Sal Castro - still fighting for Latino rights

Sal Castro, a former educator who was instrumental in the walkouts that led to a massive uproar and push for education of Latinos, wowed his Fresno City College audience with stories of how his organization changed history.

"I am honored to be among you today because you are pursuing an education," Sal Castro told the audience that packed the Staff Dining Room at Fresno City College on March 31. It was the second of a two-day stopover at FCC to commemorate the spirit of the late United Farm Workers leader, Cesar Chavez.

Teresa Navarro Tarazi, the head of the Latino Cultural Arts Committee, worked hard for Castro's return to FCC on Cesar Chavez Day. "Whenever Teresa offers for a free meal, I'm there," Castro jokingly said about accepting the invitation to speak at the event.

Castro's boycott movement spread from the West Coast to all across the country in a matter of years, providing Hispanics with opportunities they were previously denied. "While the United Farm Workers' strike affected thousands of farm laborers, the walkouts inspired millions of Latino students around the country. Hispanics across the country made their voices heard and the system simply couldn't ignore it," Castro said.

Tarazi herself is no stranger to the struggles of inequality. As a young college student, out of frustration and feelings of oppression, Tarazi and several other Latino students at California State University, Fresno, staged numerous guerilla poetry sessions in which they read their poems out loud to whoever would listen. She understands all too well what it is to fight for equal opportunities for all and thus a tie that binds her and Castro.

Castro told the FCC audience about the late Cesar Chavez whom he met around the time he and the other walkout organizers believed they were soon to be jailed. Castro said he approached Chavez to give the walkout a UFW endorsement. Instead, Chavez arranged for the then presidential nominee, Robert Kennedy, to meet and speak with Hispanic students about their grievances with the education system.

The first day of the Sal Castro's visit to FCC featured a literature reading in memory of the Cesar Chavez Day. The event was sponsored by the Puente Club. Later that day, Castro led a discussion of the film, "Walk Out". The film, directed by renowned actor Edward James Olmos, depicts Castro's involvement in the L.A. walkouts. Later, Castro answered questions from the audience.

Castro now spends his time speaking to students all across the country, discussing the potentials and opportunities before them and the struggle that come with those advantages. Castro promotes the idea of one race, the human race, in which every color and creed deserves a chance at an education and a right to be heard.

He said, "Kids today take for granted what they have today, but if they were whipped and put through the rough conditions we had to deal with, I believe they would stand up against the injustice just the same."