I feel the Farm Workers Movement has lost its momentum. You dont hear about it anymore, its not in the news, there are no more boycotts, no more strikes, The UFW dose not even require Gallo and other winerys too publish the Black Eagal on its wine labels. The Black Huelga Eagle is not visible anymore. Well thats not exactly true becuase in Northern California latino youth are constatently using the huegla bird in their clothes, hats, even Tattoos, on the covers of their music cds and in drawings and murals. These youth often talk about the causa yet they do not promote non- violence. Nortenos as they call themselves also use the color red as dose the union. At them same time Cesar Chavez was uniting the farm workers in the fields under the huelga bird, latinos were uniting as farmeros behind prison wall under the huelga bird as well. Cesar's union was called the NFWA, the prison movement was the the NF, the nuestra familia. Both organziations talk about the causa, yet one group is violent and one isnt. But while the union slowly faded into silcence the Nortenos numbers have sky rocked. In almost every northern california neighborhood with a latino population you will see the huelga bird spray painted on walls and murals. Its seems that the Causa is very much alive, It just took a sharp turn in another direction. But if all these young nortenos that belive in the causa can be organzied and made to do right under a new strong leader. The huelga bird can fly again potlitically

Hola Juan Luis,
You write saying: "I feel the Farm Workers Movement has lost its momentum. You dont hear about it anymore, its not in the news, there are no more boycotts, no more strikes, The UFW dose not even require Gallo and other winerys too publish the Black Eagal on its wine labels. The Black Huelga Eagle is not visible anymore..." Well, then...I guess you didn't hear what the UFW did a couple of months ago. We invited all kinds of volunteers, from all over the United States to join us at the UFW's Historic birthplace, known as 40 Acres, it's out on Garces Hwy. just West of Delano, CA.
We called it Camp Justice and it was a really wonderful experience for all of those who came and participated in the organizing. They also went out and asked farm workers to sign union authorization cards. For many it was the first time they'd ever been involved in Farm Worker organizing.. Others had been doing it for most of their lives.
Why don't you join us next year. One thing is certain once you've given of yourself in order to empower the downtrodden and exploited workers you'll see that there's a lot to life than growing up thinking you have no other future or options than living in the 'hood, hanging out with the gangstas and ending up in prison. Chale with that...I know that you've been doing a lot of serious thinking about your life, otherwise you wouldn't have asked those questions. But believe me as far as the UFW is concerned they're alive and doing well, working to improve the lives of Farm workers everywhere.
En Paz,
Alberto Escalante

Juan Luis,

By what you write, we might arrive at the conclusion also that religion has been taken to a different unexpected direction “in almost every northern California neighborhood with a Latino population”. There are plenty of visibly spray-painted murals or body tattoos of religious symbols such as crosses, thorny Jesus crowns, a weeping Jesus with a thorny crown, thorny bleeding hearts or La Virgin de Guadalupe, etc. These are also sources of pride and identity with some gang members both in and out of prison. As I see it, whether the symbols are religious or part of a movement, as the case with the UFW eagle, people cannot be stopped from using them as they please much less refrained from behaving in a manner contradictory to what the symbols represent. I don't know of anyone with a tattoo of Jesus in prison today for religious persecution and some wearing the union eagle may not even know its true history.

There may be those who will argue that religion has lost its momentum as you claim the UFW has because it is not visible. Yet we do know that a whole bunch of faithful worshippers go to church regularly and that a whole bunch of dedicated UFW staff are plugging away at their jobs even as I write. What does exist, in my opinion, is the attraction some people find with the farm worker’s union that stops them dead on their tracks just short of having to roll up their sleeves to put their nose to the grindstone. Then there are those who do roll up their sleeves for a bit if the weather is fine, if they’ve got the time, and if the cameras are rolling. Others may perceive it as momentum, but don’t you believe it, Juan.

paz y justicia en los campos/Abby Rivera