Angela Bonilla

Portland Association of Teachers

Angela Bonilla was a 4 th grade Spanish immersion teacher in Portland, Oregon until 2022. She’d only been a teacher in Portland for 6 years when she ran for President of the Portland Association of Teachers and won, making her the first Black, Latina, openly queer and openly disabled President of the PAT. With experience as an Association representative at her building, on the PAT bargaining Team since 2020, and in the Grievance and Advocacy Committee, Angela and her team built a contract campaign that activated and captivated our city.  Last November, she helped lead her union on a 15-day strike, winning crucial improvements to environmental and student safety, additional supports and rights for students with disabilities, and language that ensures the district will collaborate with educators and parents to try to remedy large class sizes.