1 - 5 p.m. PST
Central Valley Social Justice Conference
Theme: Wealth, Water, and Health: Navigating Political Economies in California’s Central Valley
The 2025 Central Valley Social Justice Conference explores the interwoven challenges of wealth, water, and health in one of California’s most economically dynamic yet underserved regions. Under the theme "Wealth, Water, and Health: Navigating Political Economies in California’s Central Valley," this year’s conference will critically examine how public policy, economic systems, environmental challenges, and community health intersect in shaping everyday life across the Valley.
Wealth
Panels and workshops will delve into the politics of housing, labor, incarceration, and taxation. Local lawmakers, city planners, and developers behind projects like the 7th Street Village will engage in dialogue about affordable housing, university housing, and Section 8 development. Scholars and community leaders will investigate the links between labor structures (such as prisons and Amazon warehouses), taxation policies, and economic equity. Sessions will spotlight the economic impacts on immigrants and agricultural workers, flexible labor systems, and the financial burdens that perpetuate poverty. With insights from experts, attendees will reflect on what constitutes wise public investment—arguing that a dollar spent on education saves four in incarceration. Financial literacy workshops will frame fiscal knowledge as a tool of empowerment and resistance.
Water
In a region where agriculture reigns but water access remains contested, this track will highlight regional efforts like the Every Drop Counts intersegmental research team (UC Merced, Stanislaus State Honors, and MJC) investigating microplastics and water justice. Sessions will focus on the ecological and political dimensions of water use, quality, and equity in Central Valley communities.
Health
Public health scholars will explore the implications of climate, labor, and access on individual and community health—particularly among marginalized populations. Through the lens of intersectionality, sessions will examine how wealth and water inequities directly shape health disparities in the Valley.
Global Perspective on Local Issues
Bridging local concerns with global frameworks, this year’s conference incorporates the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs 3, 6, 10, and 13) to contextualize regional struggles within global movements for sustainable development. A student exhibition of digital media projects and academic work will reflect these interconnected issues. With contributors the conference underscores how global visions for justice must be grounded in local action. Join us for this multi-campus, multi-community event where researchers, students, activists, policymakers, and community members come together to imagine and enact a more just Central Valley.