Needed: Attorney Coach for Mock Trial Program at Fillmore High

An incoming group of Freshman at Fillmore HS would like to re-start a Mock Trial Program at Fillmore HS this coming year with the approval and support of John Wilbur, Principal.

There is a parent volunteer willing to help in every way possible, but she’s run into a roadblock: she has been unable to find and attorney coach.

Do you know an attorney who is willing to coach this new team? Are you an attorney who is willing to coach this new team? Spread the word!

Please help re-start the Mock Trial Program for these students.

Contact Vicki Brown at the Ventura County Office of Education for more information.

Vickie Brown
Student Competitions – Mock Trial
Ventura County Office of Education
5189 Verdugo Way, Camarillo, CA 93012
805-437-1502
805-437-1503 (Fax)
vbrown@vcoe.org

Hanging with the Judges: An Historical Perspective of the Judges Whose Portraits are Displayed in Courtroom 22

MABA members are invited to an event presented by Women Lawyers of Ventura County!

Please join us, as Judge Henry J. Walsh takes us on a fun and informative trip through the history of the Ventura County judiciary.

Brown bag lunch, Friday, April 13 from 12:15 PM – 1:15 PM at Department 22 of the Ventura County Superior Court House (800 South Victoria Avenue, Ventura, CA).

No RSVP's are necessary for the April meeting. The meeting is open to anyone who is interested, former members, current members, WLVC-curious and all are encouraged to come and bring guests.

Click here to download the flyer!

Latina/o Lawyers Assoc. of Santa Barbara Presents a film “Salt of The Earth”

Tuesday, April 17th--12:10 PM Department 1 of the Superior Court

The year was 1954. Director Elia Kazan’s movie On the Waterfront opened to critical acclaim. It was based on the historical circumstances of the Hoboken dockworkers and critics applauded Marlon Brando’s performance as the boxer who “coulda been a contender”. The film won Oscar’s for Best Film, Best Director, Best Actor and Best Supporting Actress.

Another movie based on the historical circumstances of a beleaguered group of workers opened the same year to quite a different reception. Salt of the Earth was a docudrama based on a miner’s strike by Mexican-American mineworkers in 1951-52. Both movies were shot on location with the participation of those who had lived the real stories. And both were produced and directed by people who had been on the McCarthy era Hollywood blacklist. They had been labeled as Communist sympathizers by the House Un-American Activities Committee. On the Waterfront was a hit and is remembered as a classic film. Salt of the Earth was the only film to be officially blacklisted by the United States government, and it was a tremendous struggle to find any theater owner who would be willing to show the incendiary film.

The film is one of the first pictures to advance the feminist social and political point of view. It demonstrates how feminism is a different concept in the Latino world than it is in the majoritarian society. Its plot centers on a long and difficult strike against a company identified as “Delaware Zinc” and the setting is “Zinctown”, New Mexico. The miners strike over wages and working conditions. When the mine owners obtain a Taft-Hartley injunction against the strikers, the miners face jailing if the strike continues. The film shows how the miners, their wives, the company, and the police react during the strike. In neorealistic style, the producers and director used actual miners and their families as actors.

Only five professional actors were used in the film. One, Will Geer, who was Grandpa in The Waltons, plays the Sheriff. He also was blacklisted for refusing to testify before the HUAC Committee. The other actors were locals from Grant County, New Mexico, or members of the International Union of Mine, Mill and Smelter Workers, Local 890, many of whom were part of the strike that inspired the plot. The main protagonist, Ramon Quintero (played by Juan Chacon) was a real-life Union Local president. In the film, he has to deal with circumstances which range from his treatment of his wife as a second-class citizen, to his having to yield to her the familial driver’s seat.

Despite its initial suppression (anti-Communist vigilantes fired rifle shots at the set, the films leading lady (Rosaura Revueltes) was deported to Mexico near the end of filming, causing final filming to be done in Mexico, and the film was edited in secret and stored for safekeeping in an anonymous wooden shack in Los Angeles) it eventually received critical acclaim, international awards, and a strong following. The film lasts 92 minutes, so it is strongly suggested that you try to clear your calendar until 2:00 PM to accommodate viewing the entire film and to have time for a brief discussion. Bring your own lunch and a soda. Call Josefina at 882-4560 24 hours in advance of the film so we know how many people to expect.

Ventura County Judges on the Ballot!

Be Sure to Register and Vote!!!!

The following Ventura County judges are up for reelection:
1. Judge John R. Smiley
2. Judge Colleen Toy White
3. Judge Brian J. Back
4. Judge Henry J. Walsh - Office #4 - opponent: Bradley Bjelke
5. Judge Glen M. Reiser
6. Judge Mark S. Borrell
7. Judge David M. Hirsch

 Show support for our judiciary!

