"Organizing people…is like finding the pot of gold at the end of a rainbow," Dolores Huerta once said. The celebrated labor activist is now in her 90s. But she continues to work for change, like she has for more than 70 years. She has stood beside farmworkers as they demanded better pay. And she has pushed government leaders to make new laws to protect workers, especially in the Latinx community. It hasn't been easy. Yet Huerta believes in the saying she coined in 1972: "Sí se puede!"—Yes, we can!
Huerta developed her can-do attitude as a child. Her mother ran a hotel in California. She often offered free rooms to families who had little money. This example taught Huerta an important lesson. If someone was in need, it was her duty to help them.
This drive to help others followed Huerta into adulthood. She became a teacher. Yet she was deeply saddened when she saw her students arrive at school hungry and without shoes. Many were the children of farmworkers. These workers toiled from sunup to sundown in terrible heat. They worked without bathrooms or drinking water. Their pay was only about 70 cents an hour. And they received no help paying for health care. Huerta wanted everyone to know the harsh conditions farmworkers faced every day to put food on Americans' tables. She knew she had to take action.
Huerta teamed with activist Cesar Chavez in 1962. They started the National Farm Workers Association (NFWA). The union worked with California's farmworkers to negotiate for better pay and improved working conditions. Companies often fought these changes. But Huerta and Chavez did not give in.
In 1965, the NFWA launched a national grape boycott. The goal was to fight for better contracts for California's grape pickers. Huerta spent countless hours talking to customers and store managers. She also met with lawmakers. Her hard work paid off. Over 17 million Americans refused to buy grapes.
It took five years for companies to finally come to the bargaining table. But Huerta successfully negotiated a new contract with 26 grape growers. The contract made sure that farmworkers were treated more fairly. She then persuaded the California government to allow all farmworkers to form unions. This let farmworkers have more say when setting up work contracts.
Though Huerta was successful, she was often criticized and put down. Why? Because she was a woman. Yet Huerta refused to be pushed aside. She trusted that helping people was the right thing to do.
Today, Huerta continues to fight for the rights of others. And she has a special message for young leaders. She tells them that they can make history. How so? By saying, "Sí se puede."
Suppose you were writing a summary of the article. Which of these would be most important to put in the summary?
A. Fair conditions for farmworkers have been a key goal of Huerta's work.
B. Huerta met with customers and grocery store managers during a grape boycott.
C. Huerta says her mother often gave free hotel rooms to families in need.
D. As a teacher, many of Huerta's students were the children of farmworkers.
A. Fair conditions for farmworkers have been a key goal of Huerta's work.
Read this passage from the article:
Huerta developed her can-do attitude as a child. Her mother ran a hotel in California. She often offered free rooms to families who had little money.
Which phrase from the passage helps you understand the meaning of the word hotel?
A. offered free rooms
B. had little money
C. as a child
D. can-do attitude
A. offered free rooms
The article states:
These workers toiled from sunup to sundown in terrible heat. They worked without bathrooms or drinking water. Their pay was only about 70 cents an hour. And they received no help paying for health care.
The author's purpose for writing this passage was to __________.
A. explain the conditions farmworkers faced and that Huerta wanted to improve
B. criticize farmworkers for not fighting harder for better working conditions
C. explore why companies treated California's farmworkers unfairly
D. praise Huerta for the work she did to help California's farmworkers
A. explain the conditions farmworkers faced and that Huerta wanted to improve
According to the article, why did grape companies agree to treat farmworkers more fairly?
A. Because Huerta showed companies the dreadful working conditions in the fields
B. Because Huerta persuaded lawmakers to allow farmworkers to form unions
C. Because Huerta and Chavez asked Latinx workers to stop picking grapes
D. Because Huerta and the NFWA launched a nationwide grape boycott
D. Because Huerta and the NFWA launched a nationwide grape boycott
Which passage from the article best supports the idea that Huerta had to overcome many difficulties in her work to help others?
A. …she was deeply saddened when she saw her students arrive at school hungry and without shoes.
B. …she was often criticized and put down. Why? Because she was a woman. Yet Huerta refused to be pushed aside.
C. Huerta teamed with activist Cesar Chavez in 1962. They started the National Farm Workers Association (NFWA).
D. Huerta wanted everyone to know the harsh conditions farmworkers faced every day to put food on Americans' tables.