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Event 22: Fresno Writers for Migrant Justice

The Back Room at Revue, September 2019

Part of a nationwide network of 40+ literary fundraising events, all held on September 4, 2019. Link to national page here. Over 150 people attended our local event, where we raised almost $2k, and the nationwide effort raised over $40k to donate to Immigrant Families Together. Fresno’s writers participating in this event: Juan Felipe Herrera, Marisol Baca, Venita Blackburn, Sarah A. Chavez, David Campos, Carribean Fragoza, Juan Luis Guzman, Lee Herrick, Aideed Medina, and Brynn Saito. All our writers also contributed work to a bilingual chapbook available for donation at the event. Huge thank-you to Christopher Soto and the rest of the national organizers for creating this important, powerful collaborative event.

Group photo of writers and organizers for the Fresno event outside the Back Room of at the Revue
Writers and (some) of the organizers for the Fresno event in front of the venue after the event.
Photo by Jackie Ryle
Flier for Fresno’s Writers for Migrant Justice event.

Thank you to the many organizers, creators, writers, translators, donors, and volunteers who came together to make Fresno’s event happen. Special shout-outs to the Back Room at the Review for hosting us in your beautiful space; to our many organizers, including Brenda Venezia, Marisol Baca, Jamie Moore, and Steven Sanchez; emcee Matt Espinosa-Watson; the team from Fresno State’s Chicanx Writers and Artists Association who put together our Fresno Writers for Migrant Justice chapbook, headed by Mariah Bosch and Esmeralda Gamez; to all our writers and translators; thank you to Univision’s Despierta Valle Central for talking with us about our event on your show; and to photography by Derek and Lorissa Garza Rankin of This Very Moment Photography

Photo of some of the crowd at the event, from the stage perspective. Photo by Marisol Baca
Photo by Marisol Baca
Yellow background with text reading Mil gracias a nuestras traductoras, Deyanire Del Toro, Laura Gonzalez, Aideed Medina, Marycia Lozano Rankin, Dayanna Sevilla, Ambar Soto, Grisanti Valencia, Brenda Venezia. English/Spanish Translations included within chapbook available at event, translations projected during reading.
Image of box of chapbook copies available at event, created by the Chicanx Writers and Artists Association at Fresno State
Photo by Mariah Bosch
Close-up photo of buttons created by BakaGirlJewelry for the event. Buttons say Migrant Justice in all-caps, with drawing of people with arms raised and mouths open.
Buttons created for the event by Kimberly Baca of BakaGirlJewelry
Photo by Marisol Baca
Video by Arielle Jones

THANK YOU, too, to our many additional volunteers, advisors, and community in attendance both in person and through online donations. Shout-outs to Kimberly Baca of BakaGirlJewelry for buttons, Jefferson Beavers, Curtis Messer, Watchale Writers Workshop, Arielle Jones, Monique Quintana, CantoMundo, Reforma Del Valle Central, Marquee Presentations, Fresno City College’s Latino Faculty and Staff Association, Dr. Cristina Herrera and Fresno State’s CLAS department, Gabriela Encinas and the Fresno State Dream Success Center, Dr. Rosa Toro and student Research Assistants in the IFACES Lab at Fresno State, Fresno State’s Latino Faculty and Staff Association, and photography by Tony Vang and Gao Yang-Vang. More photos and video clips in our Instagram highlight, linked here.