United Farm Workers activist speaks to students

Al Rojas spoke to students about the importance of using nonviolent methods to achieve change.

By Katy Bergen

Published Oct. 3, 2008

Al Rojas just wanted to sleep.

But as he huddled with his friends in the back of a van after a day of picking crops in the rain without any rain gear, they elected him to meet with a stranger they heard could help their cause. Cesar Chavez, who would later found the United Farm Workers of America, told Rojas to stand up to his manager and prepare to take any consequences. Rojas got the rain gear.

Rojas shared the story of his past to a gathering of MU students and teachers at Jesse Wrench Auditorium, calling the rain incident a small victory that set the stage for a lifetime of activism. Activism was a key focus for Rojas as he discussed his history with the UFW, one of the first farmers unions, immigration issues and the upcoming election.

"There are certain events in a person's life that are truly transformational," said Paul Rainsberger, MU Labor Education Program director, who introduced Rojas and said he was inspired by the United Farm Workers boycotts in the '60s and '70s.

The MU Labor Education Program, Hispanic and Latin American Faculty and Staff Association and Office of Multicultural Affaris sponsored Rojas' visit after they found out he would be speaking this week throughout Missouri.

The timing conveniently correlated to Hispanic Heritage Month. Rainsberger said HLAFSA felt Rojas, who is also a member of the Labor Council for Latin American Advancement and an advocate for immigrant's rights, was an appropriate candidate to speak for the Hispanic community.

Rojas shared his experiences as a former member of the United Farm Workers of America, a farmers' union co-founded by Chavez. He stressed how the union used non-violent means such as boycotts and fasts to fight for changes in labor laws and workers' rights. He encouraged students to use the same means to deal with current issues the country faces today.

One of these issues is illegal immigration. Rojas blamed the North American Free Trade Agreement, a 1992 treaty that established free trade between the United States, Mexico and Canada, for the 12 million illegal immigrants in America today. He said he believes the number will decrease if wage standards can be established in Mexico.

NAFTA allows the United States to send excess agricultural products to other countries, including Mexico. Native farmers are unable to compete with American corporation's low prices and often have to resort to migration just to survive. Rojas said he feels American legislation labels these migrants as "criminals," when in reality they come to the country because of an American process.

Rojas encouraged students to use activism to counter the corporations that "leave and thieve" by banding together to put pressure on government agencies for change as well as exercising the right to vote.

"Our hope is you, because for some of us, it's late," Rojas said. "We're in a mess."