Mexicans

Lydia Sun Stephanie Erica

Platform

Mexicans are among the poorest and least educated people in the United States Californian farm workers had sparked Mexican Americans to activism. We the farm workers work long and hard days at agricultural places. Our backs hurt but we still do our best. We want higher wages for the hard work that we are doing. There shall not be discrimination in our work places. We, the Mexicans, should have the payment that we deserve.

Lands that belong to the Mexicans were taken through fraud and/or deception. We should be given our lands back. At least give the United States something in return of your cruel deceptions. We, the Mexicans, say that at least half our lands, or a portion should be given back. It’s only fair! Schools should also have better facilities. Education is essential for everyone living in the United States. The Children are the future generations of the United States. Education, at least, should be provided in a good environment with teachers that are educated enough to teach. Also our children shall not be beaten for what they think is right. Riots occur because there are things that should be changed. Riots that occur in large masses how big the problem is and that it should be taken care of immediately.

• Give back at least portions of our lost land • Schools provide better quality of facilities • Schools provide educator who are educated/ • More Mexicans should join political parties so that we get to have a say. • Give the Mexicans an equal treatment and a chance to be proud of our nationality. • Higher wages for our back breaking labor.

Skit

Speech: "Corky" Gonzales:
 * Lynn, Il-jee, Clair, Michelle**

Platform:

We Chicanos seek equal opportunities for ourselves and other people of the American society. The right set of circumstances should be appointed in education, housing, and employment. Continuation of segregation in schools and separation of nationalities in society only arouse bigger doubts about the nation. The Chicanos only attempt to obtain equality with nationalism and self-determination, believing in libteration of the Chicano nation.

We not only demand equality and land grants, but also equality in education. We also demand that we be accepted for our cultural identity as Chicanos. Through means of newspapers, theaters, and other community service that promote our cultural values, we demand that America accept us as Chicanos.

Synopsis: Cesar Chavez was the leader and founder of National Farm Workers Association (NFWA), the union of Filipino workers working to fight discrimination. He organized the Filipino strikes and used other strategies as well in order to gain support. The grape strike, also known as La Huelga, was successful: it resulted in grape growers signing contracts and negotiating with the union.

Short speech: “We need as many people as we can gather in order to fight the unjust discrimination against Mexicans. Right now, most Mexican Americans are working to death for very little wage. We are a union of have-nots. In order to fight this injustice and achieve equality, we need much support for the union. We need to go on strikes and make sure our voice is heard. However, we cannot have violent protests. We need to practice non-violence in order to gain support not just from the Mexican Americans, but from other groups as well. Collaboration is the key to equal rights and violence is the key to failure of our goal. We must not mess it up.”