Judy Branfman
Producer/Director
A first-time filmmaker, Producer/Director Judy Branfman, has a broad background in the arts and community outreach, including working on large character-based mixed-media installation projects about LA’s garment workers, LA’s labor history, and Boston’s history of community development activism.
For over 25 years Judy has done arts, educational, planning, and outreach projects with non-profits, unions, and municipalities on gender, labor, immigrant-rights, and diverse community development issues. She has taught labor and social justice-related courses for freshmen at UCLA – and produced large community-based events focusing on LA’s multi-ethnic and labor history.
Judy Branfman,
Producer/Director
A native Angelino, I turned to filmmaking to pursue a hidden family story that reveals a history of free speech - and the roots of my own activism. I have a broad background in the arts, including textile pieces for public places; large mixed-media installations about LA’s garment workers, labor history, and affordable housing; and Boston’s history of community development activism.
I’ve done extensive interviewing and research on LA’s historic Jewish and multi-cultural neighborhood, Boyle Heights, where this film takes place, and organized several events on the area’s multi-ethnic labor history. For over 30 years I’ve done arts, writing, outreach and education, and planning projects of my own and with non-profits, unions, and municipalities – and taught SoCal-centric labor and social justice-related courses. Over the years I've had the opportunity to work with other artists and activists on wonderful projects, including Standing Our Ground in Boston and "Hidden Labor: Uncovering LA's Garment Industry" in LA.
I co-edited and photo-edited Public Los Angeles, featuring the work of longtime friend & historian Don Parson, continuing my work telling histories of activism. Recently I organized a year-long project about lost affordable housing in Venice, CA, Where Has All The (affordable) Housing Gone? I’m a Research Affiliate with UCLA’s Institute for Research on Labor and Employment.
Children of hotel workers at the Fast for Justice, 12/10/2006
