Blog post

Óscar Martínez presents The Beast in California this December

Jessica Turner22 November 2013

In his new book The Beast: Riding the Rails and Dodging Narcos on the Migrant Trail, Óscar Martínez unflinchingly captures the confluence of evils that assail migrants who ride La Bestia, or the Beast, up through Central America and Mexico to the United States.

Over the two years he spent on the freight trains, Martínez witnessed some of the most harrowing stories of human survival and tragedy. Through his telling, we see the fearlessness of those who decide—despite the perils—to leave home for some semblance of a better life.

This December, Martínez will bring these stories to the West Coast in a series of talks and readings in Los Angeles, San Francisco and Oakland:

Tuesday, December 3, 2013, 11:00am
University of Southern California, School of Social Work
USC University Park Campus, Montgomery Ross Fisher Building, Room 204 | Los Angeles, CA

Hosted by the International Social Work Caucus.

More info here

Wednesday, December 4, 2013, 6:00pm
UCLA Downtown Labor Center
675 S. Park View Street | Los Angeles, CA

Panel discussion with Pablo Alvarado (National Day Laborer Organizing Network), Angela Sanbrano (Central American Resource Center), and Cristina Echeverria on issues impacting Central American immigrants in the U.S., and immigrant rights advocates' efforts for change. Spanish translation provided.

Sponsored by: UCLA Labor Center, Red Nacional de Salvadoreños en el Exterior (RENASE),  National Day Laborer Organizing Network (NDLON), Central American Resource Center (CARECEN), Institute for Transnational Social Change (ITSC), Dream Team Los Angeles (DTLA), UCLA Center for Mexican Studies, California Immigrant Youth Justice Alliance (CIYJA), Verso Books, Enfoque Latino, and Nuestra Voz of KPFK.

More info here

Friday, December 6, 2013, 7:00pm
Modern Times Bookstore
2919 24th Street | San Francisco, CA

More info here

Saturday, December 7, 2013, 7:00pm
CultureStr/ke presents Óscar Martínez
Oakland Hub, 1423 Broadway | Oakland, CA

This event will include a photo exhibit by Edu Ponces, excerpts from a documentary about women's experiences on the train, and a participatory art installation by Favianna Rodriguez. Presented by CultureStr/ke, Verso Books and Impact Hub Oakland.

More info here

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Stay tuned to our website for interviews and articles about this courageous book.