Artpace Exhibition Revisits Fuerza Unida's Fight After 1990 Levi Strauss Plant Closure
In 1990, Levi Strauss & Co. closed its South Zarzamora plant in San Antonio, Texas, leading to the formation of Fuerza Unida by over 1,100 former workers. The company moved its production operations to Costa Rica. Fuerza Unida, a San Antonio-based group, was established in response to this closure. The organization subsequently engaged in legal actions, organized protests, and conducted hunger strikes to advocate for the affected workers. In 2021, Fuerza Unida donated an archival collection of photographs, documents, and other records detailing their history and efforts to the University of Texas at San Antonio Libraries Special Collections. This historical event is currently being explored by Houston artist Irene Antonia Diane Reece as part of an Artpace San Antonio residency exhibition, which focuses on memory and power through various artistic forms.
