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Home » Department Reports » AFM Celebrates Organizing Victories and Membership Expansion


AFM Celebrates Organizing Victories and Membership Expansion

July 1, 2026

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Highlighting a new era of cross-border solidarity and organizing campaigns, International President Tino Gagliardi introduced Organizing Services Director Gabe Kristal to present the highly anticipated 2026 AFM Organizing Awards.

Kristal praised the sheer grit of the award recipients, emphasizing that modern campaigns require moving beyond the traditional boundaries of the union. Kristal introduced the leaders who successfully built collective power across orchestral halls, teaching studios, and independent gig economies.

The 2026 honors were presented as follows:

•     New Frontiers Organizing Award—Presented to the teaching artists at Youth Orchestra Los Angeles of Local 47 (Los Angeles, CA), represented by Laura Arganbright and Alex Rosales García. YOLA teaching artists are fighting for a first contract that establishes stable working conditions to benefit both teachers and the students they serve.

•      New Frontiers Organizing Award—Presented to the teaching artists at Sistema New Brunswick of Local 815 (Saint John, NB), represented by Joel Cormier and Swan Serna. Marking a major paradigm shift in unionizing music education, these educators successfully filed and won landmark elections across multiple program sites to secure their first-ever union protection.

•      One Day Longer Organizing Award—Presented to True Concord Orchestra Musicians, Local 33 (Tucson, AZ), accepted by Paula Redinger. Recognizing incredible resilience, the musicians took their fight directly to the streets of Tucson, mobilizing community support to overcome more than 18 months of administrative stalling by management.

•       Trailblazer Organizing Award—Presented to Local 18 President Vincent Osborn and Tom Mitchell, representing the musicians of the Blue Canvas Orchestra / Big Top Chautauqua, members of Local 18 (Duluth, MN). Honoring a hard-fought battle that culminated in securing the first collective bargaining agreement (CBA) for the iconic summer venue’s long-standing house band.

•      Symphonic Services Organizing Award—Presented to Kevin Ann Green, representing the Vista Philharmonic Orchestra Musicians, and Sharon DeCicco, secretary of Local 173-300 (Fitchburg, MA). Driven by concerns surrounding long-term job security, fair compensation, and a desire for a guaranteed voice in the organization’s rapid physical expansion, musicians formed an internal organizing committee in early 2023.

•       Freelance Organizing Award—Presented to Hiruy Tirfe of the Philly Jazz Organizing Committee of Local 77-274 (Philadelphia, PA). Tirfe was recognized for pioneering grassroots, venue-by-venue standards to uplift the independent jazz community in Philadelphia.






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