AFT Vice President
Shelvy Young Abrams began her career as a classroom paraprofessional in 1968, working in a Title I reading program.  She quickly became active in the union at her school and was elected United Federation of Teachers ( New York City) paraprofessional representative in 1970.

In 1998, she began to work full time at the UFT.  As a UFT special paraprofessional representative, Abrams visits schools in Brooklyn and Manhattan.  In 1998 she was elected the first vice chairperson of the UFT paraprofessional chapter.  Shelvy is a member of the Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance, New York Chapter (APLA), AFT Black Caucus New York State Chapter, UFT Women's Rights Committee,  AFT PSRP program and policy council and the central labor council.  She serves as co-chair of the AFT women's rights committee and president of the New York City Coalition of Labor Union Women’s chapter. Shelvy also serves as a delegate to the AFT and NYSUT conventions, on the NYSUT SRP task force, and on the NYSUT board of directors.