It’s hard to pass by Delano, a city of about 51,000 in Kern County, California, at this pivotal time in American history without thinking about the city’s historic role in the farmworker movement. As temperatures in Delano reached 100-plus in the summer, it only increases my respect for the grit and determination of the farmworkers who work to feed the region, state, nation and the world.

The Delano Grape Strike of 1965 is recognized as a pivotal moment in the fight for farmworkers’ rights in the U.S. Here is a brief description of the strike, as provided by my AI friends:

Filipino farmworkers, organized under the Agricultural Workers Organizing Committee (AWOC), initiated the strike, and were soon joined by Cesar Chavez, Dolores Huerta and the National Farm Workers Association (NFWA) – a mostly Latino union – in solidarity. This historic collaboration marked the first major instance of Filipino and Mexican farmworkers uniting for a common cause. The strike, which lasted five years, was characterized by nonviolent tactics like boycotts and marches, and resulted in significant victories for farmworkers, including improved wages and working conditions. 

You can read more about it here — https://www.nps.gov/articles/000/workers-united-the-delano-grape-strike-and-boycott.htm

I’ve had the honor of interacting with Dolores Huerta on several occasions, and you will not find a more energetic, fiesty and compelling figure for someone who is 95 years young. A California State University book honoring her (pictured above) sits on my desk.

Fresno State has honored Cesar Chavez with a statue (pictured above) in its Peace Garden in March 1996. The nine-foot bronze and granite monument consists of a life-size, full-figure of Cesar E. Chavez poised at the top of a pedestal, designed to symbolize his life and work. 

My trip by the numbers:

Miles walked: 86.2

Miles remaining: 2,843.8

Average daily miles needed to reach Statue of Liberty by 70th birthday (unofficial goal): 6.5