Cruz Gomez: a Latina Voice for Radical, Peaceful Activism

The Resource Center for Nonviolence presents another in our series,

Conversations in Nonviolence:

Cruz Gomez, a Latina Voice for Radical, Peaceful, Activism

Saturday, August 23 from 3:00 to 5:00 p.m.
upstairs at the Resource Center for Nonviolence
515 Broadway, Santa Cruz

Cruz is on a brief return visit to Santa Cruz County. It's a chance to be inspired and to rededicate ourselves to the struggle for justice for all.

Cruz Gomez is a community organizer, social service provider, writer, and activist who worked in Watsonville during the late 1970's through the early 1990's. She worked with injured workers, cannery workers, farm workers, and those with little resources to navigate and challenge public institutions to respond to their needs. During the 1989 earthquake Cruz worked tirelessly to help Watsonville residents who lost their homes, jobs or were in need of other help.

Another focus of Cruz's work was fighting "the Migra." Cruz helped local residents to organize as the "Adelante Immigration Group" who pressured then Congressman Leon Panetta to form an INS Task Force. Eventually, pressure by Congressman Panetta on the INS reduced their sweeps. It also led to the passage of "non-cooperation ordinances" in 1989 and 1990 by the cities of Watsonville and Santa Cruz and continued immigrant rights activities. Cruz helped to establish the Santa Cruz County Immigration Project which continued immigrant rights work as well as immigration legal services.

Contact: Barbara Hayes (831) 423-1626 X105 or barbara [at] greybird.com