Mexican American Bar Association Mixer April 11, 2012

Please join us for mixer at Sugarbeets:

455 South "A" Street in Oxnard

Download the flyer here, and invite your friends!

MABA Meeting Inspires Editorial in Amigos 805

Professor, Frank Barajas spoke to members of MABA, at our February 2012 meeting, about Arizona's dismantling of the Mexican American Studies Program.

Professor Barajas was inspired by our discussion, and has authored an op-ed piece, Commentary: The Sunbelt strategy.

His article was published in Amigos 805, and can be found here:
http://amigos805.com/commentary-the-sunbelt-strategy

La Raza Will Host a Scholarship Workshop March 15, 2012

Do you have questions about preparing a Scholarship Application?

Attend a Scholarship Application Workshop on March 15, 2012 from 5:30 to 6:25 pm.

• See a winning essay; 
• Bring questions you have about your essay; and, 
• Learn tips on how to put together for a strong scholarship application!

The workshop will be hosted by La Raza de Ventura College of Law at 4475 Market Street in Ventura.

Download the flyer today, and invite your friends to join us!

2012 Education Foundation of Ventura County MABA, Inc. Scholarship Application Available!

Download the 2012 Education Foundation of Ventura County MABA, Inc. Scholarship Application, and Pointers for a Strong Scholarship Application today!  

Applications are due: 

June 30, 2012, 11:59 PST 

Incomplete or late applications will not be considered.
..........................................
Do you have questions about a scholarship application? 
See our blog post for more information on the March 15, 2012 Scholarship workshop!

Free Job Training March 2012: The Road to Ventura County’s In-Demand Jobs

The federal grant I administer has 9 more spaces for individuals who need short-term job training in order to become employed. Our program pays for job training in a high-demand occupation and then helps them find work when they graduate. There is no charge to anyone at any time but they must be unemployed and live in Ventura County. This is ideal for anyone looking to invest 6-9 months of training and then make between $12 and $17 per hour. We work in partnership with EDD so if they are receiving unemployment benefits, they should be able to continue to do so while in training (it’s not necessary to be on UI).

To start the process, applicants need to identify a high-demand occupation for which they want to be trained. Below is information about a seminar that helps them do this.

The Road to Ventura County’s In-Demand Jobs

• This FREE seminar is for you if you are unemployed and considering job training to update your skills or change careers.
• Before you invest in time and money into job training, you should make sure that there will be local jobs in that career when you finish.
• Let us show you how to use up-to-date employment data to research wages, growth trends, number of employers, etc.
• We will also provide guidance on selecting a school and ways to pay for job training. If you are seeking short-term job training in a high-demand occupation, you may qualify to have your entire education paid for by government programs.
• Call 805-289-7925 Ext 1236 to reserve a space in reserve for one 2-hour seminar:
• March 9 at 10 am
• March 12 at 6 pm
• March 14 at 2 pm
• March 19 at 10 am
• March 21 at 6 pm
• March 23 at 2 pm

WIA Employment Program at
VACE 5200 Valentine Road,
Ventura (near Victoria Ave & the 101)

Brought to you by Ventura Adult and Continuing Education and the Workforce Investment Board of Ventura County Equal Opportunity Program/Employer Auxiliary aids and services are available upon request to individuals with disabilities by calling (805) 654-5508, TYY (800) 735-2922.

2012 Ventura County Mexican American Bar Association - Board of Directors

The 2012 Ventura County Mexican American Bar Association Board of Directors was installed on January 6, 2012.  We invite you to join us at our Monthly meetings, and get involved in your community!

Pictured above: Rennee Dehesa (President), 

Lou Kreuzer (Vice President), 

Andres Garcia (Treasurer),

Claudia Calderon (Secretary), 

and Rebeca Mendoza (Past-President).

We are currently looking for members who are interested in taking part in Scholarship Dinner Committees.

Please contact Rennee Dehesa (via email) if you would like to sign up for the planning committee, sponsor committee, or dinner committee. 

Check our google calendar for the next committee meeting!

If you are interested in becoming a member of MABA: Click here to download a membership application, and bring it to the next meeting!

National Latino Peace Officers Association Scholarship Applications Due March 30, 2012!

Click here for the scholarship application from the National Latino Peace Officers Association, as well as an application to join this fine organization!
Over the past 8 years we have given over $12,000 in scholarships, which have included Memorial Scholarships.
Scholarship Deadline: March 30, 2012

VC MABA Monthly Meeting

MABA will welcome Presiding Judge Vincent O'Neill and Michael D. Planet to discuss the Judicial Budget, at our March meeting.

Friday, March 2, 2012, 12 noon,
Nordman, Cormany, Hair & Compton
1000 Town Center Drive, Sixth Floor
Oxnard, California
805-485-1000

This is a brown bag meeting - don't forget your lunch!

...and remember to bring your membership application, membership directory application, and your checkbook!