James Tracy

James Tracy is a Lecturer and Chair of the Labor and Community Studies Department at City College of San Francisco, with concurrent teaching appointments at San Francisco State University, Laney College, and the University of San Francisco. Bringing three decades of frontline organizing experience in housing justice, economic equity, and social movements, he bridges academic theory with activist practice across the Bay Area.

His educational background includes:

• M.A. in Work and Labor Policy, Empire State College, State University of New York (2020)
• B.A. in Humanities with emphasis in Literacy in Society, New College of California (1998)
• Adult Education Credential, UC Berkeley Extension (2020)

Tracy's research centers on displacement resistance, interracial solidarity in social movements, and anti-fascist organizing, drawing from deep engagement with San Francisco's housing struggles. His work critically examines gentrification dynamics, community land trusts, and historical New Left alliances between marginalized groups, emphasizing practical applications for contemporary activism.

His major publications include the books Dispatches Against Displacement: Field Notes From San Francisco's Housing Wars, Hillbilly Nationalists, Urban Race Rebels and Black Power (co-authored), and No Fascist USA! (co-authored). His interdisciplinary scholarship appears across academic journals like Contemporary Justice Review and activist publications including Shelterforce, Punk Planet, and Race Poverty and the Environment, reflecting his commitment to accessible radical scholarship.

As a movement builder, Tracy co-founded the San Francisco Community Land Trust and co-chaired the successful "Free City" Campaign that established tuition-free community college in San Francisco. He serves on the Howard Zinn Book Fair Coordinating Committee and holds leadership roles in American Federation of Teachers 2121, Department Chairperson Council, and California Faculty Association.