The East Side Freedom Library seeks to be deeply implanted in the East Side of St. Paul while also providing national and transnational contexts and frameworks for our neighbors’ experiences. The pandemic has plunged us into the world of virtual communications, which has enhanced our ability to make connections, from St. Paul to the Horn of Africa, Southeast Asia, and beyond. This month, we have been involved to participate in the 28th annual San Francisco Laborfest by streaming the movie, “Labor’s Turning Point,” and hosting a panel discussion about the relevance of the 1934 Minneapolis Teamsters’ strikes to the contemporary labor movement’s efforts to confront its challenges. This will be a great opportunity to place local history within a national context, and to engage in conversation with labor activists from Vermont to California.
LaborFest was established to commemorate the 1934 San Francisco general strike and maritime strike. It has a monthlong series of events including cultural, arts and and international labor film festival to educate working people and the public about the history of labor and their role today. The 28th Annual Laborfest (July 1-31) takes on special resonance as it looks back on an intense year of COVID and “essential work,” as well as delving deeply into the struggle for racial equality and progress via workers’ rights. As usual, it’s bursting with great things, including both international and local films and videos, a labor history walk and bike tour, lectures, forums, readings, and theatrical and musical performances. Among the topics covered: George Floyd, the rise of fascism, environmental racism, healthcare and COVID-19, privatization of the port of Oakland, remembering labor activist Al Rojas, Fukushima and the Tokyo Olympics, and Asian Americans, xenophobia and internment.
To learn more about Laborfest, please visit https://laborfest.net. Most of their programs are free. Just register on their website.
On the local front, we are excited to host National Night Out on Tuesday, August 3. This will be an IN PERSON event, on ESFL’s front lawn, with food, entertainment (featuring a Pick Up Truck Opera from our friends at Mixed Precipitation Theatre), children’s activities, and information about community programs and resources. We will be following CDC guidelines and we ask you to bring masks to wear. We anticipate a good time for all.
We look forward to seeing you online AND in person.
Love and Solidarity,
Beth Cleary and Peter Rachleff