...striking farmworker Cesar Chavez
shows strong signs of deterioration
since his fast began...
- Walkout! - Walkout!
- Bobby! - Yes!
- Gettysburg. - Uh...
I don't know. A whole mess of people got killed.
Scratch a little deeper, Bobby.
- Who fought there? - Americans!
Americans? How about your ancestors?
- Mexicanos? - Yeah!
Yoli, help him out. Read the part on the Chicano regiments.
- Chicanos? - Old Mexican-Americans.
It was before we moved to East L.A.
and became vatos locos!
Any luck, Yoli?
Read the part about Mariano Vallejo
and his meeting with Abraham Lincoln. That's it.
Paula, help her out. Read the part of 9,000 Mexican-Americans
who fought in the American Civil War.
Mr. Castro, it doesn't say anything about Mexican-Americans.
Let me see.
See, that's funny. We were there.
What side did we fight on?
Both.
Ooh, and we still lost?
Yeah, we still lost. You know what we lost?
We lost our legacy.
Why? 'Cause we're not in this book.
See, if people don't know about it,
then it never happened.
See, you're learning your history
from people that don't know your history.
Your blood...
is in Gettysburg.
What about Vietnam?
Your blood is in Vietnam too.
Okay, have a good day.
Fernie, I want to talk to you.
Hey.
Your mother signed your permission slip.
I look forward to having you.
- I need your permission slip too. - I'm really working on it.
I can't hold it, Paula. What do we do? What do we do?
Let's try the faculty restroom.
Excuse me! What are you doing?
Mr. Hurley, I really have to go.
No students allowed in the building at lunch. You know that.
- Mr. Hurley, the other bathrooms-- - I don't make the rules.
Go on!
- Hey, Yoli, you wanna see the fight? - Not right now, Bobby.
- Watch out. - Okay okay.
Break it up! I said break it up!
Break it up, break it up!
Get over here. Yeah yeah yeah.
Hey, we're not done here, puto!
Drop it, Fernie. Drop it, Fernie.
Drop it. Okay, everybody go back to class.
Come on, stop!
Come on, before Ingles sees us.
- The principal's a pendejo. - Ey!
Look, don't give that pendejo
any more reasons to kick you out of school.
No one talks like that about my mother, man.
You're worried about your mother? Graduate.
- Everybody go back to class. - Hey, Paula.
See you at the meeting room. Be there or be square.
I'll see you there, Ray.
Guess we'd better get back inside now.
No no no, I'll catch up with you later.
All right.
Come on!
Please, Papi! It's not a camping trip.
I'm not sending you to the beach with a bunch of wild boys. I told you!
It's Malibu! It's a student leadership conference, Papi!
You have nothing to worry about.
They're all geeks, like Paula.
You think anyone who can spell is a geek.
- J-E-K. - G-E-E-K.
That was my point, see?
It's a chance to be around intelligent kids for a change.
Panfilo, it's an honor to be chosen.
- She brings pride to the family. - Dad--
I already finished my homework, I got the weekend off from the theater,
- and it doesn't cost anything! - Jeff!
- Yeah, Papi? - When's your test?
Monday.
You stay home and help your brother study.
He's not so smart like you.
I'm not going to help him. No one ever helped me with my homework.
Here.
You have permission.
He signed it?!
I signed it.
It only asks for one signature.
You should be very pleased, Paula.
President of the ticketeers, prom committee,
you've make quite a contribution here.
Not to mention your test scores.
Now here are your financial aid forms.
Have you applied to any other colleges?
No, not yet.
- Hey, Paula. - Hey, Paula.
Hey, how'd it go?
Mr. Peck told me, "You have a big future ahead of you."
- That's good! - Yeah.
- In the art world. - Industrial arts.
Nice way to say "car mechanic."
He told me secretary. There's no nice way to say that.
Didn't he offer junior college?
Yeah, to improve my typing skills.
Anyway. So what did he say to you?
He just gave me some pamphlets and financial aid stuff.
Out of all of us, you should definitely be the one going to college.
Why only me?
- 'Cause you're smart. - So are you.
- Yeah, not in the same way. - Bobby Verdugo? Give me a break, Sal.
- He also happens to be a smart ass. - We can get him into UCLA.
- He's got 2.8. - But he's got the test scores.
Get real, Sal. We've got to concentrate our resources on the talented ones.
You don't have to go to college to be successful.
No, you don't, but they have to know what's available to them.
They could be doctors, lawyers.
There's other roles for them to play in society, Sal.
Lloyd, I think you'd better stay out of this.
How much money do you make?
- As much as you do. - Which is bupkis.
And Jorge Ramirez who graduated this high school owns his own tire shop.
No college education, he makes 10 times our salary.
You know what? I bet he's got 10 of our dropouts sweeping his floors.
- Sal, you know I do whatever I can. - Good.
Don't give up on Bobby. Steer him into college.
Is that what he wants, Sal, or is that what you want?
You know something, Hurley? Whoever gave you a break,
I bet you they regret it right now.
I'm just asking a question.
"I seemed swinging in a mighty rhythm through orbit vastness.
Sparkling points of light spluttered and shot past me."
- Fernie. - "They were stars,
I knew, and flaring comets
that peopled my flight among the suns."
Jesus.
"As I reached the limit of my swing
and prepared to rush back on the counter swing,
a great... gong struck
and thundered."
- "For an immeasurable--" - Bobby, Jesus, front and center.
- What'd I do? - You spoke Spanish. You know the rules.
Mr. Verdugo, you're first.
