The
many
SHADES
and
COLORS
of
OUR
STRUGGLE
To
learn
what
they
don’t
tell
you
in
history
class
To
gain
exposure
to
different
types
of
movements
To
recognize
struggles
for
justice
in
our
communities
To
make
the
connection
to
current
struggles
here
and
abroad
To
gain
an
understanding
of
CFJ’s
history
in
the
struggle
for
social
justice
Goals:
o
o
o
o
o
AGENDA:
A.
Welcome/Workshop
overview
and
Ice
Breaker
(15
minutes)
B.
500
Plus
Years
of
Resistance
(50
minutes)
C.
BREAK!
(10
minutes)
D.
Organizing
for
Justice:
A
CFJ
Story
(40
minutes)
E.
Closing
(5
minutes)
Total
time:
2
hours
MATERIALS:
o Butcher
Paper,
markers,
tape
o An
open
space
o CFJ
Video
o All
Handouts
BUTCHERS:
o Movement
Definition
o Long
butcher
for
movement
river
o 3
Movement
questions
o Organizing
Definition
o Movement
Builder
butcher
and
oath
HANDOUTS:
o Resistance
sheets
(should
be
5…1
copy
of
each)
o CFJ
campaign
timeline
(enough
for
everyone)
o CFJ
Mission,Vision,
and
Core
principles
(enough
for
everyone)
A.
Welcome/Workshop
overview
and
Ice
Breaker
(15
minutes)
*Welcome/
Workshop
overview*
(3
minutes)
SAY:
Welcome
everyone
to
the
first
workshop
of
SYLA!!
Today
we
are
going
to
go
over
‘movements’
and
their
many
shapes,
forms,
and
colors.
Ask
for
or
give
examples
of
‘movements’.
Let’s
go
around
and
say
our
name,
age,
grade
and
school.
Cool!!
Can
I
get
a
volunteer
to
read
the
goals
and
another
to
read
the
agenda
for
today?
GREAT!!
Week
1,
Day
1
–
Movement
Building
1
Define
‘MOVEMENT’:
So
I
know
some
of
us
know
what
movements
are
but
what
does
‘movement’
mean?
So
throughout
the
day
when
talking
about
movements
we
are
going
to
go
by
the
following
definition:
Butcher
Movement:
A
collective
action
taken
by
a
group
of
individuals
in
response
to
their
social,
political,
and
economical
environment
with
its
sole
purpose
to
reform
and
or
abolish
a
structure
or
condition
that
affects
a
large
portion
of
the
population.
*ICE
BREAKER*
(12
minutes)
SAY:
Here
at
CFJ
we
like
to
do
‘ice
breakers’.
Can
anyone
tell
me
what
‘ice
breakers’
are?
Right!
So
‘ice
breakers’
are
meant
to
help
us
loosen
up
and
get
our
bloods
flowing.
Our
‘ice
breaker’
today
is
called
‘My
River’.
Like
rivers,
movements
often
time
flow
over
rocks,
tree
trunks
and
other
things
that
are
in
the
river
but
it
keeps
moving.
So
like
movements,
our
families
have
often
times
gone
through
struggles
or
major
events
that
affected
where
we
are
today,
yet
we
keep
moving.
Today
we
are
going
to
make
our
own
river
documenting
the
major
struggles
and
events
that
our
families
have
gone
through
that
brings
us
where
we
are
today.
Draw
a
river
and
you
can
either
write
it
out
or
draw
the
events
on
your
river.
It
should
look
kind
of
like
a
time
line.
Give
example:
Parents
migrated
to
the
US
in
the
early
80’s,
in
the
mid
90’s
mom
was
working
2
jobs
while
pregnant,
in
2003
I
was
the
first
to
graduate
from
high
school
and
in
2008
the
first
to
graduate
college,
et
cetera…It
would
be
cool
to
have
an
example
to
show
to
people.
Don’t
forget
to
pass
out
markers
and
paper.
Give
folks
7
minutes
to
create
their
rivers.
