Introduction

“The strike in Delano owes much to Cesar Chavez, Dolores Huerta, Gilbert Padilla and other Chicano and Mexican leaders who came out of the Community Service Organization that Chavez joined in 1952. But the left-wing leadership of Itliong, Philip Vera Cruz and other rank-and-file Filipino workers was equally important.” (David Beacon, 2015). In August 1966, the two organizations merged and created the UFW (United Farm Workers). Chavez strove for better wages and working conditions, but more than that, he strove to spread a message of dignity, respect, and justice for farm workers. To communicate this message, he chose for a symbol a black Aztec eagle, because "It gives pride…When people see it, they know it means dignity." (“The Story of Cesar Chavez.” United Farm Workers of America website.).

Grape harvest was, and still is, a huge influence in California. In 2017, the USDA reported there were 880,000 acres of grape harvest (USDA, 2017). Due to the extent of the grape harvest, farm workers played a significant role. They were pivotal in the harvesting and gathering of crops. However, these farm workers faced many struggles in terms of their working conditions. By 1970, the UFW grape boycott was a success, because grape growers signed their first union contracts. This contract granted better pay, benefits, and protections for workers (Franky Abbott, 2016).