In the Struggle Together: The Land Water, and People of the Central Valley
Meet Our Impressive Speakers
Dan O’Connell is the author of "In the Struggle: Scholars and the Fight against Industrial Agribusiness in California." Dan explores the deep social, racial, environmental, and economic inequities in the Central Valley. He is also the policy and research director of the Central Valley Partnership (CVP), a nonprofit network of labor unions, environmental organizations, and community groups. Dan holds an MS in International Agricultural Development from UC Davis and a PhD in Education from Cornell University.
Janaki Anagha is the Director of Community Advocacy for the Community Water Center. Previously, Janaki worked at California Rural Legal Assistance in Fresno, enforcing worker protections such as access to clean drinking water in unincorporated communities. She assisted in the creation of the Community Alliance for Agroecology, based in Delano. Janaki holds a J.D. from UC Davis School of Law and a B.S. in International Agricultural Development from UC Davis.
Colleen Cruz was born and raised in Lemoore (Kings County). She graduated from UC Davis in 2021 with a BS in Community and Regional Development and is currently an educator with the American Farm School in Greece. She is a powerful poet and, via a pre-recorded video, will read her poem about growing up in the struggling communities in the Central Valley.