In the United States, farmworkers have been fighting for social and economic justice for over a century. The story of their struggle is one of resilience and determination, with the movement's history and formation being the focus of the documentary "The Struggle in the Fields" and Colin Gunkle's essay, "Building a Movement and Constructing Community." For a Chicano, it is crucial to examine these sources as the significance of the Sacramento pilgrimage, the Teatro Campesino, and the Plan de Delano cannot be overstated.
To begin, "The Struggle in the Fields" is an intimate portrait of Cesar Chavez and the United Farm Workers (UFW), a union that fought for better working conditions, higher wages, and legal protections for farmworkers. The documentary
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The NFWA (predecessor of the UFW) developed the plan, which outlined the organization's goals and strategies for achieving fair wages and working conditions for farmworkers. The plan called for a boycott of grapes, a significant industry in California at the time, which was a powerful tool that allowed the NFWA to put pressure on growers to improve working conditions and negotiate with the union. The plan was a crucial part of the movement, helping to define the goals and strategies of the NFWA and providing a framework for future organizing efforts.
El Teatro Campesino (Farmworker's Theater), founded by Luis Valdez in 1965, was another essential aspect of the farmworkers' movement. The theater company used humor and satire to convey the struggles and injustices faced by farmworkers (according to "Building a Movement and Constructing Community"). The theater was an indispensable means of organizing and mobilizing farmworkers and their supporters. It was also instrumental in spreading awareness about the movement and its goals, playing a vital role in shaping the cultural and political landscape of the