BOOK RELEASE: Activism, Alliance Building, and the Esperanza Peace and Justice Center by Sara DeTurk

The Esperanza Peace and Justice Center is please to invite you to the book premiere and plática for University of Texas San Antonio professor Sara DeTurk’s new book, Activism, Alliance Building and the Esperanza Peace and Justice Center on Saturday, February 21, 2015 at 7 pm. This free event will behosted at the Esperanza Peace and Justice Center located at 922 San Pedro Avenue.

Presenters include Antonia Castañeda, Maria Berriozabal, and Gary Houston as well as the author, Sara DeTurk. The event will also present various artistic performances that pay tribute to the unique work of the organization through music and spoken word. A short reception and Q&A will follow the presentation with book singing
afterwards.

Book Description:
The longevity of the Esperanza Peace and Justice Center in San Antonio, Texas, suggests that it is possible for a social change organization to simultaneously address racism, classism, sexism, homophobia, imperialism, environmental justice, and peace—and to succeed. This
ethnographic study presents an instructive case of the importance and challenges of uncompromisingly confronting injustice in all of its manifestations. Through building and maintaining alliances, deploying language strategically, and using artistic expression as a central organizing mechanism, The Esperanza Peace and Justice Center demonstrates the power of multi-issue organization in its intersectional/coalitional consciousness.

“a powerfully reflexive exploration of how the arts and socio-cultural aesthetics are deeply rooted in the every day interaction rituals we often fail to consider when studying activism and politics.” – Sarah Amira de la Garza, Arizona State

About the Author – Sara DeTurk
Associate professor of communication at University of Texas at San Antonio. Dr. Sara DeTurk received her B.A. in
Psychology from the University of Virginia and her M.Ed. in International Education from the University of Massachusetts. She received her Ph.D. in Communication from Arizona State University in 2004, with a focus on Intercultural Communication. Her research is qualitative in nature and addresses social justice activism, intergroup alliances, and the role of communication in shaping ideologies about identity and difference.