Educator and activist Salvador B. Castro will speak at California State University, Fresno at 4 p.m. Thursday, April 26, as part of the Chicano and Latin American Studies Lecture Series.
The lecture will be held in the Music Building, Room 160. The HBO film “Walkout” will be shown. It features the story of Castro and the East Los Angeles walkouts of 1968 that protested lack of educational opportunities for Mexican-American students. Following the two-hour movie, Castro will speak and answer questions from the audience.
The event is free and open to the public.
More than 20,000 students boycotted school for a week in March 1968 in what is considered to be among the events that helped open the doors of higher education for people of color.
Castro was among 13 organizers arrested for their roles in the walkouts, although conspiracy charges were dropped.
“What this means today is that even in the almost 40 years after these walkouts, students of color, particularly Chicanas/os and Latinas/os are still facing stumbling blocks to equal education,” said Dr. Christina Herrera, a professor in Fresno State’s Department of Chicano and Latin American Studies.
“We are bringing him to Fresno State because it is important that all students, regardless of gender, age, socioeconomic status and ethnicity, heed Castro’s message that claiming a voice and taking action are necessary if we are to incite change.”
Castro is retired but continues to lecture about his experiences and the importance of education for Mexican Americans. He also spoke at the 2002 Fresno State Chicano Youth Conference.
For more information about the event, call 559.278.2848.
For more information contained in this release, please go to the following Web site(s):
www.hbo.com/films/walkout
www.xispas.com/opinion/sal1.htm
