Watsonville Plaza Tonight- Friday Market, Music, Dancing, Poetry and 2 Films Honoring Farmworkers

By SARAH RINGLER

Come out to the Watsonville Plaza to celebrate Cinco De Mayo. There will be music, dance, poetry as well as the usual Friday Market that goes from 3-7. The market features flowers, produce, food and art.

At 7pm, the Reel Work Labor Film Festival will feature two films honoring the hard work and sacrifices made by the people who bring us our food. The free films will be shown at Cabrillo College Watsonville across from the plaza in room A-150, on the ground floor in back of the school. There will also be a presentation by Safe Ag Safe Schools and the Campaign for Organic and Regenerative Agriculture on the dangers of poisonous agricultural chemicals that are not only hazardous to the workers but also consumers and the communities and schools surrounding the fields. Yanely Martinez, Greenfield City Councilperson will speak on this issue with Kathleen Kilpatrick, Woody Rehanek, Yanely Martinez and Mark Weller

The first film is Ghostly Labor: A Dance Film, a visually beautiful film that shows dancers performing a Mexican style of dance, the tapeado, in various agricultural fields.

The second film, Fruits of Labor, is a moving story about a central coast high school student who works in the fields and processing facilities to help support her family while going to school. With all that on her plate, she is concerned about whether she will be able to graduate from high school. Powerful and emotional, the film also features a lot of footage of Watsonville.

Reel Work Film Festival - 3 More Events

By SARAH RINGLER

If you have done any long distance driving, on I-5 in particular, you might have wondered what those drivers in the huge semis are thinking. The Long Haulers, will give you the answer through the voice of three women drivers. Filmmaker Amy Reid will be present to talk about the film. It is only viewable on Zoom May 7 at 7pm. Register to participate HERE.

If you love to sing and like Pete Seeger, on May 7, join Aileen Vance, Bob Reid, Judi Jaeger and special guests for a sing-a-long celebration of the life and songs of Pete Seeger, 3pm at Zuumbwa, 320-2 Cedar St. See green poster below for admission information.

The Santa Cruz Peace Chorale, with director Aileen Vance, will perform before the film No Time to Waste, The Urgent Mission of Betty Reid Soskin on May 8 at 6:45pm at the Resource Center for Nonviolence, 612 Ocean St., Santa Cruz. This is a live and online event that includes an interview with filmmaker Carl Bidleman. To join the online event, click HERE.

Click HERE for the program and information on registering for Zoom..

Narcan Drive-Thru Helps Save Lives

Photo and article by HARM REDUCTION COALITION OF SANTA CRUZ COUNTY

On April 22, Harm Reduction Coalition of Santa Cruz County headed out to Cabrillo College welcoming hundreds of parents and caregivers from around the county for a Narcan Drive-Through Pop-up. We had a wonderful time with local partners talking about overdose prevention, and how to stay prepared and ready to act with Narcan. Narcan is an over-the-counter nasal spray that treats opioid overdose by rapidly reversing the opioid's effects.

The event was sponsored by Santa Cruz County Office of Education, SafeRX, Cabrillo College and Inspire Diagnostics. In four short hours, 550 Narcan units were distributed to young adults, parents, caregivers and others.

 Join us for New Bohemia Brewing Co.'s first ever Springfest!

Saturday May 13 from 12-9pm

See poster below-

 Click HERE for information or to donate.

Interested in an Intentional Community?

By KAKI RUSMORE 

Wanting to see how different cohousing communities run? Always wanted to see what retrofit cohousing looks like? Please join us for the National Cohousing Open House. New Brighton Cohousing is an established retrofit cohousing community in Aptos, 6 miles from Santa Cruz.  

We will be giving tours of the community and our common house, with opportunities to chat with community members. 

For information, contact Randa Johnson at 831-251-2042.

 

Open House at New Brighton Cohousing

Saturday, May 6, 11am to 3pm.

6020 Soquel Dr., Aptos, CA

Free Composting Workshop

By JEFFREY SMEDBERG - Compost Workshop Organizer

The community is invited to attend a free composting workshop. You will learn how composting can improve your soil and enhance the health of your plants and vegetables. Composting also reduces the amount of organic waste that goes to the landfill thereby cutting greenhouse gas emissions and slowing climate change.

The 2-hour workshop covers general principles of composting and provides sufficient details about backyard and worm composting to get started. There will be time for your questions to be answered by our presenters who are Master Composters.