SAY:
Now
everyone
stop
what
you’re
doing!
For
the
next
3
minutes
share
your
river
with
someone
you
don’t
know.
Cool!!
Now
everyone
come
back.
So
for
the
next
2
minutes
I’m
going
to
go
around
and
ask
you
who
shared
their
river
with
you
and
what
was
one
thing
that
stood
out
for
you.
GREAT
EVERYONE!!
Now
let’s
see
how
all
our
struggles
fit
in
with
bigger
and
broader
movements
in
the
U.S
B. 500
Plus
Years
of
Resistance
(50
minutes)
*Intro:
500
plus
years
of
resistance*
(10
minutes)
MySpace
Activity
(5
minutes)
Week
1,
Day
1
–
Movement
Building
2
SAY:
Okay
so
we’re
going
to
start
this
workshop
with
a
little
‘exercise’
called
MySpace.
Ask
for
one
volunteer.
Cool!
Now
I
want
everyone
but
the
volunteer
to
move
to
the
corner
of
the
room
and
get
as
close
to
each
other
as
you
can.
While
you’re
bunched
up
in
that
corner
reflect
upon
how
you
feel
and
what
being
in
that
corner
made
you
want
to
do.
Encourage
them
to
get
as
close
to
each
other
as
they
can
into
this
little
corner
even
if
they
don’t
want
to.
They
might
feel
uncomfortable
and
irritated
but
that’s
the
whole
point.
After
they
are
all
in
that
corner
ask
the
volunteer
to
name
the
space
one
is
in
like
‘Mickey
Mouse
Land’,
to
come
up
with
a
language
(i.e.
Mickey
Speak),
a
belief
system
or
religion
(i.e.
Mickey‐ology),
and
to
name
the
people
and
the
corner
they
are
in
like
(i.e.
Mickey
rejects).
Now
that
we’re
all
comfy,
the
volunteer
is
going
to
share
the
name
of
the
space,
the
language
spoken
in
this
space,
the
belief
system
and
the
name
of
the
corner
you
are
all
in
as
well
as
what
your
group
name
is.
Nice!
Now
give
yourselves
a
big
round
of
applause.
Activity
explanation
and
overview
of
workshop
(5
minutes)
Materials:
Blank
Butcher
paper
SAY:
How
did
it
make
all
of
you
that
were
in
the
corner
feel?
How
did
the
volunteer
feel?
So
can
someone
tell
me
what
the
heck
this
exercise
was
about?
Butcher
responses
if
you
want.
Right…So
the
point
of
this
exercise
is
to
show
how
people
of
color
have
always
been
pushed
to
the
margins
of
the
social,
political,
and
economical
process
here
in
the
U.S.
and
the
rest
of
the
world
by
dominating
white
European
forces
from
1492
when
Columbus
arrived
to
now.
Spanish
and
British
forces
literally
stole
Native
lands,
claimed
it
as
their
own
with
their
language
and
religion
pushing
Native
peoples
to
these
small
pockets
of
deserted
lands
now
called
‘reservations’.
This
is
similar
to
when
you
all
were
asked
to
bunch
up
in
this
corner
and
witness
(volunteers
name)
name
the
bigger
space,
create
a
language,
and
belief
system
and
name
your
space
and
your
group
without
you
having
a
say.
So
in
reaction
to
being
pushed
to
these
small
‘social
corners’
people
resisted
and
reacted
creating
movements.
Movements
are
nothing
new.
They
have
been
around
since
‘people’
have
been
around.
They
also
come
in
many
different
ways.
There
are
social
movements,
cultural
movements,
feminist
movements,
and
youth
movements
for
example.
In
this
section
we
are
going
to
focus
on
movements
that
have
occurred
here
in
what
is
known
today
as
the
United
States.
With
that
we
are
going
to
highlight
a
few
movements
from
each
century
since
1492
till
now
and
how
it
all
connects
to
your
life
and
involvement
in
CFJ.
