Charlie Lahud-Zahner Nicole Cardoza Charlie Lahud-Zahner Nicole Cardoza

Remember César Chávez.

As President Biden transitions to life in the White House, he’s responsible for controlling the imagery that will set the tone for the next four years. His Oval Office overhaul removed an Andrew Jackson portrait but added a bust of Latino union hero César Chávez (Washington Post). Dolores Huerta, American labor leader and civil rights activist, described it as a “healing moment” (NPR). The significance of this moment, and its urgency today, may have been lost on those unfamiliar with the work of César Chávez. Here’s a bit of context.

Happy Sunday, and welcome back to the Anti-Racism Daily! We touched on the importance of labor unions in last week's newsletter on BAmazon. I thought today's article on the legacy of César Chávez, written by Charlie, adds timely context for that conversation. I hope you enjoy learning more!

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TAKE ACTION

  • In case you missed it, read last week’s article on unionization efforts at the Amazon warehouse in Bessemer, Alabama for specifics of how employers attempt to suppress union organizations.

  • Use this website to write your local representative to help pass the PRO Act, a piece of workers’ rights legislation that would ensure workers’ rights to organize without fear of retribution.

  • It’s hard to eat entirely ethically, but take the time to learn where your food comes from. If you can, buy fair trade foods and avoid brands like Driscoll’s that have been routinely boycotted (KSBY).

GET EDUCATED

By Charlie Lahud-Zahner (he/him)

As President Biden transitions to life in the White House, he’s responsible for controlling the imagery that will set the tone for the next four years. His Oval Office overhaul removed an Andrew Jackson portrait but added a bust of Latino union hero César Chávez (Washington Post). Dolores Huerta, American labor leader and civil rights activist, described it as a “healing moment” (NPR). The significance of this moment, and its urgency today, may have been lost on those unfamiliar with the work of César Chávez. Here’s a bit of context.

César (pronounced “say-zar”) Chávez was born in Yuma, Arizona in 1927. His parents were migrant farmworkers, and Chávez, working alongside his parents, changed schools 38 times before eighth grade (SA Current). Unable to attend high school, Chávez worked the fields in rural California, where his family had moved in 1939. There, he was introduced to labor organizing by Donald McDonnel (a priest) and Fred Ross, a part of the Community Service Organization, a labor activist group (HISTORY). 

Through the Community Service Organization, Chávez met Dolores Huerta. Together, they formed the National Farm Workers Association (NFWA) in 1962. In 1965 the NFWA famously joined an ongoing strike started by Filipino farmworkers at the Delano vineyards.  They organized to protest low pay and dangerous working conditions, leading a series of boycotts on grapes, workers strikes, and a 340-mile march from Delano to Sacramento. Finally, In 1970, the newly christened United Farm Workers (UFW) were a formally recognized union (UFW). For migrant and minority workers in California often exploited by their employers, the UFW and Chávez were much-needed symbols of collective power.

Chávez was a follower of both Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King Jr and was committed to both non-violent protesting and fasting as a form of protest. As the organization grew, the organization was often met with violence and assault. Some members wanted to respond in the same way. To demonstrate his commitment to nonviolent protesting, Chávez fasted for 25 days– losing 35 pounds in the process. His fasts gained media attention, and his breaking of the fast was even attended by Robert Kennedy (UFW). Said Chávez:

“

It is my deepest belief that only by giving our lives do we find life. The truest act of courage, the strongest act of manliness, is to sacrifice ourselves for others in a totally nonviolent struggle for justice. To be a man is to suffer for others. God help us to be men.

César Chávez

Though Chávez is remembered as the face of the UFW, Huerta, who served as vice-president from 1965 to 1999, was its spiritual and organizing force.  Let it be known that Huerta was the one who came up with “¡Sí Se Puede!” (Yes we can!) and that today she is still revered as a civil rights icon. Chávez and Huerta would go on to spearhead numerous movements, including an international table grape boycott in 1984 protesting the use of pesticides and successful campaigns to improve pay in the states of Arizona, California, Texas, and Florida (HISTORY)

It’s difficult to overstate the influence and legacy of Chávez, especially in California. He’s a hero, a people’s champion whose legend has turned him into a deity of Mexican-American activism. His face is on countless murals across the country, and the UFW flag has grown beyond a representation of worker’s rights to a symbol of inspiration and unity for Latines across the country (TakePart). Even the LA rock band Chicano Batman’s name is based on the famous black eagle silhouette on the red background (Guardian). 

The prevailing stereotypes of American Latines are that we’re uneducated, poor, or just plain dirty. Brown Pig-Pens with sombreros working in hot, dusty fields. In contrast, the UFW flag and images of Chávez offer pride in the face of discrimination and racism. In Oakland (where I live), the UFW flag is tagged under bridges, painted on tiles, and even plastered on the corner store where I buy late-night iced tea.

The inclusion of a Chávez bust in the Oval Office potentially signals the Biden’s administration’s commitment to working with Latine labor groups and immigration activists. It could be a shallow performance to gain Latine support. Still, given Biden’s efforts to reverse Trump-era legislation and ensuring temporary foreign farm workers (those with H2A visas) receive travel reimbursement (Modern Farmer), it seems safe to be hopeful.

Labor justice issues remain racial justice issues. COVID-19 disproportionately impacts farmworkers, especially in the same areas of California where Chávez fought for protections. In Salinas Valley, farmworkers – predominantly Mexican immigrants with temporary visas – showed an infection rate nearly three times higher than that of the Bay Area (UC Berkeley). Amazon continues to mistreat its employees by forcing warehouse workers in Chicago to work insane graveyard shifts (Vice) and attempting to block the unionization efforts of a predominantly Black workforce in Alabama (ARD). To respect Chávez’s legacy, we must think of labor rights as not inherently different from racial rights. President Biden must work to pass the PRO Act and protect workers’ right to organize. The year is different, but la causa is the same.

¡Sí Se Puede!

KEY TAKEAWAYS

  • César Chávez was a Mexican-American activist known for being the head of the United Farm Workers and organizing boycotts, strikes, and fasts to improve working conditions for migrant farmworkers. 

  • The United Farm Workers flag, featuring a black Aztec eagle and red background, has evolved to represent both workers’ rights and Latine/Chicanx identity.

  • By including a bust of Chávez in the Oval Office, Biden seems to be signaling a willingness to work with the Latine community. 

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