Salas, the co-founder of Obreros Unidos and a well known farmworker and migrant rights leader in the late 1960's to 1970's is scheduled to appear at the Mitchell Street Library to debute his book on the farmworkers movement in Wisconsin.
By H. Nelson Goodson
Hispanic News Network U.S.A.
June 13, 2023
Milwaukee, Wisconsin - On Saturday, June 17, 2023, Jesus Salas, the co-founder of Obreros Unidos, a migrant rights labor organization in the late 1960's is scheduled to appear at the Mitchell Street Public Library, 906 W. Historic Mitchell Street from 3:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. to debute his new book titled "Obreros Unidos", The Roots And Legacy Of The Farmworkers Movement. In his memoir, Salsa wrote about his participation in the labor farmworkers movement in Wisconsin and the farmworkers struggle and fight for fairness and respect, as well to help change migrant state laws in order to provide much-needed services and housing to migrant families in the state.
The farmworker movement in the late 1960's ignited a reform revolution that went beyond the fields to having Latino represention in community based organizations that were led by a majority of Anglo-Saxons (Whites) in the late 1960's to the early 1970's, which made it difficult for Latinos, especially (Mexican-American) migrants from getting adequate bilingual services to relocate and transition to city jobs in Milwaukee.
In 1969, Salas became the first President and CEO of the United Migrant Opportunity Services (UMOS) in Milwaukee and was an instrumental leader along with others to challenge the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (UWM) unwritten discriminatory policy in 1970 that kept most Hispanics from enrolling at UWM. Salas's endurance and persistence along with other leaders and community succeeded in eliminating the UWM discriminatory policy in 1970, thus opening the door to higher education and empowering countless Chicanos and Latinos (Hispanics) to enroll at UWM and graduate with honors and university degrees who then returned to the community and as professionals and stakeholders contributed to make our community a better place to live and work.
In 1970, UWM enforced a discriminatory policy that kept Hispanics from enrolling at the university. Only 14 Latino students attended UWM compared to more than 25,000 White students. There were no Hispanic faculty or Spanish language books at the Golda Mier Library at UWM.
"In Milwaukee many barriers existed blocking their paths to higher education. Their language and cultural distinctness were frowned upon, and they had limited access to information about educational opportunities and few professional models. Discriminatory treatment was the norm," cited from Myriad Magazine UWM 1990.
Book: "Obreros Unidos", The Roots And Legacy Of The Farmworkers Movement is now available at following link https://tinyurl.com/5e9yfv9y, and it is also available in Amazon, Barnes & Noble at https://tinyurl.com/ye2842c9, and soon at other local book vendors.
Update: Video of presentation, memoirs and remarks by author Jesús Salas and Foreward by Sergio M. González (author) during the book release on June 17, 2023 of Obreros Unidos at the Mitchell Street Public Library Branch, Milwaukee, Wisconsin. https://youtu.be/A6DC3vsaDys
No comments:
Post a Comment