The United Farm Workers Union
The United Farm Workers Union is an advocacy group working to improve the wages and working conditions of migrant workers. They served as the product of attempts to organize. Labeled as the “first enduring and largest farm worker union.” They continue to organize primarily in major agricultural sectors, in California. Labeled as the “first enduring and largest farm worker union.” They continue to organize primarily in major agricultural sectors, in California.
- Founded in 1962 as the National Farm Workers Association (NFWA) by labor leaders Cesar Chavez and Dolores Huerta. In collaboration with an American Federation of Labor-Congress of Industrial Organization NFWA became the United Farm Workers (UFW).
- UFW seeks to empower migrant farmworkers and improve their wages and working conditions. They also work to promote nonviolence and to educate members on political and social issues affecting the Latinx community. Alongside other civic leaders, they made progress in collectivizing farm laborers and helping them to vote.
- UFW won the passage of the Agricultural Labor Relations Act which recognized the right of farm workers to organize (1975).
Artist Robert Valadez created his own version of the famous World War II poster "Rosie the Riveter." Valadez choose to combine Rose the Riveter with La Adelita, who is a fictional character from the Mexican Revolution, because they both are feminist archetypes speaking to the empowerment of women. She is named Rosita Adelita with the famous term "Sí Se Puede."
The term was grounded on the optimism of the collective struggles of working-class Latinos. It served as the rallying point of the United Farm Workers Union. Co-founders Dolores Huerta and Cesar Chavez claimed the motto during a 25-day fast in Phoenix, Arizona. They were trying to organize farm workers to demand fair wages and better working conditions.