Connectivity: Storming Caesars Palace
Activism/Social Justice: March/Rally/Protest
Film/Movie
Lecture/Discussion/Panel/Talk/Q&A/Seminar
Pollock Theater
**Events may have been canceled or postponed. Please contact the venue to confirm the event.
Date & Time
Tue, Apr 28 7:00 PM - 9:30 PM
Address (map)
Pollock Theater University of California, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA 93106-4010
Venue (website)
Pollock Theater
Directed by Hazel Gurland-Pooler, Storming Caesars Palace (2022) chronicles the life of Ruby Duncan, who rose from hotel maid to prominent protester, movement organizer, and White House advisor while fighting to defend and expand welfare rights in Las Vegas.
To combat unjust accusations of fraud made by the Nevada welfare department, Duncan organized a feminist civil rights movement led by low-income mothers demanding dignity, democratic participation, and a guaranteed basic income.
Through interviews with Duncan, her family, and movement leaders including Gloria Steinem, the film weaves together extensive archival footage to spotlight an unsung struggle that challenged presidents, confronted the Las Vegas power structure, and forced Americans to rethink the racist and sexist myth of the “welfare queen.”
Adapted from Annelise Orleck’s acclaimed book, Storming Caesars Palace offers a timely reminder of a fight for economic justice led by those most marginalized.
Following the screening, director Hazel Gurland-Pooler will join moderator Chelsea Kai Roesch (Film and Media Studies, UCSB) for a discussion of Storming Caesars Palace and its enduring relevance today.
