CALL FOR PARTICIPANTS FOR AN LA IMMIGRANT RIGHTS ACADEMIC WRITING AND WORKING GROUP Beyond "La Gran Epoca Primavera 2006": A historical analysis of the Immigrant Rights Movement in Los Angeles Convened by: Jesse Díaz, University of California, Riverside Luisa Heredia, Harvard University Saturday, January 5, 2008 at 1pm, Casa del Mexicano, 2900 Pedro Infante Dr., East Los Angeles The mass mobilizations of spring 2006 in Los Angeles were the largest demonstrations ever witnessed in the United States. Undocumented immigrants and their supporters took to the streets to protest against repressive immigration legislation and for a comprehensive immigration reform. Yet, contrary, to popular perception these mobilizations were not "spontaneous" eruptions, rather they form part of a larger movement for immigrants' rights that includes a cadre of leaders, organizations, and community members that have been organizing and struggling against consistent repressive anti-immigrant legislation as far back as the 1960's. In order to more systematically engage and examine the Immigrant Rights Movement in Los Angeles, we are forming a working group of academic scholars who are examining immigrants' rights in Los Angeles as far back as the 1960s. We plan to compile an edited volume on Los Angeles covering a range of topics. Areas of study include but are not limited to labor participation, student participation, civic and political organizations, leadership, coalition building, ethnic and racial community participation, ideology, immigration policy, and repression. We are calling on academic activists that have been considering or are currently working on immigrant rights and the Movimiento in Los Angeles to participate in the first organizational meeting of this working group to be held at Teatro Casa del Mexicano in East Los Angeles. For more information: (213.725.1714) e-mail:
[email protected] Jesse Diaz, Jr. Criminology & Race and Class Inequality ASA.NIMH Minority Fellow University of California, Riverside Sociology Department, Riverside, California 92521