Keynote Conversation: A Life Undocumented

Jose Arreola is the outreach and organizing manager at Educators for Fair Consideration in Oakland, CA. He was born in Durango, Mexico and came to the United States when he was four years old. With the unconditional love and support of his family and the guidance of many mentors, Arreola went on to study Political Science, History and Ethnic Studies at Santa Clara University, where he received a full scholarship. During his college career, Arreola was an outspoken leader on campus around issues of racism, inequality, and oppression. His work culminated in him becoming Executive Director of the Multicultural Center of Santa Clara University. Upon graduation, he was trained as a community organizer for racial and economic justice by the Center for Third World Organizing in Oakland, CA. As an undocumented immigrant himself, he utilizes his experiences to help empower and support other undocumented immigrants across the country.

Bruce Shapiro is Executive Director of the Dart Center for Journalism and Trauma, a project of Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism encouraging innovative reporting on violence, conflict and tragedy worldwide. An award-winning reporter on human rights, criminal justice and politics, Shapiro is a contributing editor at The Nation and U.S. correspondent for Late Night Live on the Australian Broadcasting Corporation’s Radio National. He is Adjunct Professor and Senior Advisor for Academic Affairs at Columbia, where he teaches journalism ethics. His books include Shaking the Foundations: 200 Years of Investigative Journalism in America and Legal Lynching: The Death Penalty and America's Future. Shapiro is recipient of the International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies Public Advocacy Award for "outstanding and fundamental contributions to the social understanding of trauma." He is a founding board member of the Global Investigative Journalism Network.