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US Latinx Activism and Protests: From the Farm to the (Legislative) Table Main Menu Collection Media Thumbnails Hashtag Description 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. Chicano Moratorium Examining the causes, events, and leaders of the Chicano Moratorium #chicanx #feminism #movement 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 Migration in the United States The United States has often been called a "nation of immigrants," here we observe specific instances of migration policy within the United States and how certain themes regarding immigrants have changed or been maintained. By: Zulema Arguello, Sofia Perez Valles, and Natalie Manzo-Silva 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 Young Lords Party The Young Lords Party was founded at the peak of the 1960s political and civil rights movement in the United States. With a focus on empowering Puerto Ricans while embracing other Latinx communities, the Young Lords Party sought to effect change and fight systematic oppression faced by marginalized groups. By Isha Das, Hayden Holliman, Carli Meinert & Elise Oliver 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

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Migration Throughout The Transportation Journey In this portion of the imagery, there is a selection of images that 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. They arrive with only the necessary, but suffer poor sanitation and lose track of time due to the constant movement and stops throughout the transportation journey.
During 1942 to 1964, Mexicans were allowed to legally enter the United States to obtain a better lifestyle and economic stability for their families once they returned home. Due to the fact that many civilians did not have job opportunities in their home land, they would decide to leave and come towards the United States since it was advertised by everyone. They would leave with just the necessary things, which would be placed in bags or small luggages. By it being the top and popular story, they would take upon the journey, but did not know how it would be. They would start off in Mexico and travel to the border of the United States through bus or truck, where they would wait in line to enter. Once they crossed, they would leave in trains or buses to their destination to work. Many of the times, it would take them seven days to arrive, but migrates would lose track of time being stuck in transportation. During their transportation, they would have no food resources nor private area to urinate. As seen in the image, buses just had uncomfortable seats and no bathroom in the back. The trains or buses they would travel in were not made to accommodate long journeys. As a result, this was just the beginning of their suffrage.

Luggage

In the image, there is a note on each luggage that indicates the destination they are traveling to. The civilians are lined up to give their luggage or place their luggage on top of the bus. There are several luggages that are lined up to be placed on top. These luggages represent how they would carry their entire life in one or two bags. Majority of these people did not have any valuable items. The only thing they would carry were their clothes that they had and leave the items that could be replaced. People had to travel lightly since they could not carry their entire homes due to the fact that the transportation journey to first arrive in the United States had small room capacity. Moreover, space on buses was limited from and to their destination regards if they were just arriving or leaving back to their homeland. This is due to several people traveling to the same destination, which caused the labeling on the luggages useful to identify who it belonged to and the destination they were arriving at. Additionally, through these labels, it demonstrates the different destinations and how long the journey has been for the person, since the boxes would come from where they worked.
Journey

With the migration transportation journey being an important factor of the testimonies and stories published, there is an increasing number of stories that we will uncover throughout. Each person had their own reason to leave, but no one thought about how hard the journey would be nor take. Although the journey never changes nor gets easier, immigrants continue to do it, since it is their only option to obtain a more secure financial income than in their home country. Additionally, families would migrate, since family friends would assure them they would obtain a better lifestyle. However, no one told them about the dangers and difficulties that they would suffer going through the entire journey. Firstly, it was not easy to cross the border once they arrived. Their first stop was waiting until they were given a contract and a destination, which could be given if they made the cut off, but they ran the risk of being split away from their traveling group. Consequently, the cut off caused contracts to differ with the length they were given, like it is seen with Cruz Leon Martinez where he had a longer time than his travel buddies due to crossing before them. .
In any case, the migration transportation journey is an important factor in the testimonies and stories published. There is an increasing number of stories that we will be uncovered throughout the years, which demonstrate how each person had their own reason to leave, but no one thought about how hard the journey would be nor take. Resultantly, the buses and trains were primarily known methods of transportations that immigrants would take in order to reach their work location. On an everyday basis, from their homes, they would be taken in the back of pickup trucks to their field works. Constantly, they were on the move through trucks to arrive towards their destination. Since the moment they left their native lands, they have had to be moving from one place to another in order to provide their family with better economic resources. As a result, workers would routinely experience the same routes and traveling in each entrance, but they could be sent to a different work location. With a hard journey, immigrants were eager to arrive towards their destinations at first to finally rest. However, their stay was located in camps reserved especially for immigrant workers, which had the worst living conditions. There were several people piled up in a room, which to them in the beginning it did not matter as long as they had a secure job. Thus, the living conditions were considered adequate for them, since farm owners treated them like animals. Therefore, if they were treated like animals, they would live like them too.
Sanitation

However, throughout the journey, the sanitation standards were low and were treated like animals. In these transportation vehicles, people would be in buses that could be compared to a school bus. These buses did not have bathrooms for the passengers to utilize throughout the long journeys. Instead, it would just be a place considered an isolated box on wheels that would torture them. They would be stuck in there for hours or days without a single opportunity to leave nor do their necessity without being left behind. The moment they step foot outside their transportation, they would lose it all. Additionally, the only stops that it would make were to allow immigrant workers to get off at their stop. Therefore, the conditions would get worse and worse the longer the civilians were in there.
In addition, the conditions did not get better when they arrived at their destination. The living conditions in the camps were of poor living conditions to the point where the camps were in desperate need of renovation. The walls were starting to peel off and the discoloration process began. Moreover, there were hoses in the sink that could be from the outside, which would make them unsanitary for immigrants to even live in. These locations were not safe, nor were they livable, but immigrants had to make it work. Moreover, as seen in the image, the male workers at the beginning of their days would shave, but they did not have a proper mirror. Instead they had to use a small piece of glass of metal in order to see their reflection and have a proper shave. Consequently, the sanitation conditions progressively get worse with time and destination.
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.