Event Description
Fred Ross Sr. was one of the most influential community organizers in American history. His activism began alongside Dust Bowl migrants, where he managed the same labor camp that inspired John Steinbeck’s The Grapes of Wrath. During World War II, Ross worked for the release of interned Japanese Americans, and after the war, he dedicated his life to building the political power of Latinos across California. Labor organizing in the United States was forever changed when Ross met a young Cesar Chavez and encouraged him to become an organizer. Ross’s influence continues through the thousands of leaders and organizers trained directly by him or those who learned from him.
Speakers
Gabriel Thompson is an award-winning journalist and the author of several books, including Working in the Shadows, which chronicled a year-long investigation of the working conditions faced by Latino immigrants.
Fred Ross Jr. is a long-time labor and community organizer who has worked with the United Farm Workers, founded Neighbor to Neighbor, and is currently an organizer for the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local 1245. He was trained and mentored by his father Fred Ross Sr. and Cesar Chavez.
Cosponsors
Co-sponsored by the Center for Latin American Studies and the UC Berkeley Labor Center.