The Delano Grape Strike

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September 1965 was a milestone year for American farmworkers in California. On September 8 of that year, the historic Delano Grape Strike began, initiated by Fil-Am union leaders Larry Itliong, Philip Vera Cruz and Pete Velasco. On September 16, the Mexican workers joined the striking Filipinos. It took five years before the American grape growers yielded and the strikers declared victory. As photographer/chronicler David Bacon wrote, "The strike was a watershed struggle for civil and labor rights, supported by millions of people across the country, breathing new life into the labor movement and opening doors for immigrants and people of color."

Historian/writer Alex S. Fabros, Jr. was there in Delano (and before that, Coachella) as part of the grape-picking workforce when the strike began. In part 4 of his series on that historic year, he gives an insider view of what was happening in the Filipino worker camps in preparation for the strike, as well as the strike's early days. His actual participation lasted only 10 days though because he was drafted into the US military to fight in Vietnam. On September 19, 1965, as his fellow farm workers continued their march towards rewriting American labor union history, Fabros was on his way to boot camp to begin a life that defined his personal history.

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Staff

A Month of Remembrance and Reflection

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It's Filipino American History Month once again, a month that reminds us of the long, difficult road our ancestors in this country trekked to pave the way for succeeding generations of immigrants. Positively Filipino joins the celebration by bringing you stories that make up the complex tapestry that our kababayans have woven in America.

One of these stories is the Delano Grape Strike that started in 1965 and lasted for five years. The massive strike for higher wages and improved working conditions for California farm workers was organized by Filipino union leaders Larry Itliong and Philip Veracruz, but popular history has pushed them to the sidelines in favor of Cesar Chavez. Linda Revilla's story, "Remembering Our Manongs and the Delano Grape Strike" corrects this historical error and retells the story of how 1,500 Filipino farm workers walked out of their jobs and changed labor history in the United States.

A good "Read Again" for this month is Abraham Ignacio Jr.'s "Where Exactly Did 'Filipinos' First Land in California?" to put Filipino American history in perspective.

An exciting exhibit on the famous piña fabric of the Philippines is ongoing at the Asian Art Museum of San Francisco. Contributor Manzel Delacruz takes us there as she reports on the efforts of The Hinabi Project to promote the beautiful and indigenous Philippine fabric to an international audience.

From Manila, cultural historian John Silva reviews "Right Footed," the award-winning documentary film featuring the amazing Jessica Cox and how she overcame her disability with the help of her courageous Filipino immigrant mother, Inez.

And speaking of Manila, a young entrepreneur named Dianne Atienza tells us her story of risk-taking and determination when she chose to give up a corporate career in favor of striking out of her own as a "rentapreneur." Want to rent an Airbnb in Manila? This story will help you decide.

Our Happy Home Cook feature this week, Positively Filipino Correspondent Elizabeth Ann Quirino's ropa vieja.

For Video of the Week, we feature a news segment from Fox-9 in Idaho, where a long distance romance began from a gift care package sent miles away to Joana Marchan in the Philippines.

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Gemma Nemenzo

Editor, Positively Filipino