Search Help

How does this work?
There are many ways to search the collections of the Freedom Archives. Below is a brief guide that will help you conduct effective searches. Note, anytime you search for anything in the Freedom Archives, the first results that appear will be our digitized items. Information for items that have yet to be scanned or yet to be digitized can still be viewed, but only by clicking on the show link that will display the hidden (non-digitized) items. If you are interested in accessing these non-digitized materials, please email info@freedomarchives.org.
Exploring the Collections without the Search Bar
Under the heading Browse By Collection, you’ll notice most of the Freedom Archives’ major collections. These collections have an image as well as a short description of what you’ll find in that collection. Click on that image to instantly explore that specific collection.
Basic Searching
You can always type what you’re looking for into the search bar. Certain searches may generate hundreds of results, so sometimes it will help to use quotation marks to help narrow down your results. For instance, searching for the phrase Black Liberation will generate all of our holdings that contain the words Black and Liberation, while searching for “Black Liberation” (in quotation marks) will only generate our records that have those two words next to each other.
Advanced Searching
The Freedom Archives search site also understands Boolean search logic. Click on this link for a brief tutorial on how to use Boolean search logic. Our search function also understands “fuzzy searches.” Fuzzy searches utilize the (*) and will find matches even when users misspell words or enter in only partial words for the search. For example, searching for liber* will produce results for liberation/liberate/liberates/etc.
Keyword Searches
You’ll notice that under the heading KEYWORDS, there are a number of words, phrases or names that describe content. Sometimes these are also called “tags.” Clicking on these words is essentially the same as conducting a basic search.

Search Results

Women in Prison Women in Prison
Call Number: PM 210Format: Cass A & BCollection: Prisons - Women
Intervew of Women in Prison, Dublin, CA 1995. Political prisoners Dylcia Pagan, Linda Evans, Ida Robinson, and Marilyn Buck are asked to speak about themselves and why they are in prison. The women also discuss the GATT (General Agreement on Trade and Tariffs), NAFTA (North American Free Trade Agreement), the lack of wages and benefits for the poor and oppressed, and the wrongs of the IMF (International Monetary Fund). Ida Robinson speaks about families of ethnic minorities, and Marilyn Buck speaks about how political prisoners aren’t violent, they are just casualties during the conflict. The women discuss the state of the poor white woman, how is marginalized because no one is fighting for her and she has no representation.
Zapatista Support Rally Zapatista Support Rally
Date: 5/20/1994Call Number: CV 019Format: Cass A & BProducers: Chuy VarelaCollection: Chuy Varela Collection
This rally in SF is part of a tour to support the EZLN approx. Five months after their Jan 1 uprising. Zapatista representatives Manuel Miron and Pedro Castillo give speeches and answer questions on the necessity of the Zapatistas' movement and their purpose, especially in response to structural violence against Chiapas, indigenous peoples and campesinos in the form of undemocratic rule since the 1910 revolution and neoliberal policies like NAFTA. Other poetry and music is also performed, including a statement issued by Leonard Peltier to the EZLN (05/09/94) in solidarity with their struggles.
Henry Cisneros: United States Demographic Explosion (Part 1 of 2) Henry Cisneros: United States Demographic Explosion (Part 1 of 2)
Date: 5/1/1990Call Number: CV 015Format: Cass A & BCollection: Chuy Varela Collection
Henry Cisneros speaks on four interrelated issues: the reality of the U.S. demographic changes, economics, immigration and the need for local leadership to promote local changes. He encouraged especially Latino students, to be leaders and to get involved in public service.
Latino Alcohol Policy and Advocacy Action in California: Keynote Presentation by Jerry Tello Latino Alcohol Policy and Advocacy Action in California: Keynote Presentation by Jerry Tello
Date: 7/20/1994Call Number: CV 050Format: Cass A & BCollection: Chuy Varela Collection
Jerry Tello uses storytelling and humor to talk about issues such as alcohol and drugs in the Latino community.
Latino Alcohol Policy and Advocacy Action in California Latino Alcohol Policy and Advocacy Action in California
Date: 7/19/1994Call Number: CV 051Format: Cass A & BCollection: Chuy Varela Collection
Speech by Sylvia Castillo on the importance of being a policymaker, even without a credential. Castillo encourages people to use their history to become effective policymakers as well as teach others in their community to do the same. (First part same as CV 048) Presentation by William Vega from his study on "Perinatal Substance Exposure in California," which examines the drug and alcohol used before delivery by women. Vega explains the results of his research and answers questions.
Watsonville Earthquake Victims and Relief Watsonville Earthquake Victims and Relief
Date: 10/22/1989Call Number: CV 072Format: Cass A & BCollection: Chuy Varela Collection
Chuy Varela interviews victims, volunteers, and city officials in Watsonville one week after the earthquake turned thousands homeless and in need of disaster relief. Includes interview with Oscar Rios, farmworkers advocates, community health organization workers, and victims living in Tent Cities. Interviews in Spanish and English.
Green Giant Layoff Marcha Green Giant Layoff Marcha
Date: 10/27/1990Call Number: CV 076Format: Cass A & BCollection: Chuy Varela Collection
Interviews and speeches recorded at a march in Watsonville, CA in support of laid-off workers from the Green Giant frozen foods packing plant. Interviews in English and Spanish, speeches in Spanish with translation.
Noticiero Ahora with Gloria La Riva Noticiero Ahora with Gloria La Riva
Call Number: CV 111Format: Cass A & BProducers: Chuy VarelaProgram: Noticiero AhoraCollection: Chuy Varela Collection
1994 gubernatorial candidate Gloria La Riva talks about her candidacy with the Peace and Freedom Party, Pete Wilson's governance and Prop 187.
Protest of Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) Protest of Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA)
Date: 9/30/1991Call Number: CV 129Format: Cass A & BProducers: Chuy VarelaCollection: Chuy Varela Collection
Demonstration against the announcement by rulers of the US, Mexico & Canada that they sought a "free trade agreement." Includes advocates for Mexican workers and other viewpoints.
Salsa Block Party Salsa Block Party
Date: 6/18/1994Call Number: CV 131Format: Cass A & BProducers: Chuy Varela, Luis MedinaProgram: Noticiero AhoraCollection: Chuy Varela Collection
Interview with poet Juvenal Acosta followed by music, "Salsa Block Party" with Luis Medina.