Sun. May 7, 2-4pm by Zoom

Sun. June 4, 2-4pm at the Live Oak Grange

Attendance is by reservation only. You may sign up online or by calling 831-824-6484.  

Stories of Solidarity With Migrants

By RESOURCE CENTER FOR NONVIOLENCE

This installment of the Resource Center for Nonviolence's Stories of Resistance, will feature organizers of YARR, Your Allied Rapid Response. YARR was responsible for providing rapid response to the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids ushered in by president Trump. Community members from religious communities and peace and justice groups were trained in skills to observe and to intervene with nonviolent action, and above all, to respect the wishes of people targeted by ICE. A text hotline called trained YARR members so they could respond in an emergency.

We hope you will join us to hear from the organizers of YAR, local activists Mariam Gafforio and Iridaea, co-founders of YARR.

Stories of Resistance is sponsored by the Resource Center for Nonviolence to lift up movement memories in Santa Cruz County and inspire future activism. In the last 50 years local activists have conducted many actions and campaigns resisting colonialism, violence, racism, exploitation of people and the environment. Story telling about personal and political impacts, racial dynamics encountered, and learnings for future organizing will help us transform our society and ourselves.

STORIES OF RESISTANCE

Free | Saturday, May 13, 2pm

Resource Center for Nonviolence

612 Ocean St. Santa Cruz

More Info...

Click Here to Register

Photo by STARLING LINDEN

World Labyrinth Day - Walk for Peace

By STARLING LINDEN

Every year on the first Saturday in May, thousands of people around the globe participate in World Labyrinth Day as a moving meditation for world peace and celebration of the labyrinth experience. Titled “Walk as One at 1,” our event at local time, will create a rolling wave of peaceful energy passing from one time zone to the next. We'll be hosting a Labyrinth walk at our farm in honor of this world event and hope you will be able to attend.



World Labyrinth Day - Labyrinth Walk for Peace

May 6, 11-3pm

At the beautiful Mariquita Farm in Watsonville

Our journey begins with a walk in the Lavendar Labyrinth followed by a tour of hundreds of heirloom roses with a rose petal oil tutorial. Enjoy a light salad, snacks and beverages.

Please click on Eventbrite for more information and to purchase tickets.

Photo by TARMO HANNULA 

A snowy egret soars past the Santa Cruz Municipal Wharf.

Santa Cruz County Covid-19 Report

By SARAH RINGLER

The California Department of Public Health has taken over Covid-19 reporting from the The Santa Cruz County Health Department and regularly releases data on the current status of Covid-19 in the county. There have been no new deaths in the county since Dec. 15. Since cases are still appearing, and there are still vulnerable people, I will continue reporting the graphs below.

The three graphs below give a picture of what is happening currently. The first graph below shows the Rt Number. Numbers above one show the spread of the virus is increasing. Below one means the spread is decreasing.

The second graph below shows data that the Health Department collects for Covid and Mpox from wastewater at the City Influent, for the city of Santa Cruz, and from the Lode Street pump stations for the county.

The third graph below shows hospitalizations as of Apr. 26. Click to see more information on hospitalizations HERE.



The vaccination data for the county has stayed fairly constant increasing very little over time. Go HERE for information on vaccination records, treatments, vaccines, tests, safety in the workplace and more.

Photo by TARMO HANNULA

Fashion Street - You can't miss this car unless you're texting or really out of it.

Labor History Calendar - May 5-11, 2023

a.k.a Know Your History Lest We Forget

May 5, 1818: Birth of Karl Marx.

May 5, 1931: Battle of Harlan County, KY.

May 5, 1998: Poor famers break into supermarket to seize food in Gravata, Brazil.

May 6, 1980: 170,000 workers in Russia’s Togliatti auto plant stay home in support of bus driver walkout.

May 7, 1937: Barcelona workers rebel against growing counter-revolution.

May 7, 1968: French students and workers revolt in Paris.

May 8, 1838: Chartist movement for British workers’ rights. 

May 8, 1994: Bolivian Workers Congress reaches an agreement to end a 23-day general strike.

May 9, 1972: Quebec general strike against the jailing of union leaders.

May 9, 1980: Auto workers in Gorsky, Russian strike to protest food shortages.

May 9, 1992: 26 miners die in Westray Coal explosion in Nova Scotia.

May 10, 1894: Pullman strike begins.

May 10, 1898: U.S. and Canadian workers for Western Labor Union.

May 10, 1920: East End London dockers refuse to load weapons to Russia.

May 11, 1791: First known US building trades strike in Philadelphia.

May 11, 1891: National US building trades strike.