*500
years
of
RESISTANCE*
(30
minutes)
Week
1,
Day
1
–
Movement
Building
3
Materials:
Butcher
of
3
questions,
copies
of
5
resistance
sheets,
a
long
butcher
paper
for
MOVEMENT
RIVER
SAY:
It’s
been
over
500
years
since
Columbus
set
foot
on
the
Americas
sparking
the
beginning
of
the
slave
trade,
land
taking,
and
genocide.
So
for
the
next
45
minutes
or
so
we’re
going
to
learn
about
and
highlight
movements
led
by
people
of
color
in
each
century.
Let’s
break
up
into
5
groups.
Cool!
Now
each
group
should
have
a
sheet
with
flash
points
of
movements
that
happened.
What
we’re
going
to
do
with
these
snap
shots
of
resistance
is
go
over
them
with
your
group
for
15
minutes
and
take
like
5
minutes
to
answer
the
following
3
questions
individually
and
as
a
group:
[butcher]
1. What
type
of
movements
happened
and
what
were
they
about?
2. Who
participated
in
these
movements?
3. How
are
these
movements
relevant
to
your
life
and
your
involvement
in
CFJ?
It
is
very
important
that
you
answer
the
3rd
question
because
whether
you
realize
it
or
not
you
are
part
of
the
MOVEMENT
RIVER.
So
once
you
go
over
your
snap
shots
and
answer
the
questions
you
all
will
have
2
minutes
to
share
your
answers
to
the
questions
with
every
one
else;
if
it
helps
feel
free
to
present
them
in
a
creative
way
like
a
drawing,
skit,
or
poem.
After
you’re
done
sharing
your
thoughts
with
the
group,
then
you’ll
place
your
movement
piece
on
the
river.
Is
everyone
clear
on
what
they
need
to
do?
Great!
BEGIN.
*Closing*
(10
minutes)
Now
let’s
all
get
back
together.
What
stood
out
for
folks?
What
are
people’s
thoughts
or
feelings
about
these
movements?
What
is
the
connection
between
these
movements
and
CFJ?
Butcher
responses
if
you
want.
How
this
all
connects
to
YOU
and
CFJ
is
that
the
people
in
these
movements
fought
for
their
rights,
dignity
and
survival.
Reflecting
back
to
when
you
did
your
movement
rivers
about
your
families,
there
were
struggles
your
folks
overcame
that
you
are
a
product
of
and
living
the
struggles
of
the
past.
Here
at
CFJ
we
are
carrying
the
torch
of
other
groups
and
continue
to
fight
for
the
same
things
folks
did
in
the
past
specifically
addressing
the
injustices
that
occur
in
our
schools
and
neighborhoods.
C.
BREAK!
(10
minutes)
D.
ORGANIZING
FOR
JUSTICE:
A
CFJ
Story
(40
minutes)
Week
1,
Day
1
–
Movement
Building
4
*Intro
to
organizing*
(15minutes)
SAY:
Welcome
everyone!
Recollect
what
people
said
in
the
section
above
about
the
connection
between
the
movements
and
CFJ.
Can
anyone
else
add
anything
to
the
connection
between
movements
of
the
past
and
CFJ?
Okay
great!
So
everyone
that
is
a
part
of
a
movement
has
to
plan
to
get
to
their
goal…whatever
that
may
be.
This
planning
process
is
called
organizing.
Can
someone
tell
me
what
organizing
means
or
what
it
is?
Right!
So
the
following
is
the
definition
we
use.
Can
I
get
a
volunteer
to
read
it?
Thanks!:
Butcher
ORGANIZING:
“The
process
of
bringing
people
together
in
order
to
use
their
collective
power
to
win
improvements
in
people’s
lives
and
to
challenge
the
power
structure.”
(SOUL)
Now
someone
put
this
definition
in
your
own
words?
Fantastic!!
So
there
are
many
types
of
organizing.
There
are
people
that
organize
from
the
top
down
like
politicians
and
then
there
are
people
that
organize
from
the
bottom
up
like
us
called
grassroots
organizing.
