This site requires Javascript to be turned on. Please enable Javascript and reload the page.

US Latinx Activism and Protests: From the Farm to the (Legislative) Table Art produced during the Chicanx Movement Abstract: In the midst of change, The Chicanx Movement was a monumental time for Mexican Americans in the United States during the late 1960s. The movement addressed the social, economic, and political inequalities experienced by Mexican Americans across the nation. Aimed to celebrate and acknowledge cultural pride and identity, the movement also sought to reclaim and celebrate Mexican and Mexican American history, art, and culture. The Chicanx Movement played a significant role in shaping the Latino identity and influencing subsequent social justice movements, and the artwork produced during this time allowed for many to voice their opinions on the political and social climate of the U.S during the time. LA Demonstrations During the Chicano Movement Abstract: The Chicano Movement was a movement that involved Mexican-Americans all over the United States and was a crucial component to establishing civil rights for Latinos. While Chicanos living in the United States were at the focal point of discrimination in society, they figured that it was best to come together and establish a sense of familiarity in order to combat these racial remarks and disadvantages. To spark attention to their cause and movement, many Chicanos participated in numerous demonstrations and while many were peaceful, many considered them as radical. By Steve, Lexi, and Ricardo Bracero Program In this project we will be analyzing a number of facets of the Bracero Program with a specific focus on the causes, on both sides of the border, which culminated in the agreement. Consequently, we will explore the historical context of the US and Mexico of the first half of the twentieth century, including the impact of the Mexican Revolution as well as the dire situation brought about by the second world war. By utilizing this basis we will then analyze the “migration aspect” entailed by the program, travel from Mexico to the US and various territories. Not only as an in depth look at the agreement, but also as a necessary foundation. One which will permit the Bracero Program to be positioned in history, while simultaneously deepening the exposition and understanding of a largely forgotten case of large-scale abuse and exploitation. We anticipate this will form the backbone of the examination of bracero experiences: first-hand accounts and testimonials.. By Fernando, Joy and Lizeth Guatemalan Genocide & Its Dark Truth This page will focus on the Guatemalan genocide, a period of brutal violence that brought tremendous adversity to those indigenous communities residing in the rural areas of Guatemala. It will provide details regarding the atrocities that the Mayan people experienced, the trauma that was left behind, and the hardships that they continue to face today. Furthermore, it will demonstrate how this heinous period of history fostered activism and social movements in Guatemala. By Paola Chavarria and & Aurora Nieves Chicano Farm Worker Movement In this project, we will be discussing about the Chicano Farm Worker Movement and how it brought change to not only farm workers but to society as a whole. We will be focused on the working conditions of farm workers prior and after the movement, notable or influential leaders, and the communities that were fueling the movement. By examining their struggles, successes, and legacy, we wanted to provide a better understanding of the process needed to advocate and bring forth social change for a marginalized group of people. Last, we wanted to remove stereotypes and other misconceptions about the movement in creating a more equitable society. Por: Justin Bui, Kristi Kang, Jenniffer Young Las "Brujas" Feministas: Magazines, Art, and Television This project intends to provide a comprehensive analysis of women's representation in different mediums such as art, television, and fanzines. In this way, the goal is to understand the gender stereotypes that women have had to overcome from a feminist perspective. Through this discussion, the hope is to amplify women's voices to promote inclusive and equitable representation in society. By Claudia Mejia, Janet Landa, Diana Andrade Walkouts and Protests in Los Angeles On our page, we will discuss the walkouts and protests that took place within schools and communities across Los Angeles. The school protests happened because Latino students wanted to see a change in the education system. Some of the changes Latino students wanted to see implemented were hiring more Chicano professors and administrators, having more Chicano Studies classes in higher education, and overall being treated better without discrimination or judgment. In the 1960s, high school students faced racism and discrimination, which included a lack of education and insufficient school buildings in comparison to those of white students in the area. Walkouts famously took place at Roosevelt High School in Los Angeles, where there was a large population of Latino students. In 1993, college students also faced a lack of Chicano education when budget cuts put the Chicano classes at UCLA at risk of being shut down. This led to a hunger strike, where UCLA students protested and ultimately helped to establish the UCLA César E. Chávez Department of Chicana/o Studies. In the years leading up to 1965, Latino and Black communities also protested because they wanted to see a change in the way they were treated. The Black community finally had enough in 1965 and the Watts Riots happened, which in the end led to positive changes in their community. By Sydney Schwinger, Vanessa Harris, Jazmin Chavez

Braceros loading their belongings onto a bus for trip home to Mexico, El Centro, 1965

