Andrei Joseph, the former president of the Concord-Carlisle Teachers Association and a longtime member of the Retired Members Committee, is the 2026 recipient of the Honor Our Own Award.
He will be recognized at a celebration on April 12, 2027, at the Garden at Elm Bank in Wellesley, the RMC announced. Registration information will be announced in early spring.
Joseph, who joined the MTA in 1978, retired after a 33-year teaching career at Concord-Carlisle High School. His unionism in retirement has included serving on the Retired Members Committee and as an elected member of the MTA Executive Committee.
He was instrumental in helping lead the RMC to take on issues confronting the union, including anti-racism and social justice initiatives, which began with the committee having conversations with members of color about what they needed in their union. This led to a mentorship program that pairs retired educators of color with new educators of color. An active member of the Wisdom Warriors, Joseph often can be seen at rallies, State House hearings and supporting local labor actions.
He has long been committed to the MTA as a democratic, member-led union.
“It means creating structures that allow a maximum amount of not just input, but power to members, so that the leadership ends up becoming an expression of the members’ values and interests,” Joseph said in a recent interview.
For more information on the Honor Our Own Award, please visit massteacher.org/honorourown.
