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Today’s Topics: 1. United Farm Workers &

Pesticides

2. UFW as part of 1960s-70s cultural venacular

National Farmworkers Association y que?

Dolores Huerta Cesar Chavez

National Farmworkers Association member, you member, member…

Cesar Estrada Chavez

�  Born in Yuma Arizona, 1927

�  1 of 5 children

�  Family all migrant workers.

�  1944, Chavez joined the U.S. Navy for 2 years, served in the Pacific

From National Farmworkers Association to United Farm Workers

Caesar Estrada Chavez

�  1952, joined CSO -Community Service

Organization

�  He was an organizer

�  Quit because they refused to organize farmworkers

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From National Farmworkers Association

to United Farm Workers

From National Farmworkers Association to United Farm Workers y que?

Dolores Huerta Member, you member, member…

�  Born in Dawson, New Mexico.

�  Stockton, CA, quit her teaching job and joined Chavez in organizing with CSO

�  “ I couldn’t stand seeing kids come to class hungry and needing shoes.”

Dolores Huerta

awarded the “Medal of

Freedom” by President Obama

2012

Delano, California, 1960s Strike to support

Agricultural Workers Organizing Committee, large Filipino membership

�  September 1965 – NFWA voted to join the AWOC strike

�  1966 – NFWA and AWOC merged to form

�  Boycott Grapes throughout the world

�  More than 14 million Americans boycotted grapes

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Strike to support Agricultural Workers Organizing Committee,

large Filipino membership

�  1969 – UFW wins y que

�  Sign contracts with Delano Growers y que?

�  Boycott start in 1965, with literally ZERO STRIKE

FUND

�  i.e. they had no $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

“Sun Mad Raisins,” 1962 Ester Hernandez

�  Screenprint on Paper

�  22” x 17”

�  1962

�  In response to hometown drinking water contaminated with pesticides

�  “talks about the impact the overuse of pesticides will have on the farmworkers consumers and the environment.” Ester Hernandez

Ester Hernandez, b. 1944

�  San Francisco based artists

�  Mexican/ / Yaqui heritage

�  UC Berkeley Graduate

�  Visual art since the 1970s

�  Feminist subjects

Sun Maid Raisins, 1916

Sun Maid Raisins, 1970s ê Sun Maid Raisins, circa 1980s

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Sun Maid Raisins, circa 2000

�  The previous slides (Sun Mad Raisins), showed the normal progression of of their packaging.

�  But Ester Hernandez’s “Sun Mad Raisins” shows the real impacts that farm workers have to deal with exposure to pesticides.

�  These images provided a framework for other Chicanos in the 1960s-70s to rally behind.

Pesticides and Farmworkers

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National Farmworkers Association Grape Strike, 1965-1970. Several continue to 2000s.

"A symbol is an important thing. That is why we chose an Aztec eagle. It gives pride . . . When people see it they know

it means dignity." Cesar Chavez

International Strike

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�  The UFW flag was very visible and in many ways became the flag of the entire Chicano movement.

�  It was easy to reproduce, which was good because anyone could make their own UFW flag/poster.

�  In that way, anyone could be a part of the movement.

MOVIE: Chicano Struggle in the Field

�  Watch the Documentary on Youtube.

�  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FIgIaI5AVpY

�  Or search with “Chicano! PBS Documentary - The Struggle in

the Fields.”

�  Pay special attention to the way art ( theater, skits, murals,

music, etc…) were used in the UFW Grape strike and

Chicano Movement.

�  This was the essence of Chicano Identity.

Pes,cide  use  in  the  1950s  and  1960s  

- Yale Biologists = tested mice and reported the same results and said they had no reason to believe the effect on humans was different

:

Agent  Orange  sprayed  in  Vietnam,  1961-­‐1971  - 1962-1971: 12 Million Galls of Agent Orange sprayed on Vietnam

-  Spray Agent Orange, approx. 80 million liters laced with dioxin - Used “to save the lives of U.S. and allied Soldiers by defoliating dense vegetation In the Vietnamese jungles.” MONSANTO - Spray area same size of State of Massachusetts - Vietnamese mothers report birth defects

- - U.S. soldiers sons/daughters birth - defects

Agent  Orange  Impacts?  

