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AFSCME member is the proud father of a gold-medal-winning Olympian

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AFSCME member is the proud father of a gold-medal-winning Olympian
By Mark McCullough ·
Tags: Our Stories
AFSCME member is the proud father of a gold-medal-winning Olympian

MIAMI – Team USA won gold in the women’s 4x100 meter relay at the 2024 Paris Olympics thanks to amazing performances by Melissa Jefferson, Twanisha "TeeTee" Terry, Gabrielle Thomas and Sha'Carri Richardson.

AFSCME Florida member Antwan Terry was in the crowd at the Stade de France, cheering on his eldest daughter, TeeTee Terry.

Antwan Terry was there not just to support his daughter but also to bring the love and support of his employer, the City of Miami Beach, and his union, AFSCME. Antwan traveled to Paris following a surprise sendoff celebration held by the city.

“You give Antwan a goal, he is going to get it done no matter what. He has always made being there for his children one of his top goals,” said Delroy Ireland, a sanitation employee for Miami Beach and president of AFSCME Local 1554. “So when TeeTee qualified for the Olympic team, there was never a doubt he was going to be there and be that team’s biggest supporter. It is a testament to who he is as a father that he has raised such a great family while holding down two full-time jobs.”

Antwan Terry, whom his daughter credits for being the biggest piece of her support system, is an 18-year employee of the Miami Beach’s Parks and Recreation Department and is an elected trustee of Local 1554.

He is also head custodian at Greynolds Park Elementary School and has worked for the Miami-Dade County Public Schools for 22 years, and a proud member of AFSCME Local 1184. His other daughters include one now in her fifth year of U.S. Naval service, another completing her U.S. Army bootcamp training, another beginning her nursing degree work at the University of Florida, and his youngest is 2 years old.

“Paris was an experience like no other, simply mind-blowing,” said Antwan Terry. “I always go to all her big competitions, she is the reason I started traveling actually, and there is no feeling like when you see your child getting the reward for all the hard work you know they have put in to get there. When I saw her on the stage with that gold medal, it was a moment like no other.”

Photo

Member provided photo.

Before becoming a collegiate star at the University of Southern California, TeeTee Terry excelled at Miami Beach Nautilus Middle School and Miami’s Northwestern Senior High. Every step along the way, Antwan Terry was almost always cheering her on.

He knows the AFSCME difference is really worth its weight in gold. When he needed to be there to support her dreams, his contract gave him a dependable work schedule so he could accompany her. When TeeTee Terry was injured, Antwan’s union-negotiated health coverage made sure she got the care she needed to get back into top form.

From fair pay to good benefits, Antwan Terry could provide for his family even as he built a strong relationship with his employer that helped carry him all the way to Paris.

“Having a union definitely helped through the years … with leave time, set hours, obviously the health care,” Antwan Terry said. “Most importantly, I think it gives you the chance to build a real relationship with your boss and your employer.”

Ireland said the same energy and spirit that has helped inspire Antwan Terry’s daughters is evident in everything Terry does for his union, from signing up new members to keeping everyone up to date on their AFSCME news.

Ireland said he once asked Antwan Terry how he can get it all done and that his answer was one he’ll never forget: “If you’re a dreamer, you can’t sleep; you’ve got to keep chasing your dreams.”

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