Good night, Beloved Detroit. March 31 is Cesar Chavez birthday. I created a page called Remembering Cesar Chavez in Detroit for those who wish to post stories, pictures or reflections on your time with Cesar Chavez in Michigan. Lansing, Flint, Saginaw all had a lot of dealings with the UFW, so its a shout out to our sisters and brothers outstate. It seems like the wildest of contradictions that the Cesar Chavez Academy is struggling for a collective bargaining agreement, even though the school is named after arguably, the greatest Latino labor leader in the history of the United States. The Leona Group, a for profit charter corporation is the employer. Cesar taught us to research, follow the money. Follow the players because farm workers had no power by themselves. They were the lowest rung of the labor force, not even included in the National Labor Relations Act. So he came up with the idea of the court of last resort: the consumer boycott. Gallo Wine was the target for the grape boycott. Bruce Church, Inc was the target for the lettuce boycott. Ralston Purina was the target for Steak Mate Mushrooms. On and on. Boycott offices were set up all over the country. We were taught how to hold house meetings to inform the public about the struggle and how to start a boycott in each city. We read The Wall Street Journal and the local business pages of the newspapers. We learned to read the NYSE to follow the effectiveness of the boycotts. We learned not only the names of the subsidiaries of these companies, we researched their histories. We knew who sat on their boards of directors. We knew where their children went to school and where the big shots worshipped, where they dined, what country clubs they belonged to. We picketed their homes and churches and synagogues. I am happy to be a product of such movements. This is what makes it possible to speak truth to power, no matter how afraid we are. It makes a few of us able to make sacrifices without regard for what is being said about us . It is a lot harder now than before, because we often targeted government and public officials. Now there are only foundations with very positive images. They repress with one hand and offer hand outs with the other. They purchase school buildings they helped to close and use them hand out food to the poor. This is post modern struggle; philanthropists with velvet gloved hands around our necks. Speak truth and lose funding. This is where we are now. Thats why its more important than ever to know history. Thats why there are greater efforts than ever to erase history. The Leona Group has been instrumental in the banning of Ethnic Studies in Arizona. They have taken over the Highland Park Schools and make millions off of the poorest students. In memory of Cesar Chavez, lets raise a toast to courage, to justice in the fields and in the classrooms. In honor of Cesar Chavez, lets stand with the courageous teachers of Cesar Chavez Academy in Detroit. Si se puede!!!
Posted on: Mon, 31 Mar 2014 03:21:13 +0000