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

Portrait of Ruben Salazar Carried Through A Street Procession

This page is referenced by:

Ruben Salazar: Journalist and Chicano Activist Ruben Salazar was a prominent Mexican-American journalist who played a significant role during the Chicano Moratorium, a mass protest movement against the Vietnam War and the mistreatment of Mexican Americans in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Salazar became an icon of the Chicano Movement, and his controversial death at the hands of the police inspired a new sense of urgency within the Movement. Salazar remained a contemporary symbol of activism and the fight for social justice. #activism #chicanx #humanrights Ruben Salazar was a prominent Mexican American journalist during the 20th century. Born in 1928 in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico, Salazar moved with his family to El Paso, Texas in 1929, where he grew up and attended school. After graduating from Texas Western College with a degree in journalism and English in 1959, he began his career as a reporter in El Paso. He worked for the El Paso Herald-Post, the San Fransisco News, and later for the Los Angeles Times starting in 1959. Salazar quickly succeeded at the Times, serving as the paper’s bureau chief in Vietnam during the height of the war. Notably, Salazar’s domestic coverage of the Chicano Civil Rights Movement largely contributed to his long-lasting legacy as a leader and activist.

Through his writing, Salazar illuminated the discriminatory struggles of Mexican Americans and other minority groups. He wrote about many oppressive topics, such as police brutality, poverty, discrimination, and lack of political representation. Embracing his role as a leader of activism for these marginalized communities, Salazar also urged his readers to take action and demand change.

In 1969, Salazar spoke at a rally in East Los Angeles for the first Chicano Moratorium march, a demonstration that protested the disproportionately high number of Mexican American casualties in the Vietnam War. An opportunity for Mexican Americans to emphasize their cultural identity to challenge systematic racism, Salazar utilized this event to promote unity and support for the growing Chicano Movement. He documented the event through interviews with other activists, by taking photographs, and writing about the questionable tactics used by the sizable police force to control the crowd. Through his continued coverage of the Moratorium, Salazar quickly became a national icon and household name.

On August 29, 1970, Salazar covered the National Chicano Moratorium March, a protest of more than 20,000 Mexican Americans in East Los Angeles. Soon after his participation, Salazar entered the Silver Dollar Café, where his chronicle of the Chicano Moratorium was tragically cut short. Responding to false reports of an armed disturbance, a Los Angeles County Sheriff's Deputy shot Salazar in the head and killed him instantly. Salazar’s death sparked outrage and widespread protests within the Chicano community. Tension increased between Chicanos and the police as the circumstances of his death were publicly questioned; many considered his death a direct act of violence against Mexican Americans and an attempt to silence their voices. Salazar’s legacy continued through his colleagues, who investigated the circumstances of the shooting and reported on the trial of the police deputy responsible. Salazar’s death also inspired a renewed sense of urgency and determination within the Chicano Moratorium.

Salazar’s impact on the Chicano Movement was renowned. His writing became a voice for Mexican Americans, exposing injustices they endured and advocating for social justice and equality. He inspired his community to fight for change. A symbol of perseverance and resilience, Salazar was remembered as a hero of the Chicano Movement. His legacy continued to influence the activist work of journalists, community leaders, and artists advocating for and celebrating the Chicano experience. A courageous journalist, activist and leader, Ruben Salazar’s coverage of the Chicano Moratorium and his death inspired his community and altered the course of the Chicano Movement. Salazar became a symbol of the importance of speaking truth and fighting for social justice and equality.

https://digital.library.ucla.edu/catalog/ark:/13030/hb3199n8b0
https://digital.library.ucla.edu/catalog/ark:/21198/zz002hj95d
https://www.lucypr.com/theater/august-29/august-29-photos/
https://rubensalazarproject.com/2012/04/17/missing-years-northern-california/
https://ca-times.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/ce28dbe/2147483647/strip/true/crop/1350x899+0+0/resize/1200x799!/format/webp/quality/80/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fbd%2F47%2F3ad04d004bdfae2550ae015c983c%2Fcm-myth-1350.jpg
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/latino/prominent-latino-journalist-ruben-salazar-killed-50-years-ago-tackled-n1238011
https://library.sonoma.edu/research/guides/regional/notablepeople/salazar
https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/chicano-moratorium-march-mexican-american-antiwar
https://news.usc.edu/192794/ruben-salazar-journalist-usc-libraries-collection/