On June 25, 1969, the UFT Paraprofessionals Chapter signed its first contract with the DOE. Founding paraprofessionals recount their chapter’s history and talk about the immense progress that paraprofessionals have made as a result of joining the UFT. “The day that Albert Shanker signed on the dotted line, our lives changed,” said Paraprofessionals Chapter Leader Shelvy Young-Abrams.