“American Agitators” Documentary Screening (Nights with the Museum)

Join us for a screening of the documentary film American Agitators, which focuses on the legacy of labor organizers Fred Ross Sr. and his son, Fred Ross Jr. The elder Ross is credited with helping to invent modern grassroots organizing techniques, and the film covers his work with Dust Bowl migrants, Japanese Americans incarcerated during World War III, and his role in training leaders like Dolores Huerta of the United Farm Workers. The screening is presented by the Inland Empire Labor Council (IELC) and UC Riverside’s Inland Empire Labor & Community Center (IELCC). IELC Executive Secretary-Treasurer Ricardo Cisneros and IELCC Executive Director Cheylynda Barnard will introduce the documentary and answer questions about the broader labor movement.

Ricardo Cisneros is the Executive Secretary-Treasurer of the Inland Empire Labor Council, AFL-CIO. He got his start in the labor movement by educating his coworkers on their rights as a cook at UC Irvine & UC Riverside. After this, he rose through the ranks of the labor movement with the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees, reinvigorating the local branch of United Domestic Workers, and becoming the top officer at the IE Labor Council.

Cheylynda Barnard is Executive Director of the Inland Empire Labor & Community Center and a lifelong advocate for working families and Inland Empire communities. An 18-year Moreno Valley resident and former Riverside County social worker, Cheylynda has spent her career building stronger communities through labor organizing, public service, and civic engagement, including as Vice President of SEIU Local 721, a board member of the Inland Empire Labor Council, and currently as Mayor Pro Tem of Moreno Valley. She is committed to creating a more just and thriving Inland Empire for working families and future generations.

This screening of documentary film American Agitators is scheduled for Thursday, October 22, from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at the Riverside Main Library Community Room, 3900 Mission Inn Avenue, Riverside CA 92501.