The Agriculture and Land-Based Training
Association (ALBA) provides educational and business
opportunities for farm workers and aspiring farmers to grow
and sell crops grown on two organic farms in Monterey
County, California.
Our mission is to advance economic
viability, social equity and ecological land management
among limited-resource and aspiring farmers. We work to
create opportunities for family farms while providing
education and demonstration on conservation, habitat
restoration, and whole farm planning.
Manuel Santana 1927 – 2008
Community leader, restaurateur and artist Manuel Santana died on
July 1, 2008 after a brief illness. On behalf of the ALBA Board
of Directors and staff, we share condolences with his family and
friends, and we celebrate his legacy of community development
work on the Central Coast. In the mid-1970s, “Manny” served as
president of the Central Coast Counties Development Corporation
(CCCDC), which started the farm-based education programs that
have since evolved into ALBA.
Manuel was the keynote speaker at ALBA’s Small Farmer Education
Program graduation in April 2007. He spoke about how he was
impacted by his vision for the place more than 30 years ago. He
expressed that the values and vision he held then were present
in ALBA’s work today. His reflections included: early
organizational struggles, Cesar Chavez’ occasional presence on
the farm, and the political struggles that both created and
suppressed opportunities for Latinos in the region. He also
enjoyed reviewing historical documents and photos from Nancy
Bardin-Mitchell, whose mother sold the farm in 1972 to a group
that would establish the CCCDC.
Manuel grew up in Los Angeles, and moved to Santa Cruz in 1961
to work in construction. He later established two restaurants,
Manuel’s in Aptos and Jardines de San Juan in San Juan Bautista.
He was soon involved in farm workers’ civil and labor rights
struggles, including rural development issues. He helped start
strawberry cooperatives among some of the first Latino farmers
in the region. He served on the National Advisory Council for
Rural Economic Development, organized the San Jerardo labor
camp, founded the UC Santa Cruz Martin Luther King Committee,
and participated on the UC Water Resources Advisory Board.
In 2008, he was chosen as Santa Cruz County Artist of the Year.
Over the past two decades, he produced hundreds of vibrant
paintings, prints and sculptures. He served for six terms as
president of the Cabrillo Music Festival, donated space for the
first home of El Teatro Campesino, provided exhibit space for
Galería Tonantzin to assist women artists and inspired hundreds
of people with good food and lively conversation.
His family has suggested that contributions be made to the
Santana Memorial Fund at the Community Foundation of Santa
Cruz County at
http://www.cfscc.org