Can
someone
read
the
definition
of
grassroots
organizing
for
me?
Gracias!
Butcher
GRASSROOTS
ORGANIZING:
Takes
the
people
who
are
most
affected
by
a
problem
face
to
face
with
the
decision
makers.
So
that
people
here
at
the
grassroots
are
creating
the
solutions,
building
their
leadership,
growing
their
power.
Good!
So
all
the
movements
we’ve
been
talking
about
organized
from
the
bottom
up.
So
if
someone
comes
up
to
you
and
asks
you
“what
is
grassroots
organizing”
what
are
you
going
to
say?
Go
around
and
get
responses.
Tomorrow
we
are
going
to
go
more
in
depth
and
talk
about
the
science
and
art
of
organizing.
Right
now
we’re
going
to
go
through
CFJ’s
story.
*CFJ’s
Story*
(25minutes)
Materials
needed:
• CFJ
video
• HANDOUT:
CFJ
campaign
timeline
• HANDOUT:
CFJ
Mission,Vision,
and
Core
principles
SAY:
Who
can
tell
me
what
or
who
is
CFJ
in
their
own
words?
Great.
Pass
out
CFJ
mission,
vision,
and
core
principles
sheet.
Go
around
right
now
is
pretty
much
what
Week
1,
Day
1
–
Movement
Building
5
CFJ
is
all
about.
We’re
not
going
to
read
the
whole
thing
right
now;
let’s
focus
on
the
mission.
Can
I
get
a
volunteer
to
read?
Thanks.
So
that
is
a
good
summary
of
where
CFJ
is
right
now.
Fighting
for
racial
justice
in
schools.
But
where
were
we
13
years
ago???
We
are
going
to
watch
a
video
produced
about
CFJ
“Making
Change:
Reclaiming
California
Public
Education."
Pay
attention,
because
we’ll
have
a
quick
game
to
follow!
Play
Video
(13
mins)
SAY:
Now
we
are
going
to
divide
into
groups
of
4.
Count
off
by
____.
To
get
a
chance
to
answer
the
question
and
win
a
point,
you
need
to
draw
this
clue
without
using
words
or
symbols.
Send
1
person
from
each
team
to
the
front
to
see
the
clue.
Clues:
1. Protest
2. Dirty
bathrooms
3. Exit
exam
4. State
Capitol
5. High
school
6. College
7. No
–
clue
–
just
give
all
teams
a
shot
at
the
question.
Game
Questions:
1. What
year
did
CFJ
start,
and
what
issue
brought
us
together?
a. 1995
–
prop
209:
anti‐affirmative
action
2. Name
3
campaigns
or
issues
you
saw
in
the
video?
a. Exit
exam,
prop
209
(anti‐affirmative
action),
prop
187
(anti‐
immigrant),
bathrooms,
college
access
3. What
does
the
ABC
strategy
stand
for?
a. Alliance!
Basebuilding!
Campaigns
4. Who
is
the
campaign
for
quality
education
&
what
was
the
first
we
worked
on?
a. We
created
our
alliance
to
fight
the
exit
exam
called
the
Campaign
for
Quality
Education,
which,
is
currently
made
up
of
over
100
organizations
of
students,
parents,
teacher,
policy
experts,
lawyers
and
more.
The
CQE
organized
the
huge
May
15th
mobilization
to
Sacramento
against
the
budget
cuts.
5. B
–
stands
for
base:
What
regions
do
we
have
CFJ
offices?
a. We
have
offices
in
Oakland,
San
Jose,
Long
Beach,
and
Fresno!
b. 8
high
school
chapters
&
2
more
to
start
up
in
the
fall
of
2008
Week
1,
Day
1
–
Movement
Building
6
6. C
–
stands
for
campaigns:
explain
your
region’s
most
recent
local
campaign.
What
were
the
demands?
a. Fill
this
in…
7. Final
question:
1st
team
to
re‐enact
1
of
the
rally
scenes
from
the
video!
