mercedes aguilar/the star Martin Sheen stands between the Rev. Dennis Marrell and Angela Small on Sunday in Camarillo.
The name “Martin Sheen” is recognizable to most, belonging to an award-winning Hollywood actor.
PHOTO BY RICHARD SHOTWELL
Martin Sheen arrives at the Friendly House Los Angeles’ 24th Annual Awards Luncheon at the Beverly Hilton Hotel on Saturday, Oct. 26, 2013 in Los Angeles. (Photo by Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP)
The actor’s real name, Ramon Estevez, however is less known. The name change was a decision Sheen made to receive more acting roles.
But he never officially changed it, keeping his legal name and being proud of it and his roots, he said at a fundraiser Sunday.
The Social Justice Fund for Ventura County invited Sheen to be keynote speaker for Currents of Change, at which he spoke of his immigrant family and his activism.
“Acting is what I do for a living,” Sheen said. “Activism is what I do to stay alive.”
Sheen said he accepted the invitation because of two friends: the Rev. Dennis Marrell, whom he met about 30 years ago in Oxnard; and Doug Kmiec, candidate for the 26th Congressional District.
At an early age, Sheen said, he was active with workers’ rights, including a brief union strike when he worked at a country club as a teen.
“It seems those days there were no child labor laws,” he said to about 100 guests at the Camarillo Ranch House. Sheen said he was suspended for several weeks but that he continued his fight.
He supported the 1965 farmworkers movement and anti-war events, he said.
At a news conference after his speech, Sheen said he had no specific cause in his activism but instead supported and attended social and political events.
mercedes aguilar/the star Martin Sheen sits by Angela Small, executive director of The Social Justice Fund for Ventura County, at a news conference Sunday in Camarillo.
“If you want a legacy to last and be substantial, invest now in social justice and the people who are doing the work,” he told a volunteer.
Sheen also emphasized education and said he supported organizations like the Boys & Girls Clubs.
“Education is the key to everything, really,” he said at the conference.
Angeles Small, executive director for the fund, said she was glad to have Sheen as keynote speaker and that she hoped his attendance raised more money.
“The more we raise, the more we can help organizations,” she said. “We are very honored he accepted the invitation, and we hope in the future we can continue working in events like this with him.”
The nonprofit expected to raise $50,000, Small said. The money will be given as grants to various organizations at the event.
Read more: http://www.vcstar.com/news/2014/may/04/martin-sheen-speaks-at-camarillo-fundraiser/#ixzz30ocNyJy0
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carthomas7 writes:
Read more: http://www.vcstar.com/news/2014/may/04/martin-sheen-speaks-at-camarillo-fundraiser/#ixzz30ocZIAif
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THANK YOU!! Wish I could have been there; next time God willing.
John Griffin for Clerk was there!!Mina was AWOL!!