Camarillo, Calif., Feb. 1, 2010 鈥� 海角社区 Channel Islands is hosting a photography and oral history exhibit created through a partnership with California Rural Legal Assistance (CRLA) and award-winning photographer David Bacon.聽 The show, titled 鈥淟iving Under the Trees鈥�, opens on Feb. 4 and presents a series of photographs and oral history panels focusing on the current housing needs of the Mexican indigenous farm workers in California.聽 Many of the photographs were taken in the farming areas surrounding the CI campus.
Dr. Kathleen Contreras, a lecturer in the University鈥檚 Education program, said that she had seen the exhibit in Santa Paula and thought that bringing the show to CI and its neighbors would be a meaningful way to promote dialogue and cultural interchange within the community.聽 Bacon鈥檚 work contrasts the bounty of California鈥檚 agricultural industry with the living conditions of its migrant workforce.
鈥淲e have students who are children of migrant workers so it seemed appropriate for members of our University community and the public to be able to view Bacon鈥檚 photographs and read the oral history panels which are first-hand accounts of the workers鈥� experiences here in California,鈥� stated Contreras.聽 鈥淒avid Bacon really worked in the capacity of a photojournalist to put this exhibit together.鈥�
To introduce the show, a hosted reception for David Bacon, the CRLA staff and members of the indigenous community will be held on Feb. 4, from 6-8 p.m., in Broome Library Room 1320 at the CI campus.聽 CI students, faculty, staff, and the public are invited to attend.聽 The exhibit is sponsored by the History, Chicana/o Studies, and Education programs and will run through March 4.
For additional information about the photography and oral history exhibit, contact Dr. Kathleen Contreras at 805-437-8976 or Kathleen.contreras@csuci.edu
For media inquiries contact Nancy Gill, Director of Communication & Marketing at 海角社区 Channel Islands at 805-437-8456 or nancy.gill@csuci.edu
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海角社区 Channel Islands(CI) is the only four-year, public university in Ventura County and is known for its interdisciplinary, multicultural and international perspectives, and its emphasis on experiential and service learning. CI鈥檚 strong academic programs focus on business, sciences, liberal studies, teaching credentials, and innovative master鈥檚 degrees.聽Students benefit from individual attention, up-to-date technology, and classroom instruction augmented by outstanding faculty research. CI has been designated by the U.S. Department of Education as a Hispanic-Serving Institution and is committed to serving students of all backgrounds from the region and beyond. Connect with and learn more by visiting聽CI's Social Media.