Great
job
everyone!
Let’s
congratulate
the
winning
team!
So
to
wrap
up
this
trip
down
CFJ
history‐lane,
let’s
just
re‐cap
the
main
flashpoints
in
CFJ’s
history.
[review
timeline
butcher]
• Have
students
take
turn
reading.
To
wrap
up
our
session
today,
let’s
each
go
around
and
choose
1
campaign/moment
in
CFJ’s
history
and
share
how
this
affected
them
or
their
family.
E.
Closing
(5
minutes)
SAY:
So
SYLA
is
all
about
creating
‘movement
builders’.
People
like
you
and
me
that
are
in
the
frontlines
of
change
for
a
better
future
for
our
communities.
Just
like
those
that
were
part
of
the
movements
of
the
past
and
present.
So
right
now
let’s
take
2
minutes
to
think
of
2‐3
sentences
about
what
a
‘movement
builder’
is
to
us.
Butcher
responses
and
try
to
put
them
in
a
way
that
flows.
So
a
‘movement
builder
is…Does
that
sound
cool
to
everyone?
Great!
Now
what
we’re
going
to
do
right
now
is
take
an
oath
that
throughout
SYLA
and
throughout
life
wherever
it
takes
us,
we
are
going
to
be
‘movement
builders’.
That
means
that
with
CFJ
or
not,
you
are
going
to
be
involved
in,
empower,
and
bring
about
positive
change
in
your
communities.
Ask
people
to
step
up
and
sign
their
names
onto
the
butcher
under
the
‘oath’
created
by
them.
You
are
all
now
dedicated
movement
builders.
This
will
be
up
throughout
the
year.
Give
yourselves
a
round
of
applause
for
your
first
day
of
SYLA!!!
Now
go
home.
Slavery:
The
Beginning
Since
the
so
called
“discovery”
of
the
Americas
by
Christopher
Columbus
in
1492,
people
of
color,
specifically
Native
Indigenous
and
Africans
resisted
colonization…especially
slavery.
Those
that
resisted
and
escaped
slavery
from
North,
Central
and
South
America
were
called
‘Maroons’
which
roots
lie
in
the
Spanish
word
for
‘fugitive/runaway’.
These
Maroons
made
up
of
freed
Native
Americans,
Africans,
even
poor
whites
created
their
own
communities.
Most
notably,
they
created
a
great
community
of
resistance
to
the
dominant
slave
state
in
the
Dismal
Swamp
located
in
the
eastern
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sections
of
southern
Virginia
and
northern
North
Carolina.
In
this
community
one
was
able
to
speak
ones
native
language
and
practice
ones
native
traditions
freely.
Thus
this
was
not
only
a
resistance
to
slavery
but
also
to
the
dominant
European
culture,
religion,
and
language.
The
militant
actions
of
resistance
of
the
Maroons
served
as
a
precursor
of
what
was
to
come
with
the
Abolition
Movement
of
the
18th
Century
being
that
they
helped
liberate
thousands
of
enslaved
African
and
Native
Americans
way
before
the
Underground
Railroad
was
in
full
effect.
Abolition
Movement
The
‘Abolition/Anti‐Slavery
Movement’
took
off
in
the
18th
century
and
continued
throughout
in
response
to
the
slavery
going
on
here
in
the
United
States
and
Western
Europe.
This
movement
called
for
the
immediate
end
(or
‘abolishment’)
of
the
trading
and
owning
of
slaves
as
well
as
for
the
emancipation
(or
freedom)
for
the
slaves.
They
fought
under
the
notion
that
‘everyone
is
human
and
created
equally’;
slavery
was
un‐Christian;
and
it
was
morally
wrong.
In
1775,
Quakers
in
Philadelphia
formed
the
1st
abolition
society
called
the
Society
for
the
Relief
of
Free
Negroes
Unlawfully
Held
in
Bondage
because
of
their
strong
religious
objections
towards
slavery.
