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A Connecticut lawmaker and two union leaders are this year’s announced honorees at the People’s World Amistad Awards, a Dec. 12 ceremony in New Haven celebrating the Communist Party USA’s 107th anniversary. The theme is “Which Side Are You On!”
The recipients are state Rep. Maryam Khan, UNITE HERE Local 34 organizer Ellen Cupo and Hartford Federation of Teachers Vice President Stuart Beckford. The organizers describe them as allies in building a movement to put people, peace and the planet before profits.
The Oct. 16 invitation praises Khan as “an inspiring leader, educator, fighter for working-class children and families.” Cupo is recognized for her work organizing Yale employees, while Beckford is credited with building union power through AFT Connecticut and the Connecticut AFL-CIO.
The event combines award presentations, music and political solidarity, with organizers pledging support for Danbury Unites for Immigrants and union workers in contract fights at Lawrence + Memorial Hospital in New London.
Organizers are also soliciting advertisements for a commemorative greeting book, with a Nov. 20 deadline for organizations to put their support on paper.
Those books provide more than a list of award recipients. They record which institutions attach their names to the celebration.
The 2024 greeting book contains messages from major Connecticut unions, including the Connecticut Education Association, AFSCME Council 4 and the Connecticut AFL-CIO. Other participants include Connecticut Employees Union Independent, CSU-AAUP, the New Haven Federation of Teachers, the Hartford Federation of Paraeducators (AFT Local 2221) and SEIU 32BJ.
And this wasn’t a one-year occurrence. People’s World reported messages from more than 100 unions, coalitions and individuals in its 2023 program.
Ads from Connecticut unions ran alongside messages from the Communist Party’s national committee and local clubs. The program included a tribute to the party, and ad proceeds helped fund People’s World.
People’s World, a news publication, describes itself as “a voice for progressive change and socialism.” It publishes labor news and commentary, including Marxist analysis developed by the Communist Party. Its roots date to 1924, when communists, socialists, union members and other activists founded the Daily Worker in Chicago.
If member dues paid for these messages, union leaders should explain how supporting a Communist Party anniversary publication serves the workers footing the bill. The book identifies the organizations but doesn’t disclose payment amounts or funding sources. Members deserve those answers before their unions authorize any spending on this year’s book.
Public officials have participated, too. Some later said they hadn’t known about the Communist Party ties or the anniversary being celebrated.
In December 2021, U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal appeared at the Amistad Awards and presented recipients with certificates of special recognition from the U.S. Senate. Among the recipients was state Sen. Julie Kushner, a former United Auto Workers organizer recognized for work that included helping pass Connecticut’s $15 minimum wage and paid family and medical leave program, as Yankee Institute reported at the time.
Blumenthal later said he thought he was attending a labor event. “If I had known all of the details, I wouldn’t have gone,” he said, explaining that labor unions had invited him.
Kushner told the News-Times, “I was not aware of the anniversary,” while acknowledging familiarity with the award and the group’s work on youth employment, housing and labor issues. The newspaper noted that the ceremony’s Facebook listing mentioned the Communist Party anniversary.
Past honorees include Sen. Gary Winfield (D-New Haven) in 2023, Jan Hochadel in 2020, Dan Livingston in 2016 and Leslie Blatteau in 2022, according to the 2023 greeting book. Hochadel now serves in the state Senate, Livingston is SEBAC’s chief negotiator and Blatteau heads the New Haven Federation of Teachers.
This year’s union honorees also hold several leadership positions. Beckford serves as his Hartford local’s second vice president and an at-large vice president on AFT Connecticut’s executive committee. The invitation identifies Cupo, a former New Haven alder, as Local 34’s vice president for Yale’s central campus.
The announcement does not confirm whether this year’s honorees will attend. The ceremony is scheduled for 4 p.m. at First & Summerfield United Methodist Church, 425 College Street, New Haven.
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