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American Agitators poster

American Agitators poster

American Agitators event brings together SCU and Local Community

On Tuesday, November 4, in the St. Clare Room, there was a film screening of American Agitators, a new documentary about Fred Ross, Sr., the organizer who mentored Cesar Chavez and Dolores Huerta, and worked with them to build the Community Service Organization (arguably the first major Latine civic and political organization in California) and the United Farm Workers. Religious Studies faculty member Nicholas Hayes-Mota was a driving force behind this event.

The American Agitators event was quite a success. Over 100 people attended the film screening, with a roughly even balance between university affiliates (faculty, staff, and students) and community members. The small group conversations following the screenings, which intentionally brought together university and community attendees, were quite rich, and the participants found them worthwhile. Several RS faculty attended, as did Dean Press. Overall, the event marked a strong first step towards a potentially lasting collaboration between SCU and Silicon Valley Allied for the Common Good.

St. Clare room full of viewers of the documentary American AgitatorsParticipants viewing documentary American Agitators
St. Clare room full of viewers of the documentary American AgitatorsPost screening discussion group conversation