Cindia “Lynn” Fields is a proud veteran of the United States Army since serving 5 years with the Military Police Corps. Lynn is a 22-year veteran with the Illinois Department of Corrections. She has successfully promoted through the ranks and is currently the first Black female Lieutenant at her facility. A vocal and loyal member since the beginning of her career, she started Union activism in 2015 as the Recording Secretary for AFSCME Local 3654 (Southwestern IL Correctional Center) in E. St Louis, Illinois. In October 2021 she was elected President of the Local thereby making her the first Black female President of a male correctional facility in the state of Illinois. Lynn is also serving as the elected AFSCME PEOPLE Chair where she oversees the political arm of the union for District 9,
covering the most populous counties in Southern Illinois. She is called upon and is honored to serve as a subject matter expert and representative of statewide AFSCME Council 31 on new organizing for non-union workers, as well as activism like lobbying lawmakers and community outreach. Recently, she was appointed to serve on both the state contract bargaining committee and
the Dangerous Contraband in Correctional Mailrooms subcommittee for negotiations affecting some 37,000 Illinois AFSCME members.

Lynn’s extensive Union training includes: AFSCME Women’s Leadership Academy, United Association for Labor Educators (UALE) Women’s Southern Summer School, United for a Fair Economy Economics for Everyone training, Regina V. Polk Women’s Leadership School (2017 alumni), Certificate of Labor Studies University of Illinois, Regina V. Polk Women & Power advanced leadership certificate, and the AFSCME Summer Leadership School.

When Lynn is not organizing and advocating for social justice and liberation, she enjoys traveling and reading. Lynn is the proud mother of two proud, strong Black women, Toni (27) and Lyric (24). She also has three spoiled grand-dogs Marley (Lab), Goonie (chihuahua mix) and Ollie (Lab/Pit mix).