AFGE National President Everett Kelley has been cited by online magazine The Root as one of the country’s top 12 most influential Black politicians.
President Kelley was featured as one of the top influencers in the country when the magazine released its annual Root 100 list in early November. In a new list published Nov. 25, Kelley was singled out as one of the country’s top Black political changemakers – along with leaders including former Vice President Kamala Harris, Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson, and Maryland Gov. Wes Moore.
The magazine highlighted President Kelley’s efforts advocating for federal workers during the longest-ever U.S. government shutdown, which ended Nov. 12 after 43 days.
“In November, Kelley urged Congress to pass the Shutdown Fairness Act, ensuring federal employees are paid during government funding lapses,” the magazine noted.
In naming Kelley to the Root 100 list, the magazine cited his leadership in fighting to secure full collective bargaining rights for transportation security officers, opposing Project 2025, and fighting the Trump administration’s efforts to fire mass numbers of federal workers.
“The Alabama native continues to advocate for more than 800,000 federal workers amid major institutional challenges, cementing his role as the necessary and unyielding voice defending the integrity of America’s public service,” the magazine said.
Since taking office in January 2025, President Trump has issued a series of unlawful executive orders, and taken several unlawful actions, seeking to shut down congressionally mandated agencies, fire and displace federal workers, outlaw their unions, and gut merit systems protections.
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A federal judge has ordered the Department of Veterans Affairs to reinstate the union contract covering 320,000 VA employees represented by AFGE in a major victory over the implementation of President Trump’s union-busting executive orders.
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As the Department of Homeland Security shutdown reaches the one-month mark with no end in sight, AFGE leaders are calling on Congress to ensure all DHS workers are paid.
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