Daniel Alicea is a special education teacher with 28 years of experience serving middle school students in Title 1 schools. A proud product of New York City public schools, Daniel grew up in the Bronx and Queens as the son of Puerto Rican and Dominican immigrants. His personal experiences, combined with his professional background, have shaped his deep commitment to advocating for equity, inclusion, and high-quality education for all students.

Daniel began his teaching career in 1997, teaching Social Studies and English Language Arts at I.S. 231 in the Laurelton-Springfield Gardens section of Queens. There, he also served as the Spanish and technology coordinator, demonstrating his versatility and leadership within the school community. From 2006 to 2014, Daniel continued his teaching career in Houston, Texas, before returning home to New York City to teach and advocate for students at MS 53 in Far Rockaway, Queens.

At MS 53, Daniel serves as Chair of the School Leadership Team and as UFT Chapter Delegate. His strong leadership helped prevent the closure of his school and successfully limited charter school expansion within the shared co-location campus. Known for building trusted relationships and fostering a supportive environment, Daniel is a respected advocate for students with disabilities and a key figure in his school community.

Daniel’s union involvement is extensive. As a UFT delegate, he has balanced the interests of students, families, and staff, serving on the 2023 UFT Contract Committee. Alongside James Eterno and others, he helped organize a petition signed by over 11,000 UFT members demanding direct input into changes to healthcare agreements. He has proposed union motions and resolutions to end unilateral mayoral control of NYC schools, develop a comprehensive plan to fix para pay, expand union democracy, and prevent the privatization of Medicare for union retirees.

As a union organizer, Daniel is the lead editor of The Wire newsletter, which reaches over 16,000 subscribers. He has also partnered with the NYC Organization of Public Service Retirees on projects to protect retirees’ traditional Medicare benefits. His work is driven by a vision of a more democratic, transparent, and responsive union that truly represents and supports its members.

Daniel is running for Vice President of Middle Schools with A Better Contract UFT because he believes in building a union that educators can trust. His approach emphasizes accountability, open communication, and a relentless commitment to the needs of middle school educators and the communities they serve. Through his leadership, Daniel aims to create a stronger, more effective UFT that delivers real change and champions the voices of its members.