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

Rally for Chicano Studies at UCLA

This page has annotations:

This page has tags:

Contents of this tag:

This page is referenced by:

UCLA Hunger Strike In 1973, UCLA established an undergraduate inter-departmental program, which was the home of the Chicano/a Studies department for about 20 years. In the 1980s and 90s, the state of California saw budget cuts due to a lack of government funding. Originally included in this budget cut at UCLA was the inter-departmental program. Students began to protest the elimination of this program, as they felt Chicano/a Studies was too important of a program to lose. They felt that it deserved to be its own department as well. Due to these budget cuts that took place all throughout the 1980s, Chancellor Charles E. Young decided that he was unable to grant departmental status to the Chicano/a Studies program.

On April 28th, 1993, the night before the funeral of Cesar Chavez, the Conscious Students of Color group at UCLA began a sit-in demonstration. Approximately 200 students took place in the protest on UCLA's campus, and 99 of them were arrested by UCPD and LAPD, who approached the campus in riot gear. Some of the students, and even a professor, decided to expand upon the sit-in protest and take part in a hunger strike where they abstained from eating any food. This hunger strike was inspired by the protest methods of Cesar Chavez himself. In 1968, Chavez completed his first hunger strike for agricultural workers where he did not consume any food and drank only water for 25 days.

As the strike continued on, parents began to express concerns for the health and safety of their children. While many parents were supportive of their children's decisions to strike, they were worried what would happen if the strike continued. Doctors began weighing in and warning the participants of the strike that they could face serious health problems if they went on much longer. Some students even became wheelchair-bound after going a whole week without eating any food. Despite Chancellor Young's concern for the protestors, his decision on the Chicano/a Studies becoming an independent department did not change. He did, however, state that students involved in a rally that took place for the Chicano/a Studies department would not face any serious consequences.

The protests and strikes proved to be successful, as the Chicano Studies program was not only kept open, but it became its own department in 2005. The department was titled the Cesar E. Chavez Department of Chicano/a Studies after the Chavez-inspired protesting that led to the department's formation. The department has since grown to become the home of over 450 undergraduate majors and minors, 30 PhD students, and 14 faculty members. The research done within the department from both students and faculty continues to expand as the years go on. Not only did the strike and protests result in an expansion of the Chicano/a Studies program, but it also succeeded in bringing all different kinds of students and faculty together to support the Chicanx/Latinx community.