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We are already in Hispanic Heritage Month! With pride in being Hispanic, I write to you about the Chicano Movement, which helped many of us who are Mexican Americans gain the right to attend a university.

The Context of the Movement:

The Chicano Movement had its roots in the 1940s and 1950s, gaining momentum as Mexican Americans began to organize and advocate for their civil rights. Many faced systemic discrimination and unequal treatment in areas such as education, employment and voting rights. This sparked a desire for change and mobilization. In 1943, the Zoot Suit Riots in Los Angeles highlighted racial tensions and violence against Mexican American youth. The riots ignited a sense of injustice and a collective awareness among Mexican Americans. The Chicano Movement, also known simply as “El Movimento,” gained steam in the 1960s and 1970s as a civil rights movement advocating for the rights and empowerment of Mexican Americans.

Facing racism, many Mexican Americans at the time did not feel “American” or “Mexican,” so they adopted the term “Chicano” to refer to the first generations whose parents were Mexican immigrants in the United States. This term was used by many activists and community leaders to express pride in their Mexican roots while also identifying as Americans. Furthermore, “Chicano” became a symbol of resistance and pride, representing a reaffirmation of identity and a rejection of derogatory labels used to describe Mexican Americans.

Influential Leaders:

Two important leaders of this movement were César Chávez and Dolores Huerta. Both co-founded the United Farm Workers (UFW) organization in response to the treatment that farmworkers received. The UFW focused on issues such as fair wages, better working conditions and labor rights for farm workers. These farm workers faced precarious conditions, low wage and a lack of job security.

In 1965, César Chávez attempted to address his concerns by initiating a grape workers’ strike as part of the broader mission of the UFW to improve the harsh working conditions, low wages and exploitation faced by farmworkers, particularly in the grape industry. The strike aimed to secure basic labor rights, fair wages and better treatment for farm workers. Chávez was inspired by the Civil Rights Movement led by Martin Luther King Jr. because of his nonviolent tactics, implementing peaceful and grassroots strategies, including a consumer boycott of table grapes. The grape strike and boycott were crucial in raising awareness and achieving positive changes for farm workers, contributing to the overall goals of the UFW. The boycott significantly impacted grape sales, reducing them due to widespread support in the United States for the affected workers.

The East Los Angeles Student Walkouts of 1968:

The student walkouts of 1968, also known as the “Chicano Blowouts,” were a series of protests regarding racist educational inequalities they faced in their schools, led by students that occurred over several days in March of 1968. The walkouts began on March 1, 1968, at Wilson High School and spread to other high schools in the East Los Angeles area, including Garfield, Lincoln and Roosevelt High Schools. The duration of the walkouts varied at each school, with students leaving classes and participating in protests, marches and demonstrations for several days.

These walkouts were a response to the unequal and discriminatory treatment of Mexican American students in the Los Angeles Unified School District. Students demanded better educational conditions, including improved facilities, updated textbooks and a more inclusive curriculum that reflected Mexican American history and culture. The protests were a significant moment in the Chicano civil rights movement and played a crucial role in bringing attention to the struggles faced by Mexican American students in the education system. These walkouts resulted in important reforms, including bilingual education programs, Chicano Studies curriculum, greater representation of Mexican American culture in schools and empowering the Chicano community.

The Outcomes:

The Chicano Movement played a crucial role across the United States, especially in California. It united the Chicano community and others in support, resulting in the achievement of various goals. It led to significant changes in the education system, advocating for culturally relevant curriculum, bilingual education programs and greater representation of Mexican American history and culture in schools.

The Chicano Movement also played a fundamental role in advocating for the rights of farmworkers. Organizations like the UFW, led by figures such as César Chávez and Dolores Huerta, successfully fought for better working conditions and higher wages for farmworkers.

Additionally, the Chicano Movement influenced the creation of Movimiento Estudiantil Chicano de Aztlán (MEChA), a student organization aimed at promoting the educational, cultural, and political empowerment of Chicano students in higher education. In response to the demands of El Plan de Santa Barbara, MEChA was officially founded in 1969 at the University of California, Santa Barbara. The organization became a platform for Chicano students to address issues such as educational inequality, cultural pride, and political empowerment. Ultimately, MEChA played a crucial role in fostering a sense of community and activism among Chicano students, helping to elevate their voices and concerns within the broader context of social justice in the U.S.

Erick Ruvalcaba believes the Chicano Movement was essential in advancing the educational opportunities for Mexican Americans.

A version of this article on p. 10 of the Oct 10, 2024 print edition of The Daily Nexus.