September 12, 2018
“Dolores” honors the tireless work of Dolores Huerta, one of the fiercest activists for racial, gender, and labor justice in history. On the front lines with Cesar Chavez, she organized farmworkers and helped lead a national campaign for fair wages and working conditions. Huerta has dedicated her life to the struggles for fairness and freedom, and she continues to fight to this day, at age 88.
This event is free and open to the public. The film will be followed by a panel discussion and Q & A session.
Panelists:
Monica Ruiz, Executive Director, Casa San José
Monica has been working with the Latino community for over 15 years. She started at Casa San José as the Service Coordinator for ISAC (Immigrant Services and Connections). Previously, Monica worked for Catholic Charities as a Chemical Dependency/Mental Health Case Manager with Latino youth. Prior to that, she worked as an Employment and Training Case Manager.
Monica has also been a powerful advocate for Latinos on legal, housing, development, and educational issues. She fights for those facing deportation proceedings and launches projects to assist women, youth and high school students. In addition, she partners with political, labor, religious, and law enforcement leadership to make Pittsburgh stronger and more welcoming to all. Monica earned her Bachelor’s degree in Social Work from the University of Pittsburgh with a concentration in Psychology, and a Master’s degree in Social Work with a focus on Community Organizing and Social Action. She has also been part of the Neighborworks Leadership Collaboratory and received training in Community Engagement and Community and Neighborhood Revitalization.
Vanessa Griffith, Staff Attorney, Justice at Work
Vanessa joined Justice at Work in September of 2017. She is an immigration staff attorney who aids immigrants, who are victims of various crimes, in obtaining immigration relief. Vanessa recently graduated from the University of Pittsburgh School of Law, where she participated in the law school’s Immigration Law Clinic. Prior to law school, Vanessa volunteered in Santa Marta, Colombia for a grassroots nonprofit, Fundación Mariposas Amarillas, where she worked for five months as their Social Projects Coordinator. Her work focused on providing health, educational, and recreational services to women and children in an isolated neighborhood in Santa Marta. Vanessa has a B.S. from SUNY College at Oneonta where she dual majored in Political Science and International Studies. In 2012 she spent a semester studying in Chile.
justfilmspgh.org 