Section Menu Social Justice in the Central Valley

Contact Information

October 21-24, 2026

Social Justice in the Central Valley

The Stanislaus State Social Justice Conference invites students, artists, scholars, activists, educators, and community members to engage with Central Valley-rooted questions of justice, equity, community, liberation, and social transformation.

Lens on the Valley: Examining Systems, Centering Communities, Inspiring Social Change

  • Racism, Health & Environmental Justice  
  • Food Insecurity, Insecure Housing & Institutional (In)Equities
  • Media, Storytelling & Advocating for Social Change

A Regional and Global Perspective

The conference aligns with several United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including:

  • Goal 3: Good Health and Well-Being
  • Goal 6: Clean Water and Sanitation
  • Goal 10: Reduced Inequalities
  • Goal 13: Climate Action

Through these global lenses, we anchor local struggles in a broader framework of justice, resilience, and sustainable change.

Stay Informed

For updates, speaker announcements, and the full schedule, please check back regularly.

Daily Program & Schedule

Wednesday, Oct. 21– Saturday, Oct. 24, 2026 - Events and times subject to change

 

Keynote Schedule

Date & Time Keynote Speaker / Location
Wednesday, Oct. 21
6:00 p.m.
Thursday, Oct. 22
 

Afternoon Discussion and Screenings (12:00 - 4:30pm, Student Center 202)

  • Jennifer Vest: Workshop following previous evening keynote around Indigenous philosophy, race, identity, and knowledge systems
  • Andrew Conteh: Unhoused Living and Food Insecurity (community panel 12:00 -1:00 pm)
  • Maleah Rose: screening of HomeTown Homeless (1:15 - 2:00pm)
  • Maleah Rose Welsh: housing justice and community storytelling (2:00 - 3:00pm)
  • Yehuda Sharim: Masterclass: “You Have 2 Fight For It” (3:15 - 4:30pm)

Evening keynote program (5:00-9:00pm, University Gallery and Mainstage Theatre)

  • Reception and open Gallery (5 - 6pm, Mainstage Lobby)
  • University Gallery exhibitions:
    Los Tres artists (6 pm artist talks)
    Cauleen Smith, digital video installation: Sojourner (6:30 artist talk)
  • Film screening: Los Tres in Mainstage Theatre (7pm)
  • Yehuda Sharim: Keynote talk and panel discussion with Los Tres artists, Frank Ayala, Ruben A. Sanchez and Abel Corchado (7:30 - 9:00pm in Mainstage Theatre)
Friday,
Oct. 23

Afternoon advocacy workshops (Student Center 202)

  • Samantha Johnson: Exploring how issues of health, environment, food access, and housing intersect throughout the Central Valley (community panel 12:00 - 12:45pm)
  • Toni McNeil: workshop on Building Healthy Self-Interest (1:00 - 2:15pm)
  • Toni McNeil: discussion on Relationship to Power (2:30 - 3:15pm) 
  • David Aguilar (Digital Media Advocacy workshop 4:00 - 5:15pm)

Reception and open Gallery (5:30 - 6:15pm, Mainstage Lobby & University Gallery)

Evening keynote program––David Aguilar: Keynote talk and film screening of Hangtown (6:15 - 8:00pm, Mainstage Theatre)
Saturday, Oct. 24

Stockton Campus
Health Equity & Community Health and Wellness (10am-4 pm)
We will be building a “Community Mosaic” throughout the day that can then be used at the end-of-day closing session.

  • 9:30am:  Check-in and Community Connections
  • 10:00am:  Welcome & Community Agreements (President Britt Rios-Ellis) 
  • 10:30am:  PANEL - Equity Begins in Community Health (Facilitator Samantha Johnson, Panelists:  Rashard Stallworth, Richard Stokely, Delilah Rice?)
  • 11:15am:  KEYNOTE - The Power of Community Health Workers in Advancing Social Justice -  Building a CHW Ecosystem (Christina Bastida, Sharee Wilburn Grimes, Yoseline Lopez-Mejia, Kristen Birtwhistle)
  • NOON:  Break, Grab Lunch, Possible Tour of Labs?
  • 12:30pm WORKSHOP - Health Equity in Action:  Building Sustainable Community Health-Focused Infrastructure (Christina Bastida + 2 community members)
  • Understanding health disparities
  • Using data alongside lived experience
  • Strategies for advocacy
  • 1:15pm:  BREAK
  • 1:30pm: PANEL - Building Trust Across Communities (Panelists Lupe Mena, David Darsang, Tina Tapia, Ron Langdon) 
  • Working with immigrant communities
  • Indigenous approaches
  • Justice-impacted communities
  • 2:30pm:  WORKSHOP Designing Healthier Communities Together (Matt Derrick, Charisma Leal, Bethany Padron)
  • 3:30pm:  Concluding group discussion (3:30 pm)

Wednesday, October 22

Theme: TBA

Time Activity / Location
10 a.m.–1 p.m. TBA
2–3 p.m. TBA
3–4 p.m. TBA
4–5 p.m. TBA
5 p.m. TBA
5–6:30 p.m.

TBAy
6:30–7:15 p.m. TBA
7:20–8:20 p.m. TBA
8:20–8:50 Q&A

Thursday, October 23

Theme: TBA

Time Activity / Location
11 a.m.–12:30 p.m. TBA
1–3 p.m.

TBA
3–4 p.m. TBA
4–5 p.m.

TBA
5 p.m.

TBA
6:30–7:20 p.m. TBA
7:20–8:20 p.m. TBA
8:20–8:50 Q&A

Friday, October 24

Theme: TBA

Time Activity / Location
1–1:45 p.m.

TBA
2-3 p.m.  TBA
5 p.m.

TBA
6:30 p.m. TBA

Saturday, October 25

Theme: TBA

Time Description
8:30–9:00 a.m.

TBA
9:00 a.m.

TBA
9:15 a.m.

TBA
9:45 a.m.

TBA
10:30 a.m.

TBA
11:10–11:25 a.m. Break
11:25 a.m.

TBA

  •  
11:45 a.m.

TBA

  •  
12:30 p.m. Lunch
1–3:00 p.m.

TBA

  •  
3–3:15 p.m.

TBA

Speaker Bios

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Art Exhibition

University Art Gallery

Smith video grab

Featuring art and artists from the film by Yehuda Sharim: Frank Ayala, Ruben A. Sanchez and Abel Corchado

Updated: September 22, 2026