Radical Art and Working Class Politics: A Round Table Discussion with Boots Riley

Boots Riley is a writer, director, activist, screenwriter, producer and musician. His second feature film I LOVE BOOSTERS centers on a crew of professional shoplifters who take aim at a cutthroat fashion maven. Riley is also is the founding member and lead vocalist of The Coup and Street Sweeper Social Club featuring Tom Morello of Rage Against The Machine on guitar. A dedicated community based activist, Boots was deeply involved with the Occupy Oakland movement and was one of the leaders of the activist group The Young Comrades. He is the author of the critically acclaimed collection of essays “Tell Homeland Security-We Are the Bomb” (Haymarket Books).

This event is sponsored by the Social Thought and Political Economy Program (STPEC) and co-sponsored by the History Department. See the STPEC website for more information.

Departmental (co)sponsorship of various types of events does not constitute an endorsement of the views expressed by the presenters, either at the events in question or in other venues. Rather, sponsorship is an endorsement of the exploration of complex and sometimes difficult topics. The UMass History Department is committed to promoting the free and peaceful exchange of ideas, one of the most important functions of the university.