Unpacking the Golden State: Join "California: Critical Histories" This Fall

What is the reality behind "The California Dream"? Is it a golden land of endless opportunity, or a story built on complex, often overlooked histories of struggle, resistance, and transformation?
Starting this September, First UU member Bob Nowlan—Professor Emeritus of Critical Studies at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire—will lead a deep dive into these exact questions with his new course: "California: Critical Histories."

This marks Bob’s third San Diego Free University class, and it promises to be a compelling exploration of our state’s past, present, and future.

What the Class Covers
Together, participants will dissect the myth and reality of the California Dream. The curriculum draws from a powerful selection of texts that highlight the diverse peoples and movements that truly shaped the state:

• Bad Indians: A Tribal Memoir by Deborah A. Miranda
• We Are the Land: A History of Native California by Damon B. Akins and William J. Bauer Jr.
• Angel Island: Immigrant Gateway to America by Erika Lee and Judy Yung
• La Nueva California: Latinos from Pioneers to Post-Millennials by David E. Hayes-Bautista
• Wherever There's a Fight: How Runaway Slaves, Suffragists, Immigrants, Strikers, and Poets Shaped Civil Liberties in California by Elaine Elinson and Stan Yogi
• Palo Alto: A History of California, Capitalism, and the World by Malcolm Harris

Class Details

• When: Eight consecutive Sundays, September 13 to November 1
• Time: 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM
• Where: The Common Room at First UU
• Cost: Free!
• Sponsorship & Endorsements: Sponsored by Democratic Socialists of America–San Diego and endorsed by First UU's Social Justice Executive Team.

How to Register
Like all San Diego Free University classes, enrollment is completely free and open to all.
To express interest in enrolling, ask questions, or learn more about the course, reach out directly to the instructor:
Contact: Bob Nowlan ([email protected])

Come pull up a chair, engage in vital conversation, and see the Golden State through a critical new lens!

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