The brand new documentary “American Agitators” seems on the life and legacy of Fred Ross Sr., one of the vital influential group and labor organizers of the twentieth century. Ross, who died in 1992, was energetic throughout among the most sweeping and consequential durations of California historical past, from the Mud Bowl migration to the incarceration of Japanese People throughout World Battle II, earlier than mentoring a era of Mexican American leaders that included Cesar Chavez and Dolores Huerta.
Capital & Essential lately spoke with award-winning director Ray Telles concerning the making of the movie and what classes Ross’ life can provide budding organizers right now. The movie premieres in San Jose, California, on March 16 on the Cinequest Film & Creativity Festival.
This interview has been edited for brevity and readability.
Capital & Essential: Let’s begin with your individual story. How did you first come to study Ross?
Ray Telles: Within the Nineteen Sixties my dad was a union electrician in Los Angeles and had performed some wiring at farmworker camps. He first launched me to the story of the United Farm Staff and Cesar Chavez. Later, I labored at KQED [San Francisco’s public radio station] from the early ’80s to 1992 or so and coated agriculture and labor tales up and down the state. That ultimately led me to work on “The Fight in the Fields” with Rick Tejada-Flores. I knew Ross as the one who had educated Chavez and Dolores Huerta. However it was through the years speaking to his son, Fred Ross Jr., that I actually realized extra about him and had a greater understanding of the work he did and the impression he had.
Why isn’t Ross higher recognized?
He was a behind-the-scenes form of man. Within the movie, folks speak about how he was at all times behind the room, a strategist. He by no means wished to be within the limelight. He didn’t need the eye; he didn’t make speeches. He was simply doing the work.
What are among the key takeaways younger organizers can be taught from Ross?
First, folks have to return collectively to make change. Fred was in a position to work with many alternative folks from many alternative backgrounds. The entire idea of constructing coalitions, of individuals working collectively, is extra necessary now than ever. However the lesson that resonates most for me right now is that we now have to maintain transferring ahead. If we encounter an impediment, we go round it, we go over it — we simply maintain going and by no means hand over.
Did something shock you throughout the making of the documentary?
My large shock was how a lot affect he had over so many individuals. He educated way more folks that I actually appreciated.
As an impartial producer, I usually elevate my very own cash. For this, Fred Jr. [Fred Ross’ son] and the oldsters he is aware of have been in a position to elevate an enormous amount of cash in a really brief time — from labor unions, foundations, people, organizations. It was astonishing. So many individuals attributed their success to Ross Sr. and wished to assist share his story.
What challenges did it’s important to overcome to make “American Agitators”?
Fred Jr. and I mentioned the thought of a movie about his dad for 30 years. Fred Jr. was additionally a terrific organizer who had great love for his father and enthusiasm for sharing his legacy. Lastly, in 2021, we stated, “Let’s transfer on it. We have to do it now.” In early 2022 we have been going full velocity forward, and a pair months later, Fred Jr. was recognized with pancreatic most cancers. We had weekly conferences proper as much as the day he died. [Fred Jr. passed away in November 2022].
Are you able to speak about the way you determined to construction the documentary, which features a historical past of Ross’ life and work after which shifts to documenting up to date organizing campaigns?
The query was, what is that this movie about? In conversations with Fred Jr. through the years, we determined that it was the story of his dad but additionally the teachings. What work was occurring now that displays the work that Ross did? We wished to observe stable actions with monitor information, so we checked out teams just like the Battle for $15 [a movement started by fast-food workers seeking to unionize and raise the minimum wage] and the Culinary Staff Union in Las Vegas. I wished to mix the outdated with the brand new, the biographical with an even bigger image concerning the story of organizing.
For Ross, organizing was every little thing. Do you have got hopes of utilizing this movie as an organizing or instructional instrument?
The lengthy lifetime of this movie is within the colleges and as an organizing instrument with labor unions. We’re going to chop it right down to about 40 minutes, in order that lecturers can use it within the classroom, and we are going to develop a curriculum with modules, so lecturers can take a look at explicit themes. And we would like it for use in communities and labor unions. That’s the place the worth of this movie is.
Ross organized throughout darkish and difficult durations in American historical past, together with the Nice Melancholy and the incarceration of Japanese People. What types of insights can we be taught from him that may have relevance to our present second?
I train at UC Berkeley. Final evening I confirmed the movie in a category referred to as “Ethnicity and Race in Modern American Movies.” I used to be fascinated about their response. Is that this related to you guys today? And the kids in there, who wished to become involved in social change work, stated it was actually inspiring — that you simply don’t simply exit and exhibit, you’ve received to observe up, you’ve received to do the work afterwards. Eliseo [Eliseo Medina, an influential labor organizer who was trained by Ross] stated within the movie that Ross taught folks to arrange step-by-step, and that you simply’ve received to have that one-to-one contact. You may’t do all of it simply by texting or with social media. And that anyone can do it. Folks can see the movie and say, “Oh, there are methods to do it — but it surely takes onerous work.”
