Salinas – Company Town

Days Of Revolt

farmworkers in Salinas, California

Chris Hedges’ “Days of Revolt” series’ latest episode interviews a Salinas California Councilman about the exploitation of farmworkers and homelessness, harkening back to the literature of John Steinbeck- watch the episode:

• Days of Revolt: Company Town

I visited Salinas in the summer of 2014, and was shocked by the contrast between the farmworkers, the roadside produce stands, and the gentrifying downtown of the City of Salinas, home of author John Steinbeck, probably best know for his depression era classic “The Grapes of Wrath”.

Visitors to the Steinbeck museum were largely wealthy white folks who had no interaction or relationship at all to the community or the agricultural workforce, but were comfortable in the upscale WiFi equipped downtown cafe’s.

I sensed little or no connection by the literary tourists between Steinbeck’s literature and the current exploitation on the ground and in the fields of Salinas, his hometown.

Here are some photos I took of the place that can accompany the Days of Revolt interview:

John Steinbeck’s home

Steinbeck museum – a private institution