Others
like
John
Brown
advocated
and
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conducted
armed
insurrection
to
overthrow
the
institution
of
slavery
and
was
hung
by
his
white
peers
for
doing
so.
Sojourner
Truth,
former
slave
and
women’s
rights
activist
was
a
powerful
advocate
and
voice
for
the
abolition
of
slavery
changing
lives
wherever
she
went.
Frederick
Douglas,
former
slave,
was
the
most
revered
and
respected
Black
intellectual
as
well
as
the
1st
African‐American
to
be
nominated
as
a
Vice
Presidential
candidate.
Harriet
Tubman,
run
away
slave,
rescued
over
300
hundred
slaves
and
took
them
north
in
what
would
be
known
as
the
‘Underground
Rail
Road’.
Nat
Turner,
like
John
Brown,
advocated
for
armed
insurrection
and
led
a
slave
rebellion
noted
in
history
as
the
most
severe
blow
to
the
community
of
slave
owners
in
the
United
States.
This
movement
led
to
the
Thirteenth
Amendment
in
1865
officially
ending
slavery
in
the
United
States.
Battle
of
Little
Big
Horn
The
Battle
of
the
Little
Bighorn
—also
known
as
Custer's
Last
Stand,
was
an
armed
engagement
between
a
Lakota–Northern
Cheyenne
combined
force
and
the
7th
Cavalry
Regiment
of
the
United
States
Army.
It
occurred
on
June
25
and
June
26,
1876,
near
the
Little
Bighorn
River
in
the
eastern
Montana
Territory,
near
what
is
now
Crow
Agency,
Montana.
This
battle
was
one
of
many
in
the
Great
Sioux
War
of
1876­1877
between
Lakota/Northern
Cheyenne
and
the
United
States.
The
United
States
at
the
time
had
this
belief
that
it
was
their
‘Manifest
Destiny’
to
expand
their
rule
from
‘sea
to
shining
sea’
but
the
Lakota
and
Northern
Cheyenne
said
‘NOT
WITHOUT
A
FIGHT!’
So
they
were
being
pushed
to
the
margins
of
the
land
so
they
had
to
react!
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The
Battle
of
the
Little
Bighorn
was
a
great
victory
for
the
Lakota
and
Northern
Cheyenne
with
spiritual
people
like
Sitting
Bull
helping
lead
the
way
with
his
vision
of
their
victory
coming
true.
The
Civil
Rights
Movement
The
Civil
Rights
Movement
spanned
from
1955
to
1968
in
response
to
the
violence,
racist
‘Jim
Crow’
laws
mandating
segregation
in
all
public
facilities
(ex.
Whites
only/Colored
only),
and
disenfranchisement
(not
given
the
right
to
vote).
The
aim
of
the
movement
was
to
abolish
racial
discrimination
on
all
levels
(ex.
economic,
political)
towards
African­Americans
and
other
people
of
color
from
white
people
in
the
United
States.
Led
by
Ella
Baker,
civil
and
human
rights
activist,
the
Student
Nonviolent
Coordinating
Committee
(SNCC)
conducted
voter
registration
drives
up
and
down
the
South
amongst
other
things
during
the
movement.
Similar
to
the
SNCC,
the
Congress
of
Racial
Equality
(CORE),
fought
against
‘Jim
Crow’
laws
and
for
voter
rights
under
the
notion
that
‘all
people
are
created
equal’.
The
Southern
Christian
Leadership
Conference
(SCLC)
was
led
by
Dr.
Martin
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Luther
King
Jr.
and
was
truly
at
the
fore
front
of
what
they
personally
called
the
‘Southern
Freedom
Movement’
because
this
was
not
just
a
fight
for
civil
rights
but
for
dignity
as
well.
All
three
of
the
groups
above
participated
in
sit
ins
and
civil
disobedience
like
bus
boycotts
and
sit‐ins.
Rosa
Parks
was
the
first
amongst
many
African‐Americans
who
participated
in
civil
disobedience
during
that
time
refusing
to
‘sit
in
the
back
of
the
bus’.
