DC LaborFest Today: Cesar Chavez, Poetry at Work, Iron Workers & More
Tuesday, May 6, 2014(Metropolitan Washington Council, AFL-CIO)
Cesar
Chavez & Poetry at Work: Busboys & Poets hosts two free DC
LaborFest events tonight
at their 5th Street location (5th & K NW), beginning with the free
6p screening of The Fight in the
Fields: Cesar Chavez
and the Farmworkers' Struggle. More than two years in the
making, this film covers the full arc of Cesar Chávez’ life, using
archival footage, newsreel, and present-day interviews with Ethel Kennedy,
California Governor Jerry Brown, Dolores Huerta, and Chávez’ brother,
sister,
son and daughter, among others to trace the remarkable contributions of Chávez
and others involved in this epic struggle.
Then at 9p
tonight, area poets
-- and maybe you?! -- tackle the workplace, from drudgery to dignity and even
beauty in our first-ever Poetry at Work (free). With featured
poets Kenneth Carroll, Laini Mataka, Sarah Browning and Bomani
Armah as well as an Open Mic opportunity for audience
members. Carroll is the author of the poetry collection So What! For
the White Dude Who Said
This Ain’t Poetry; Mataka's books include Being a Strong Black Woman
Can
Getchu Killed; Armah is best known for his internet smash hit Read a
Book, and
Browning, who organized Poetry at Work for the LaborFest, co-edited DC Poets
Against the War
and is Executive Director of Split This Rock, which co-sponsors the
evening. Busboys &
Poets’ great food and drink will be available for purchase at both
shows.
RSVP
Now for Iron Workers History Tour: there are still spaces available for
this Friday’s
exclusive guided tour of the Iron Workers headquarters, featuring handmade
motorcycles, a wall mural, historic tools, photos, convention paraphernalia,
World Trade Center mementos and more! Free but must RSVP here.
Last
Chance for Brother Hal: Tickets are sold out for the May 9 special
labor performance of Brother
Hal with AFL-CIO president Richard Trumka and Metro Washington
Council president Jos Williams, but you can still get tickets for the
play's final performances on Saturday and Sunday.
Coming
Up This Week:
The
American Nurse (starts
Tues May 6)
Labor
Heritage Foundation's Solidarity Forever Awards (Thu, May 8)
Iron
Workers history tour (Fri,
May 9)
Union Voice/Readers Write:
Re-Discovering Ralph Fasanella; “Man
at the Crossroads” Update
Re-Discovering
Ralph Fasanella: “I have a print of Ralph Fasanella’s ‘The
Great Strike
– Lawrence, 1912’ in my office, but don’t know that I’ve paid much
attention to
it,” says Rosanna Farley at the Utility Workers Union of America. “Thank
you
for organizing the May screening of ‘Fasanella” and exposing me to Mr.
Fasanella and his love of working people and the labor movement.”
Check out
Fasanella’s work – including paintings and sketches – at two shows in DC
now,
one at the Smithsonian American Art Museum and one at the AFL-CIO. Read about
Fasanella here The Art of Ralph Fasanella Comes to the AFL-CIO and
check out a slideshow of Fasanella's art on the AFL-CIO's @Work site.
"Man
at the Crossroads" Update: “’Man at the Crossroads’ is NOT open
‘daily through 5/17’ as you reported,” writes Mike Lewis, “nor was it
open
yesterday (Sunday, May 4), as your earlier column said. I found out the hard
way. It’s open Saturdays
12-4.”
Our
sincere apologies for the error; the hours – M-F 10-6 and Saturdays 10-4 –
are
correct on our
calendar. Do try to get to the show before it closes on May
17, however; it’s terrific!