LaborFest DC to Celebrate Workers' Culture

(Metropolitan Washington Council, AFL-CIO)The 14^th annual DC Labor FilmFest will anchor a month-long labor cultural, film and arts festival in May, FilmFest Director Chris Garlock reported at Monday’s Metro Washington Council meeting. Scheduled thus far are an art exhibition on painter Ralph Fassanella (left) at the Smithsonian’s American Art Museum, a screening of the 1936 Mexican film masterpiece Redes, accompanied by a live performance of the film’s score by the PostClassical Ensemble (members of AFM 161-710), a labor poetry event at Busboys and Poets, and labor history tours, in addition to more than a dozen Labor FilmFest screenings. DC LaborFest organizers welcome the participation of other labor-themed cultural activities; email streetheat@dclaborarchives.org with details. The DC festival of labor culture joins LaborFests around the world, including in San Francisco, Tokyo, Osaka, Buenos Aires, Argentina, El Alto, Bolivia, Capetown, South Africa, Istanbul and Ankara, Turkey. “The need to build local, national and international solidarity is critical for labor to face the challenges it faces on all fronts,” says DC Labor FilmFest Co-Chair Jos Williams. “LaborFests help bring our struggles together in art, film, music and poetry.”