Awakening Identity: How 'Cesar Chavez: A Triumph of Spirit' Transformed My Perspective by Marleni

Awakening Identity: How 'Cesar Chavez: A Triumph of Spirit' Transformed My Perspective by Marleni - October 2023 Scholarship Essay

History had never appealed to me until I delved into the pages of 'César Chávez: A Triumph of Spirit' by Richard Griswold, driven by the intention of using it for a research paper. My pre-existing knowledge of César Chávez's protests was surface-level at best. However, within 'Triumph of Spirit,' I unearthed a deep personal connection to the historical events and struggles documented. This analytical book didn't just inform me; it touched a deep chord within, moved me, and provoked reflection.

The book painted a cold and troubling picture of the grave mistreatment endured by Mexican field workers. They were in scorching sun for up to 12 hours daily, deprived of necessities such as bathrooms and drinking water. Shockingly, some reports revealed their exposure to hazardous pesticide spraying, affecting the lives of the children born in camps. Their living conditions were detestable, with mold-ridden walls, leaky pipes, and a lack of basic furniture. As a result, the health of Mexican field workers deteriorated rapidly. Equally infuriating was the growers' underhanded practices, a persistent attempt to evade laws and maintain meager pay. Intimidation, involving threats from mobsters and the replacement of protesting workers with other Mexican immigrants, was employed to silence uprisings. Matters escalated to a point where César resorted to a hunger strike to keep the movement alive in the face of violence.

These descriptions struck a chord with me because of the stories I'd heard from my father, a gardener. Like the workers in the book, my dad faced long hours under the scorching California sun, with temperatures often soaring between 95-110 degrees. He returned home sunburned, drenched in sweat, and breathless. Growing up, I had never seen a representation of his immense struggles. Limited by his education, lack of proper documentation, and few employment opportunities, he worked relentlessly to support our family like the immigrants toiling in the fields. The symbolism of the "El Cortito" or "the short one" – a short-handled hoe – mirrored the growers' power over the workers, forcing them into physically crippling positions. The workers were left physically incapacitated, bent over for hours, cutting lettuce and strawberries. My father, too, complained of backaches and the inability to carry me on some days. I had wrongly believed that the plight of Mexican farmworkers had no connection to me. César 's fight for the rights of Mexican workers seemed like a distant historical episode. But this book changed that perspective. I saw my father in those same fields and realized that my family members could have worked in similarly dangerous conditions. The book showed me that César's movement was not just for a specific group. The ban on the short-handled hoe brought me joy as I imagined my father no longer suffering from back pain.

The Mexican Farmworker movement's achievements filled me with empowerment and pride. No other book made me feel so deeply connected to my identity, representing a struggle I had long yearned to understand. 'A Triumph of Spirit' unveiled the internal and external challenges faced by the United Farm Workers Union and César Chávez, and it revealed the various ways in which I was connected to my Mexican heritage with the people who shared it. Outside of school, I often felt insecure about my prospects, fearing that as a Mexican-American, I wouldn't be accepted by Mexican migrants or native-born Americans. There's a common saying, "Ni de aqui, Ni de aya" – "Not from here, and not from there." Yet, César 's networking with a diverse range of people, from John F. Kennedy to Martin Luther King and Filipino laborers in the fields, made me rethink my perspective. I realized that my ethnicity should be a source of pride and confidence, not a determinant of my success. Chávezsucceeded in uniting the Mexican community and orchestrating nationwide boycotts and protests that rallied the public to his cause. His success made me believe that I could overcome any odds like him. I saw him not just as a historical figure but as part of my heritage, a source of inspiration and motivation.

Even as I delve into historical analysis, 'A Triumph of Spirit' will always remind me of my community's struggles in the United States and my profound connection to those who endured them.