA Chief of Staff Sylvia J. Ramos, attended the 2026 National Membership Meeting for the Alliance for Retired Americans (ARA). The event, which was held in Las Vegas, Nev., was themed “Retiree Power: 25 Years and Growing.” Chief of Staff Ramos stood in for CWA President Claude Cummings Jr., who will be taking a seat on the ARA Board of Directors.
The CWA RMC was well-represented, with board members from nearly every district and sector in attendance. This strong participation allowed attendees to gain greater insight into the Alliance’s mission, coalition work, and advocacy initiatives. They heard directly from ARA leadership, including ARA President Robert Roach Jr. and ARA Executive Director Richard Fiesta, who provided insight into current national issues impacting retirees and older Americans.
One key focus of the conference was the need for effective communication and organizing strategies. Workshops included instruction on best practices for social media content creation, awareness of current artificial intelligence scams targeting older people, and protecting Social Security. Attendees also had the opportunity to participate in a roundtable discussion to identify the greatest challenges and opportunities for retiree engagement leading into the 2026 midterm elections.
The meeting also featured coalition discussions and strategic planning sessions focused on strengthening retiree engagement and advocacy efforts heading into 2027 and beyond.
