Juan "Freddie Freak" Trujillo Main Menu Juan "Freddie Freak" Trujillo An overview of the life and work of Juan "Freddie Freak" Trujillo and his work in relation with the Chicano movement. Much of his work was focused on the Coors Strike, UMAS, and Cucaracha. Biography UMAS During the 60s and 70s an activist with a very unique name was starting to make headway in Colorado. How he got involved in activism is a rather interesting story... Coors Boycott The Beer and the Boycott La Cucaracha Newspaper In 1976 a new kind of newspaper was started to deliver the new that Latinos felt was being left out. Read below to out about the journey of the newspaper External Links/Resources

La Cucaracha: his involvement and influence

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Juan "Freddie Freak" Trujillo was a part of multiple chicano activism movements throughout the years, initially in Boulder, Colorado. In his adult years, working at a print shop in Denver, he was ready for change, and heard about the La Cucaracha newspaper being distributed in Pueblo, Colorado.

Focused on telling the stories that much of the mainstream media ignored-particularly the stories involving minority groups' oppression, repression, and conflict-La Cucaracha became a local rallying point for those that ostracized by the majority groups around them. Outside of just telling news stories, the workers at La Cucaracha often opened their homes and communities to the children of those who could not afford to pay someone to watch them during the day. Mr. Trujillo stated that they were never out to make a profit, but rather to establish themselves as a safe and secure area for the chicano community that they could gather behind and feel supported within.

With his background in printing and lithography, he was one of the two original paid members of the staff of La Cucaracha, and was involved in the formatting of the print as well as uncovering stories.
One of the benefits of the paper was that they ran stories in Spanish, which created a niche group of readers. It also expanded the ability for the chicanos in the area-especially those who only spoke Spanish-to have an awareness of public issues and events.
Juan Trujillo's work on the La Cucaracha newspaper was extremely important to the Chicano movement in the upholding of their native culture in what Mr. Trujillo considered a resistance of American assimilation and appropriation of culture.

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  1. La Cucaracha Newspaper Nathan Fletcher, Joseph Alvarado, Craig Hayson, Ryan Archuleta

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