Promoting “La Causa”

Worksheet Description

The worksheet jumps into the early years of Cesar Chavez’s efforts to establish the National Farm Workers Association (NFWA) in 1962. After leaving the Community Service Organization (CSO), Chavez started the union, initially consisting of his family members. The union’s growth was gradual, with Chavez personally speaking to other farmworkers in the fields of California to persuade them to join his cause. The worksheet then presents a scenario where students must imagine themselves in Chavez’s shoes, attempting to convince a fellow farmworker to join the NFWA.

This educational tool aims to foster empathy and a deeper understanding of Cesar Chavez’s challenges and strategies in building the NFWA. By prompting students to craft a dialogue, the worksheet encourages them to put themselves in the position of both Chavez and a skeptical farmworker, weighing the benefits and potential reservations of joining the union. Through this exercise, students will be able to appreciate the complexities of grassroots organizing and the importance of effective communication in advocacy. Furthermore, it seeks to enhance students’ critical thinking, empathy, and writing skills, as they craft dialogues rooted in historical context.