2025-2026 Nellie Stone Johnson Scholarship Recipients

Honoring the Next Generation of Labor Leaders

AFSCME Council 5 is proud of our recipients of the 2025 Nellie Stone Johnson Scholarship, an award that supports members and their families as they pursue higher education and carry forward the fight for justice, equity, and dignity at work.

The 2025-2026 recipients are:

• Eason Lor, AFSCME Local 151, Ramsey County
• Roseline Ameyaw, AFSCME Local 607, Department of Human Services & Education-Faribault
• Margarita Irlanda Ruiz, AFSCME Local 638, SUS Mankato & Tech College
• Manisha Roberts, AFSCME Local 2829, City of Bloomington

Each of these students reflects the values Nellie Stone Johnson championed throughout her life: courage, leadership, and a refusal to accept the status quo.

Why This Scholarship Matters
The Nellie Stone Johnson Scholarship is more than financial support—it is an investment in the future of the labor movement. Named for a legendary labor organizer and civil rights activist, the scholarship honors Nellie’s lifelong commitment to improving conditions for working people, especially those from marginalized communities.

To see the impact of this scholarship, we can look to the journey of Margarita Ruiz, a recipient whose story captures exactly why this support is so vital.

Margarita Ruiz: A Story of Purpose and Possibility

Margarita is the proud daughter of Mexican immigrants who grew up hearing stories of exploitation faced by workers striving for the American Dream. Even as a child, she hoped someone would stand up for workers’ rights. As an adult, she saw firsthand the gaps in labor protections—especially for immigrant workers—and decided to be part of the solution.

Now in her final semester of a master’s program in Advocacy & Political Leadership with a concentration in Labor Organizing and Leadership, Margarita will graduate in May, ready to build a career focused on justice and equity for all workers.

“I’ve always defined a radical as someone who is not satisfied with the status quo. And I’m definitely not satisfied with the status quo.”
— Nellie Stone Johnson

That quote resonates deeply with Margarita, who believes we don’t have to accept the world as it is—we have the power to create the world we want to live in.

Union Support Makes Education Possible
Margarita credits AFSCME Council 5’s hard-fought tuition waiver as a key reason she was able to pursue her degree.

“Without it, I would not have been able to pursue my master’s degree. Thank you for getting me one step closer to changing the world.”

Her story is a powerful reminder that when unions invest in education, they strengthen not only individual members—but the labor movement as a whole.

Carrying Nellie’s Legacy Forward

That same promise lives on through this year’s Nellie Stone Johnson Scholarship recipients. Manisha Roberts, Eason Lor, and Roseline Ameyaw are part of a new generation of leaders who are learning, organizing, and preparing to fight for dignity and fairness at work.

AFSCME Council 5 is proud to stand with them—and with all members—who believe, as Nellie did, that we should never settle for the status quo.

Congratulations to the 2025 Nellie Stone Johnson Scholarship recipients!

Scholarship Opportunities for Members and Their Families

AFSCME Council 5 offers several scholarship opportunities to support members and their families pursuing higher education. These scholarships are available for graduating high school seniors, adult members continuing their education, and eligible family members.

Additional scholarship opportunities are also available through AFSCME International and Union Plus as soon as March 1. Deadlines and eligibility vary—members and families are encouraged to apply early. Click below for information and the application for union scholarships.