While
Dr.
King
and
others
were
advocating
non‐violence,
civil
disobedience
and
integration
Black
Nationalists
like
Malcolm
X,
at
the
time,
called
for
armed
self‐defense
and
separation
from
white
people.
Achievements
during
this
movement
were
the
Civil
Rights
Act
of
1964
banning
job
and
public
accommodations
discrimination,
the
Voting
Rights
Act
of
1965
which
restored
and
protected
voting
rights
for
all,
the
Immigration
and
Nationality
Services
Act
of
1965
which
allowed
other
non­white
or
European
immigrants
to
migrate
to
the
U.S.,
and
the
Civil
Rights
Act
of
1968
banning
discrimination
in
the
sale
or
rental
of
housing.
The
Turbulent
60’s
and
beyond
Groups
like
the
Black
Panther
Party
(BPP),
Young
Lords,
American
Indian
Movement
(AIM),
Brown
Berets
and
I
Wor
Kuen
literally
picked
up
where
the
Civil
Rights
Movement
left
off
and
ran
with
it
with
a
radical
twist.
The Black Panther Party emphasized “racial pride and the creation of black political
and cultural institutions to nurture and promote black collective interests,
advance black values, and secure black autonomy”.
The Young Lords began as a Chicago turf gang in the 1960s in the Lincoln Park
neighborhood. When they realized that urban renewal was evicting their families and
saw police abuses, they also became involved in the Division Street Riots in June 1966.
The American Indian Movement (AIM), is a Native American activist organization in the
United States. AIM came onto the international scene with its seizure of the Bureau of
Indian Affairs headquarters in Washington, D.C., in 1972 and the 1973 standoff at
Wounded Knee, South Dakota, on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation.
The Brown Berets were a Chicano activist group of young Mexican Americans
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during the Chicano Movement in the late sixties and throughout the seventies. The
Brown Berets focused on community organizing against police brutality and were
in favor of educational equality. On March 1, 1968, the Brown Berets planned and
participated in the East L.A. walkouts or "blowouts".
I Wor Kuen and the Asian American Movement began in 1971 with the first Asian
American demonstration in Boston about domestic issues. This was organized to
preserve Chinatown against land takings by a local university-hospital complex. That
thread continues today in the battle of several organizations to preserve Chinatown as a
residential, social, and political center for the Chinese American community. They were
more militant in their approach directly interacting with the community implementing
similar actions like the Black Panther Party.
All these groups worked in solidarity while have their specific goals and agendas. One
thing they all had in common was that they were reacting against the oppressors
unjust, racist laws and culture. Because of groups like the ones mentioned above, some
schools have ‘ethnic studies’ and specific ethnic departments in colleges like ‘African
American Studies’, Chican@ Studies, Native American Studies, et cetera.
Our Mission
Californians for Justice is a statewide grassroots organization working for racial justice by
building the power of communities that have been pushed to the margins of the political process.
We organize youth, immigrants, low-income people and communities of color in order to
improve their social, economic and political conditions.
Our Vision for Education
• We believe in public schools that empower youth with knowledge, skills and hope because education is liberation.
• We believe in an education system that provides qualified and diverse teaching staff that will
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open the minds of youth and school resources that will open the doors to opportunities.
• We believe in fighting for the rights ofstudents of color, low-income students, immigrant students, LGBT students, and their families to justice in their schools.
• We believe that youth, parents and communities deserve the power to participate in the
collective pursuit of a quality education.
CFJ’s Core Principles
Community Action.Webelieve that people impacted by social injustice must drive the process of
social change with their participation, power, ideas and vision for society. Solidarity.Webelieve
that diverse communities, especially communities ofcolor,must unite to achieve our shared goals
and to support each other actively in our unique struggles. Human Rights.Webelieve that every
person has a fundamental right to a dignified life free from poverty, discrimination and
oppression based on race, gender, sexual orientation, immigration status, country of origin, or
language.
CFJ
HISTORY
TIMELINE
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