Authors Eric Nusbaum and Gustavo Arellano will kick off a 10-monthlong series, “Be the Change: Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Antiracism,” on Thursday evening, Sept. 24. In honor of Hispanic/Latinx Heritage Month, the pair will discuss Nusbaum’s new book, “Stealing Home: Los Angeles, the Dodgers, and the Lives Caught in Between,” during a public library forum at 6:30 p.m. Registration for the free virtual event is available at GLAC.info/BeTheChange.
“The series is being convened to help build a collective understanding of systemic racism, elevate the voices and stories of Black, Indigenous and People of Color, and inspire our community to be the change,” according to a press release.
The series is being produced by the Glendale Library, Arts & Culture Department of the city of Glendale in collaboration with the Southern California Library Cooperative, making the events available to all Southern California residents. The series is sponsored by the city of Glendale Arts and Culture Commission with funding from the city of Glendale’s Urban Art Fund. Media sponsorship is courtesy of Outlook Newspapers.
“Stealing Home” is a story about baseball, family, the American Dream and the fight to turn Los Angeles into a big league city. The hills that cradle Dodger Stadium were once home to three vibrant Mexican American communities. In the early 1950s, those communities were condemned to make way for a utopian public housing project. Then, in a remarkable turn, public housing in the city was defeated amid a Red Scare conspiracy. Instead of getting their homes back, the remaining residents saw the city sell their land to Walter O’Malley, the owner of the Brooklyn Dodgers. But before Dodger Stadium could be built, the city would have to face down the neighborhood’s families, including the Aréchigas, who refused to yield their home. The ensuing confrontation captivated the nation and the divisive outcome still echoes through Los Angeles today.
Eric Nusbaum is a writer and former editor at VICE. His work has appeared in Sports Illustrated, ESPN the Magazine, the Daily Beast, Deadspin and the Best American Sports Writing anthology.
Gustavo Arellano is a long-time investigative reporter and author of “¡Ask a Mexican!” and “Taco USA: How Mexican Food Conquered America.” He is also a columnist for the Los Angeles Times.
“Be the Change Series: Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, Antiracism” takes place in conjunction with such commemorations as Hispanic/Latinx Heritage Month, American Indian Heritage Month, Black History Month, Armenian Genocide Remembrance, Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month and LGBTQ+ Pride. The series will also examine the one-year anniversary of the 2020 racial justice protests and 100-year anniversary of the Tulsa Race Massacre. The series will include virtual lectures, exhibits and online programming from authors, curators and historians.
Upcoming author programming includes:
• Hispanic/Latinx Heritage Month — with Eric Nusbaum — “Stealing Home: Los Angeles, the Dodgers, and the Lives Caught in Between,” Thursday, Sept. 24, at 6:30 p.m.
• American Indian Heritage Month — with Walter R. Echo-Hawk, “In the Courts of the Conquerors: The 10 Worst Indian Law Cases Ever Decided,” Wednesday, Nov. 4, at 6:30 p.m.
• Black History Month — with Richard Rothstein, “The Color of Law: A Forgotten History of How Our Government Segregated America,” Thursday, Feb. 4, at 6:30 p.m.
For more details, call library information at (818) 548-2021 or email staff at LibraryInfo@GlendaleCA.gov. The website is eGlendaleLAC.org.
