Over the course of this semester, I have learned a great deal about women and social action. In particular, the Anderson text, Thinking About Women, and Cantarow’s Moving the Mountain introduced me to a number of different issues that I had not previously considered as a white, middle-class woman. After examining historical, sociological, feminist, and other perspectives and reading about activists who worked to bring about social change, I feel I have become better informed and more aware of the challenges women face in today’s society as well as more inclined to participate in opportunities for social action.
Part A
Activist Jessie Lopez De La Cruz was a Mexican American, born in California in 1919 to a working poor family. She was the …show more content…
It was not until she was forty-three years old that she truly began her work as an activist. After meeting Cesar Chavez and being recruited to the farmworker’s union, Jessie spent her time in the fields encouraging others to join as well as visiting the other migrant workers in their homes (Cantarow 127). The main goals at the time were improving working conditions and increasing wages. Eventually, her role as a union organizer became official and she continued recruiting for the union in the fields, working in the hiring hall, and picketing. Jessie was also appointed to a number of community and state organizations and even taught English to Mexican Americans on her own television program (Cantarow …show more content…
My favorite picture of Jessie Lopez De La Cruz is the second image on page 113. In the picture, Jessie is speaking to other farmworkers in the fields. I chose this picture because I feel that it captures the true essence of her activism. She grew up working those fields and continued to do so for many years, so it was in this setting that she was able to do the most good, by simply talking to the other workers about their struggles and encouraging them to join the union. Additionally, the image reveals that Jessie De La Cruz was an average woman who stayed true to her roots. Even as she worked for various organizations, she still spent time working the fields and talking to the very people for whom she was working for social
Part A
Activist Jessie Lopez De La Cruz was a Mexican American, born in California in 1919 to a working poor family. She was the …show more content…
It was not until she was forty-three years old that she truly began her work as an activist. After meeting Cesar Chavez and being recruited to the farmworker’s union, Jessie spent her time in the fields encouraging others to join as well as visiting the other migrant workers in their homes (Cantarow 127). The main goals at the time were improving working conditions and increasing wages. Eventually, her role as a union organizer became official and she continued recruiting for the union in the fields, working in the hiring hall, and picketing. Jessie was also appointed to a number of community and state organizations and even taught English to Mexican Americans on her own television program (Cantarow …show more content…
My favorite picture of Jessie Lopez De La Cruz is the second image on page 113. In the picture, Jessie is speaking to other farmworkers in the fields. I chose this picture because I feel that it captures the true essence of her activism. She grew up working those fields and continued to do so for many years, so it was in this setting that she was able to do the most good, by simply talking to the other workers about their struggles and encouraging them to join the union. Additionally, the image reveals that Jessie De La Cruz was an average woman who stayed true to her roots. Even as she worked for various organizations, she still spent time working the fields and talking to the very people for whom she was working for social