Bob Ostertag

About the Author

Bob Ostertag is a renowned activist, musician, and scholar whose work bridges the worlds of labor rights, social justice, and experimental music. With a career spanning decades, he has been at the forefront of grassroots movements, drawing from his experiences in San Francisco's vibrant counterculture scene. Ostertag's writing delves into the raw realities of organizing and resistance, offering incisive critiques of power structures while celebrating the resilience of working people. His memoir Raising Expectations (and Raising Hell): My Decade Fighting for the Labor Movement chronicles his transformative years advocating for workers' rights, blending personal narrative with broader political analysis. A professor emeritus at the University of California, Santa Cruz, Ostertag continues to inspire through his interdisciplinary approach, fusing art and activism to challenge inequality.