We the Future Social Justice Conference 2024
Friday May 3rd, 9:00am-2:30pm
Hosted by Santa Rosa Junior College (SRJC) and North Bay Organizing Project (NBOP)
This FREE day-long conference aims to raise consciousness and inspire action. For those feeling the call toward political engagement, We the Future offers an opportunity to build solidarity among activists of color, working-class folks, interfaith allies, feminists, members of the LGBTQ+ community, immigrants and the undocumented, labor organizers, and environmentalists whose diverse work is united by a desire to build a more just, humane world.
This year’s theme, “Community Power and Collaboration: Building Alliances for Land Justice,” focuses on land theft as a product of settler colonial, white supremacy impacting the trajectory of generations of Black, Indigenous, Persons of Color, globally. However, rather than a narrative of displacement and oppression, our conference will explore the unbroken resistance to colonialism. Sessions will focus on various ways indigenous people have survived in the face of oppression and attempted genocide and what that resistance can teach other allied movements against dehumanization and theft. Conference sessions will cover topics such as using ancestral knowledge for sustaining a relationship with the land, languages, and traditions as well as discussions of equitable access to healthcare and education. Together, we will analyze current movements, proposals, and land use policies with a critical lens towards land justice. There will be opportunities to learn about current calls for land justice, and land back coalition building, as well as efforts to steward the land and support environmental education.
Featuring Keynote Speaker: Dr. César A. Cruz
From marching 76-straight miles, to hunger striking for 26 days, Dr. César A. Cruz has dedicated his life to justice. Born in México, he migrated to the U.S. with a single mother. Dr. Cruz is from Jalisco, México of Huichol/Mexica roots. César grew up in South Central L.A. and moved to study at UC Berkeley earning a B.A.-History. He has now been a resident of East Oakland for 33 years. A 30-year vet in education, César is the co-founder the Homies Empowerment Program now in its 15th year. The grassroots organization is evolving to become a community-based independent high school for youth who have been given up on. They just launched the FREEdom School as a new independent high school. Their mission is to help youth channel the healer, warrior, scholar and hustler within on their journey towards individual and community emancipation. Homies Empowerment also operates a FREEdom Store, Care Center, Learning Center, and FREEdom Farm. Dr. Cruz is also the author of “Revenge of The Illegal Alien,” and “Bang for Freedom.” He received his Doctorate in Ed. Leadership (Ed.L.D.) at Harvard University. Dr. Cruz is considered one of America’s 30 education thought leaders by the Christian Science Monitor. However, he is proudest to be a husband, and father of three children: Olin, Amaru and Quetzali.
For questions feel free to reach out to the team at OurHouse@santarosa.edu