Characteristics or Beliefs
• Diligent: Like many migrant farm workers, Chavez worked very hard as a child helping his family pick
crops for money. His family moved around frequently causing him to go to more than 30 different
schools. Yet, he never gave up and continued to learn as much as possible for the rest of his life. As he
grew older, he realized how unfair the workers were being treated and that the pay and working
conditions needed to be improved. Through many types of protests, Chavez helped earn equal rights and
justice for all migrant farm workers.
• Justice: Chavez realized at an early age that change was needed for migrant farm workers and began to
find ways to help. He began working with the Community Service Organization with hopes of changing
the conditions for the farm workers. Chavez started his own labor union, the Farm Workers Association.
Then his union joined another forming the United Farm Workers (UFW). This new union was more
powerful and helped lead the way to justice for migrant farm workers all over America.
• Freedom of Expression: Being a great organizer, Chavez started a labor union and led many protests in
support of equal treatment for the migrant workers. He organized boycotts, strikes, marches, and fasts as
ways to express his desire for an end to the unfair treatment and bad working conditions. His use of
freedom of expression continues in his legacy still today.
Social Barriers or Obstacles
• Being a Mexican migrant farm worker
• Poor working conditions
• Limited education
Locations:
Yuma, Arizona
Sacramento
Delano
1966
Born, parents were farmers
Imperial Valley, California
Began migrant farming at age 10
Imperial Valley
1975
Yuma
1927