This page is referenced by:

Bracero Program In this project we will be analyzing a number of facets of the Bracero Program with a specific focus on the causes, on both sides of the border, which culminated in the agreement. Consequently, we will explore the historical context of the US and Mexico of the first half of the twentieth century, including the impact of the Mexican Revolution as well as the dire situation brought about by the second world war. By utilizing this basis we will then analyze the “migration aspect” entailed by the program, travel from Mexico to the US and various territories. Not only as an in depth look at the agreement, but also as a necessary foundation. One which will permit the Bracero Program to be positioned in history, while simultaneously deepening the exposition and understanding of a largely forgotten case of large-scale abuse and exploitation. We anticipate this will form the backbone of the examination of bracero experiences: first-hand accounts and testimonials.. By Fernando, Joy and Lizeth

The Bracero Program at its core was a set of agreements reached between the US and Mexico, which lasted from the years 1942 to 1964 and permitted Mexicans to temporarily enter the US as workers. The work carried out by these workers was mainly agricultural: harvesting asparagus, lettuce, lemons, tomatoes and cotton. Additionally, almost in observation of the maintenance of US tradition, utilization of immigrant labor for infrastructure, a considerable portion of the labor also included the construction and expansion of the US railroad system. Although, despite the grand opportunity this seemed to Mexican workers at the time, the true nature of the program was exploitative, based on mistreatment and provided extremely poor working conditions. Put simply, the reality of the Bracero Program was little expected by workers who held favorable preconceived notions of the US.

However, before exploring the migration patterns and first-hand accounts from braceros, it’s imperative to place this program within the historical context which gave rise to it. During the 1940’s the US had become involved in the second world war. This war began in September of 1939 with the invasion of Poland and over the course of a few years Europe was ravaged. By 1942 the Axis powers were at their zenith, and controlled land from France to Russia as well as China to New Guinea. Considering the US’ involvement in the war inevitable, Japan carried out a preemptive attack at Pearl Harbor which forced the US to participate. Fearing labor shortages and a rising demand in production, the US looked abroad for laborers and initiated bi-lateral agreements with the Mexican government in order to acquire workers. Not only to satiate the labor shortage, but also as a means to rectify previous “repatriations” and deportations of Mexican-Americans during the Depression. Upon reaching this agreement in 1942, only 8 months after entering the war, millions of Mexican workers were legally allowed entry to work in the US.

This was not the only influence in drawing workers, it is also worth mentioning the long-lasting effect of the Mexican Revolution which, despite beginning in 1910, produced a number of effects leading into the 1940’s. Immediately after, the economy was devastated: livestock was greatly reduced, agriculture and manufacturing was abandoned and currency as well as credit were destroyed. Beyond this political and social instability persisted through small-scale civil wars and rigged elections. These can be understood as push factors for the majority of Mexican workers: a need for work and stability as well as safety. The background which motivated the workers deepens the unjust reality of the program.

Moreover, throughout the images, it will take you through a journey of what immigrants endure as they travel from their homeland of Mexico, to the United States. The journey never gets easier, instead it becomes harder every time a person gets closer to the United States. It is a battle of who will make it and if you make it alive or unfortunately die in the journey. Thus, people will find legal methods to enter the United States in order to secure an entrance to the United States. They will enter through programs like, The Bracero Programs, which grants them a short entrance to the United States in order to obtain economic resources to secure a better lifestyle once they return to their native country, since there are limited work opportunities in their native land. Therefore, they take upon this dangerous journey in order to secure themselves a better life, which include poor living conditions, sanitation conflicts, and traps placed on their contracts.

In addition to the images, the videos of various testimonials will provide a more direct and dimensional perspective of the Bracero workers. There were around 4 million Bracero workers that participated in the program, but unfortunately, not every individual is able to testify. However, these testimonials work as a unified voice to represent Bracero workers and give them the international attention they deserve. It has been collectively determined and widely agreed upon that millions of workers of the Bracero Program faced harsh and unfair conditions despite the fact they were promised protection from discrimination and poor wages from the United States. Interestingly, after gathering testimonials from various Bracero workers, there is a spectrum of how workers felt about the program. Bracero workers such as Emilio Solis Pallares expressed his experience as a "comfortable" one. While Christ Luna and others focused their testimony by expressing their animosity towards the program by sharing their explicit experiences. Despite the differences in each worker's experience, the daunting and fomidable aspects of the program altogether revealed that these workers were "welcomed" to solely fulfill the agricultural needs of the United States during World War II. onsequat.