Black History Month Spotlight: Kim Edwards, CWA Local 1298
Each week throughout February we're highlighting one of our members, nominated by their peers, for our Black History Month Spotlight, lifting up their contributions and the impact they've made in our union and communities. You can nominate a fellow CWA member or retiree here.
Kim is not just active in Local 1298, she is present, engaged, and deeply invested in the lives of the members she represents. As a Local Union Steward, a member of the Local 1298 Civil Rights and Equity Committee, a member of our Organizing Committee and our Political Coordinator, Kim consistently shows up when members need answers, guidance, and someone willing to fight for them.
Since beginning her career with Southern New England Telephone Company in 1996. Through many mergers with SBC, at&t, Frontier and most recently Verizon she has been an active and proud CWA member and she uses her dedication and knowledge every day to advocate for our members.
Kim has been a trusted and vocal advocate on critical issues that directly impact working families. Over the years, she has advocated to pass legislation for Family and Medical Leave Act protections, ensuring that workers facing serious health or family challenges were treated with dignity and fairness. Most recently, Kim has been instrumental in advocating around unemployment benefits for striking workers, making sure members understood their rights and pushing for accountability during one of the most difficult moments a worker can face. These are not abstract issues. They are lifelines, and Kim treats them that way.
Kim is also a graduate of the CWA Minorities Leadership Institute, a program rooted in the union’s long-standing commitment to civil rights and equity. Through 21 days of rigorous study and hands-on experience, MLI participants receive training in labor history, union leadership, organizing, collective bargaining, labor law, communications, and civil rights within the labor movement. Kim’s completion of this program reflects her commitment not only to personal growth, but to lifting others and strengthening the union as a whole.
Beyond the union, Kim’s leadership extends into public service. She is a three term elected Alder for the City of New Haven, Connecticut, and serves as Chairperson of the New Haven Black and Hispanic Caucus. Whether in City Hall or on the shop floor, Kim brings the same values with her: fairness, accountability, and a belief that working people deserve a real voice.