honoring playwright, actor, director
Luis Valdez

with a special performance by

Speakers included

Mayor of Los Angeles, Antonio Villaraigosa
Paul Hernandez, Director of Public Affairs, The California Endowment

Dolores Huerta, co-founder United Farm Workers

Lupe Ontiveros, actress and actvist, who performed in the original Valdez play, Zoot Suit, in California and then on Broadway, and in the film; Lupe brought along fellow Zoot Suit performer and actor/director Mike Gomez and actress/playwright (Luminarias) Evelina Fernandez

El Teatro Campesino performed "Las Dos Caras del Patroncito," a funny, poignant, evocative and provocative skit that El Teatro performed in the fields in the 1960's to support the struggle of farmworkers in the fields. They also performed songs that supported the striking workers and built labor solidarity. It was a wonderful evening.

Sponsors included:

The California Endowment

UFCW Charitable Foundation

UNITE HERE

Defenders of Wildlife

Jo Ann K. Intili

Natural Resources Defense Council

Ellen Widess and Rick Warren

Construction and General Labors, Local 230

St. Supery Vineyards

National Council of La Raza

Rural Housing, Inc. (New Mexico)

Bruce Goldstein and Robin Talbert

David Damian Figueroa

Thanks very much David Damian Figueroa for his help and to National Council of La Raza and The California Endowment. The event featured the unionized winery, St. Supery.