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"I am an Organizer"
In 1962, Chavez moved his family to Delano, California where he founded the National Farm Workers Association (NFWA). Chavez and his family picked grapes and cotton during the week. On weekends, he traveled to farm communities in the Southwest as a NFWA organizer.
Chavez speaking to a group offarm workers in the Midwest, 1970s.
In September 1965, representing 1,200 NFWA members, Chavez agreed to join the AFL-CIO's Agricultural Workers Organizing Committee (AWOC) led by Larry Itliong in a strike against major Delano table grape and wine grape growers. He created a strong coalition of unions, church groups, student activists and minorities in support of what was soon internationally known as The Great Delano Grape Strike. By 1967, the NFWA merged with AWOC and became the United Farm Workers Organizing Committee (UFWOC) with Chavez as its leader.
Cesar speaking at a rally in California, undated L-R: Fr. Salandini, Manuel Uranday, Cesar Chavez, Fr. John Banks and Andy Imutan (Photo by Jack Eisenberg).