This is the story of the life and achievements of Fred Ross and his son Fred Ross Jr. – and all the people and organizations they affected.
Writer/director Raymond Telles and writer Angella Reginato have created a moving exploration of the career of one of the most important community organizers of the 20th century. Through photos, film, and interviews – including with Ross himself and his son, both of whom are no longer alive, we get a picture of a man who dedicated his life to raising up the downtrodden and the ignored, the abused and the debased.
Fred Ross was born and raised in California. While trained as a teacher, his first job, during the Depression, was for the state as a social worker. From there he went to the federal Farm Security Administration, put in charge of a migrant worker camp in the Coachella Valley. Here he encountered the desperate Oklahomans who had migrated to California after losing their livelihoods in the Dust Bowl. His success in managing the camp to the betterment of its residents led to his appointment to oversee regional camps.
Ross was moved by the poverty and poor working conditions experienced by the migrants, which prompted him to assist them to organize against the wealthy and politically entrenched land owners. Using his education training, and employing an approach based on one-on-one listening rather than mass organizing, he gained the trust of the workers, encouraging them to speak up, be heard, and demand self-government in the camps.
From here, Fred was on his way. He became involved in the infamous “detention camps” set up to hold Japanese Americans. He not only fought for their rights, but also helped organize for their re-introduction into the workforce after release. This was due to the fact that most had lost everything while incarcerated due to “legalized theft” by the white citizens who took advantage of their plight.
Then came voter registration programs, racial organization, farm worker unionization, and much more. Throughout, Fred perfected, employed, and most importantly, taught his philosophy of organizing:
• patient one-on-one, in-person communication
• cultivating grassroots leadership rather than acting as a charismatic leader himself
• relentless follow-up to build sustainable, institutional power
Using these three principles, Fred was able to influence other community organizers far beyond his direct reach. The technique of home-based organizing meetings he developed has proven highly successful in identifying and expanding the grassroots support that really works to push social progress forward in American society.
The filmmakers have expertly edited together the existing material from Fred Ross’ life into a seamlessly presented picture of a man who can rightfully be acclaimed as an American hero.
Note: A collection of Fred Ross’ “Axioms” was released in 2014. One of the most famous is “A good organizer is a social arsonist who goes around setting people on fire.”
Runtime: One hour, 34 minutes
Availability: In theaters now
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