09/07/2026
On September 8, 1965, 2,000 Filipino American farmworkers, led by Larry Itliong and the Agricultural Workers Organizing Committee (AWOC), refused to report to work in the grape fields of California’s Central Valley. Their demand was simple yet urgent: dignity and fair working conditions.
Two weeks later, the National Farm Workers Association (NFWA), led by Cesar Chavez and Dolores Huerta, joined the strike. Together, Filipino and Mexican American workers built a powerful, united front—forming the United Farm Workers (UFW). After five years of striking and an international grape boycott, they secured new contracts in 1970, proving the power of cross-community solidarity.
Itliong’s words remind us that justice and equality are never simply given — they are won through organizing, solidarity in our communities, and courage. His leadership in forging alliances between Filipinos and Mexican Americans stands as one of the most important, yet often overlooked, contributions in American labor history.
This Labor Day, we honor Larry Itliong and Asian American trailblazers who built movements that continue to inspire the fight for equity today.
Happy Labor Day from ATJ ✊🏼