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Agent Orange Children Agent Orange Children in the U.S. and Vietnam

� 4.5 million Vietnamese and

� 2.5 million American veterans, may have been exposed to the pesticide

� Dioxin, one of the main ingredients, is “known human carcinogen”

Agent Orange

�  Agent Orange was sprayed at up to 50 times the

concentration recommended for killing plants.

�  Former U.S. airbase in Da Nang is one of 28 “hot spots”

in Vietnam where DIOXIN LEVELS are up to 365

TIMES above acceptable levels.

�  These slides are here to show you just how dangerous pesticides (and chemicals) can be….

�  Farmworkers were especially in harms ways because they would literally spray over them in the fields.

�  As such, that helps construct an identity because many Chicana/os are working in dangerous working conditions. When that happens, people often band together to fight for safer working conditions.

Chemical Use Today

�  There are over 80,000 chemicals in use today.

�  Most have never been tested – either for efficacy or safety.

�  That is U.S. Law – ok to sell product before it is

tested. If products is found to cause harm/ death, then action may be taken.

Results  from  American  Chemical  Companies:                                            PesCcides  and  Frogs  

UC Berkeley Biologist Tyrone Hayes links pesticides to deformities

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Dr. Tyrone Hayes, UC Berkeley

Tyrone Hayes Pesticide: Atrazine

�  Herbicide used on crops

�  Mostly used on Corn

�  Used for 50+ years

�  Use 80 Million Pounds Annually

�  Popular Pesticide

Dr. Tyrone Hayes, UC Berkeley

Pesticide: Atrazine

�  Was # 1 Pesticide in the world

�  Used in 80 countries

�  But banned in all of Europe

�  Why?

�  It’s even made in Europe (Germany), but it’s banned in its own country.

Results  from  American  Chemical  Companies   Changes Sex of Frogs

�  Atrazine promotes the conversion of testosterone to estrogen.

�  Explains the demasculinization of the male larynx and the production of hermaphrodites.

�  Study suggests – other amphibians could be at risk of impaired sexual development – or – change sex organs

�  This endocrine disruptors may be a factor in global amphibian declines.

Pesticide Exposure

Atrazine

Atrazine

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Atrazine – “um, good” J PAN: PESTICIDE ACTION NETWORK, "WHAT'S ON OUR FOOD"

PesCcide  Exposure  Felipe  Franco,  California,  circa  1980s  

Felipe  Franco,  California,  circa  1980s  

American Chemical Companies & Pesticides “The Corporation”

Cesar Chavez Speech on Pesticides

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UFW & Pesticides El Malcriado, UFW

El Malcriado, UFW UFW & Pesticides

Pesticides and Farmworkers Pesticides and Farmworkers

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1.1 Billion Pounds of Pesticides Annually

So what does all this mean?

1.  The UFW was, in many ways, the heart and soul of the Chicano Movement in the 1960s-70s. As such, it greatly

lead to the sense of Chicano Identity during the 1960s.

2.  This will lead to a spin off of other Chicano artistic influences. Chicanos will reach back to their Pre-

Columbian history.

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“Orale Raza”

“If I have to die it’s gonna be for Aztlan”

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“We are Not a Minority!!” Chicano Identity Manifested through Arts

�  Be sure to watch the “Struggle in the Fields” Video found on Youtube. Instructions were placed earlier in this PowerPoint.

�  In summation, the UFW struggle in the 1960s and 70s became an impetus for Chicano cultural manifestations.

�  It was evident in music, art, muralism, posters, theatre, and other visual culture.