May 11, 1894: National US rail strike.

Labor History Calendar has been published yearly by the Hungarian Literature Fund since 1985.

"History in the main, thus far, has been an institution for the propagation of lies. The truth is that for thousands of years back, since the private property system came into existence, an incessant, uncompromising warfare has been going on between oppressors and oppressed. Apart from the class distinctions and the bitterness manifested in settlement and colonial times in this country--reference to which has been given in earlier chapters--the whole of the nineteenth century, and thus far this century, has been a continuous industrial struggle. It has been the real warfare of modern times."

by Gustavus Myers, 1907

The History of the Great American Fortunes

Photo by TARMO HANNULA

A Simple Snack - A Baked Sweet Potato

By SARAH RINGLER

A warm simply baked Japanese sweet potato can be a great snack. Tarmo and I encountered this when we visited the Royal Tombs of the Baekje Dynasty, 538 to 660 ACE, outside the town of Buyeo in South Korea. The tombs are large symmetrical mounds about 80 feet in diameter and 40 feet high spread out over some grassy green hills outside of town. It was late morning and the small museum had just opened with only a few people milling around. Two women who worked there sat at a small desk and were drinking tea and eating baked sweet potatoes. They insisted that we join them. An opportunity like this should never be declined. We had a rocky conversation because, luckily, one of the women spoke a little English. Other than that, we would have only sat there repeating the little Korean we knew, "kam sa ham ni da," which means thank you. 

There are few vegetables that can be eaten plain that taste this great. I decided to try adding the tofu topping to the sweet potato to increase the protein and turn it into a meal, but don't hesitate to eat it alone. The salty topping also is a contrast to the sweetness of the potato.

Sweet potatoes and yams are separate plants but often get confused by consumers and grocery stores alike. I also have trouble keeping them straight. Sweet potatoes are from the morning glory family and are generally less dry and starchier than yams. Japanese sweet potatoes, satsuma-imo, are a distinct variety that have purple skin and are light yellow inside. They cost a little more but are well worth it for their flavor and creamy texture when baked. According to Wikipedia, they are also a common pizza topping at Pizza Hut and Domino's in South Korea. 

Also, note that the recipe calls for toasted sesame oil. Toasted sesame oil has a distinct taste and in this recipe is used as a flavoring. Untoasted sesame oil is a wonderful oil to use for cooking and is probably one of the first oils processed for that purpose going back to the Indus valley civilization in northwest India from 3300-1300 BCE. Sesame is a survivor crop that is able to grow in places where other plants can't, according to D. Ray Langham. It is not a common cooking oil in the US although it is one of more stable natural oils so it doesn't have to be refrigerated. 

Baked Japanese sweet potatoes with tofu topping

2 Japanese sweet potatoes, medium sized

1 bunch green onions

2 cloves garlic

1 slice peeled fresh ginger, about 2 tablespoon minced

2 teaspoon soy sauce 

salt

1-2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil

2-3 tablespoons cooking oil like peanut, corn, safflower or sunflower

Optional: Nori Komi Furikake: a Japanese seed and seaweed mixture

Wash and dry Japanese sweet potatoes. Pierce the potatoes a few times with a knife tip to keep them from exploding in the oven. Bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour at 350 degrees. When done, keep warm. You can prepare the topping while the potatoes are baking.

Prepare tofu by washing and set to dry on a clean towel. Cut into 1/4 inch cubes.

Mince garlic, green onions and ginger together. 

Heat cooking oil in a fry pan over medium heat. When the oil is hot add the onions, garlic and ginger. Cook until they are all softened. Add some salt and mix in. Stir in the tofu cubes and cook until they start to turn a little brown. Add more cooking oil if necessary. When tofu is done, add soy sauce and sesame oil to taste.

Cut the yams in half lengthwise. Sprinkle tofu mixture over yam halves and serve. Sprinkle with furikake. Serves 2-4 people.  

Welcome to Serf City Times Our county has problems and many people feel left out. Housing affordability, racism and low wages are the most obvious factors. However, many groups and individuals in Santa Cruz County work tirelessly to make our county a better place for everyone. These people work on the environment, housing, economic justice, health, criminal justice, disability rights, immigrant rights, racial justice, transportation, workers’ rights, education reform, gender issues, equity issues, electoral politics and more. Often, one group doesn’t know what another is doing. The Serf City Times is dedicated to serving as a clearinghouse for those issues by letting you know what is going on, what actions you can take and how you can support these groups.This is a self-funded enterprise and all work is volunteer. 

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