Rename Alvarado Middle School after Larry Itliong and Philip Vera Cruz!
No history, no self. Know history, know self.
Roughly, 1 in 5 students in the New Haven Unified School District are Filipino, and 1 in 3 people in Union City are Filipino. Changing the name of Alvarado Middle School would serve multiple purposes. One being that we can honor forgotten Filipino heroes Philip Vera Cruz and Larry Itliong, and their important roles in the fight for farm labor rights and civil liberties, work that reached the fields of Union City. Another reason is that we can potentially instill a great sense of pride and empower our large Filipino population, while also shining a light upon the past solidarity work of Filipino and Mexican people. It would be beneficial for all staff, parents, students and residents. Let’s make history!
Who are Philip Vera Cruz and Larry Itliong?
Philip Vera Cruz and Larry Itliong are important figures in Filipino and American history. They are the rarely celebrated, much often forgotten leaders in the battle for farm workers rights and the movement for civil liberties. Vera Cruz was a labor leader. He was one of the founders of the Agricultural Workers Organizing Committee (AWOC), which later merged with Cesar Chavez’s National Farm Workers Association (NFWA to form the United Farm Workers Organizing Committee- giving respect to both unions. Vera Cruz was long-time vice president of the UFW. Itliong, however, founded the Filipino Farm Labor Union (FFLU) and was the President of AWOC before the heralded strike and boycott of 1965. He was a self-taught labor leader who organized protests in California and Alaska. Along with Vera Cruz, they convinced Cesar Chavez and Dolores Huerta’s predominantly Mexican/Latino National Farm Workers Association to join the Grape Strike and Boycott of 1965 demanding better pay and benefits. Together, as UFWOC, Filipinos and Mexicans along with many workers of other ethnic backgrounds dug in for a long, hard fought battle. Eventually, their joint efforts brought an end to several unfair labor practices, and they also organized and participated in a 300 mile pilgrimage from Delano to Sacramento. After coming out victorious, the leadership of UFWOC changed its name to what it is now recognized as, the United Farm Workers (UFW) union. Itliong served as assistant director during his tenure with the UFW, while Vera Cruz served as a vice president. These men and their dedication to the movement for worker and civil rights must be recognized and their legacy passed on.
Long Live Inter-ethnic Solidarity!
http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/support_the_renaming/
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