Synopsis:
This film tells the story of Reyna Lopez and her transformation into a community organizer fighting for the rights of farmworkers in Oregon. Reyna is the first womxn executive director at one of Oregon’s farmworker labor unions, PCUN, Pineros y Campesinos Unidos del Noroeste, in Woodburn, Oregon as of January 19, 2018. The seeds of her transformation into a powerful community organizer were first planted in the fields where her father worked and nurtured her deep commitment to being an example to her family and community. After completing college, working in low-payment jobs, and learning the in and outs of grassroots campaigning, it was after being arrested and being held at a big warehouse among other movement leaders, that she found her recommitment to the labor movement. Today, some of the many battles she is fighting for include immigrant and farmworker rights and the empowerment of Latinx families and individuals.
Producer’s Bio:
My name is Karina Gonzalez and I am currently pursuing a Bachelor of Arts in Spanish and Family and Human Services with a minor in Latinx Studies here at the University of Oregon. The skills and knowledge I have gained through this class have not only affected my understanding of Latino Roots throughout the state of Oregon, but also have aided in the discovery of my own family’s roots. These are skills that I will continue to take with me beyond the classroom. Beginning in 2022 and lasting for five months was a project that entailed tasks that I had never done before. Understanding and telling Reyna’s story as genuinely as possible was the goal of this project.
