Cesar Chavez's Progressive Life

After growing up and working on farms Cesar Chavez saw how bad life was for farm workers. He saw how much they struggled with money and safe working conditions. To help farm workers of America he founded the National Farm Workers Association in 1962. It was later named, United Farm Workers. One of the first things he did for the UFW was create a flag. The flag was red and black with an Aztec Eagle. Chavez quoted,"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." In 1966 the Delano Grape Strike occurred. People in the strike marched 340 miles from Delano to Sacramento California. People carried the UFW flags and banners that said,"Viva la Causa." (Long Live Our Cause). The objective for the people on strike was to get government to pass laws which would allow farm workers to organize into a union and allow collective bargaining agreements. In 1970 the UFW finally got grape growers to accept union contracts. Cesar had speeches that showed the lives of farm workers. He showed people how bad the pay is for such hard work they do. He explained how dangerous their living conditions were. Cesar got his point across to many people through many different ways. He boycotted, used picket signs, strikes and speeches. On August 21, 1980 farm workers fasted for 36 days. Fasting is where you don't eat anything, you just drink water. The fast was passed from person to person. The people involved were not only farm workers there were celebrities, ordinary people and political people. I think it is weird that people in politics are supporting him. If they believe in what he is doing they should be more aggressive and try to get farm workers the rights they deserve.