Let's go. Assume the position.
Quiet!
Excuse me.
Glad you could join us.
Since you're here, is there any action
on the entertainment for the prom?
We're still trying to find a band. Personally,
- I like The Midnighters. - Can we afford them?
Well, we could still do some fundraising
and pull about $100 from the decorating committee.
Look at what we're spending on balloons.
Balloons contribute to the festive atmosphere.
Find a cheaper band.
If there isn't anything--
We have to get the school to open the restrooms at lunch.
We've already discussed that and proposed it.
They say we don't respect it.
They're bathrooms, Ray, not churches.
Not happening.
Let's focus on things under our control.
Be careful, mija.
Bye, Mami!
- Do you guys ever stop kissing? - Do we ever?
No, never.
- See? Look how she loves me. - Check this out, Paula.
- Isn't that cute? - It's my love drawing I made for him.
Hey, come on, Chato, don't do me like this, ese!
Mr. Castro said all I gotta do is deliver you here
and I don't have to do a book report.
I see how you putos are!
Pimping out your own homeboy!
What the fuck are you looking at?
- You're coming with us? - Fuck no.
- Nice, huh? - That house right there, honey.
Right there.
Check out these houses. They're all Beaver Cleaver.
Wow. What do these people do?
Lawyers, doctors,
businessmen.
College-educated people.
- Hey, Mr. Castro? - Yeah?
- You went to college, right? - Yeah.
How come you ain't living out here?
- Far out. - That's beautiful.
Whoa.
Wow.
- You ever been to the beach? - Of course.
Once.
And another rule: Don't pick up any moving sticks.
- Those are snakes. - Well, mine wasn't moving.
And you're not supposed to pick those up either.
Why, are they dangerous?
They like to think they are.
Hi. Here, let me help you.
- Thank you. - Mm-hmm.
Uh, excuse me. Thank you so much for your help.
Paula, you can get your bag. No boys allowed.
Come on. Ladies, get your bags and thank the guys
for their genuine kindness.
Does anybody know why they're here?
Hey, does anybody know why they're here?
To meet girls!
- To meet boys. - Yeah!
All right, all right.
I'll tell you why you're here.
Because an administrator, or a teacher,
or somebody who understands the Chicano struggle
saw something in you. Maybe you're smart.
Maybe you're good at sports. Maybe you're good with people.
Maybe you're just a chingon vato loco.
Ah, Bobby Verdugo.
Cholo king!
One out of four Mexican-Americans
graduate high school.
You guys are almost over that hurdle.
The next hurdle is getting you into college
and getting a degree.
"Time" magazine, you guys see it?
It's America's Bible, and we made it!
Whoo!
Let me read it to you. It's called "Pocho's Progress."
- What? Pocho? - Who are the Pochos, by the way?
- Who's Pocho? - "Nowhere is Pocho's plight
more evident than in the monotonous sun-scabbed flatlands
of East Los Angeles."
What are they talking about? We got hills in East L.A.
I know, I know.
"In tawdry taco joints
and rollicking cantinas, the reek of cheap sweet wine
competes with the fumes of frying tortillas."
- This is how they see you. - That's bullshit, man.
Yeah.
So if our schools are inferior,
and the police beat us up, so what, right?
We deserve it, right? We're cheap,
- tawdry and poor-- no? - No! No!
- No. - 2%
of Chicanos make it into college.
2%, we've got to change that.
Until we get educated,
somebody else will be writing our history.
- I want us to write it. - That's right, yeah!
- Let's write it. - Yeah!
Huh? I want us to make our own history!
The great American Chicano!
Remember! Remember that freedom is in education and knowledge.
- Got it. - Thank you.
U.M.A.S.
Hi, welcome to Occidental.
- Strong liberal arts-- - Thank you.
I'm gonna have so much to fill out tonight.
- Got it, got it. I am hungry, girls. - Hi, Mr. Castro.
- UCLA. - I see L.A., we saw L.A.
- What's with the berets? - Like the Black Panthers, only brown.
- That's original. - Ladies, sign up right here.
- What do you guys do? - We're a community action group
improving conditions in the barrio:
cleaning up parks, registering people to vote--
Don't forget about protesting police brutality.
- Yeah? - That's right. I'm David Sanchez,
- Carlos Montes. - Hi.
- Armando Lopez. - Oh--
- How are you doing? - How are you guys? Nice to meet you.
Here, this'll give you an idea of what's really going on.
Thanks for your contribution.
We want people who've got the guts to change things.
- You think you've got the guts? - Hey, girls?
You want to change something, go to college.
- You're Al's sister, right? - Yeah.
- Paula. - Moctesuma Esparza.
I went to Lincoln with him.
You passed by my booth.
And... where are you going to college?
Oh, um, I don't know yet.
There's 40 Chicanos in UCLA-- at a school of 30,000
not counting the gardeners. We need all the beautiful Chicanas we can get.
No, I mean I don't know if I'm going to go to college.
Yes, you are. You're a leader.
That's why you're here. Please, fill these out.
We'll even pay the application fee. Uh, Vickie!
Vickie will help you with any questions you have, okay?
- Hey, you guys. - Thank you, Monte.
It's Mocte.
Hey, here's my number. Call me.
- Thank you so much. - Thank you.
- See you. - See you later, girls.
Hey, Yoli. Take that.
"Chicanas," I like that.
Chicano, Chicana, how does that make you feel?
You all should really be going. You've got to get a degree.
Good grades will help if you don't have the money.
Chicano!
This is a poem by Corky Gonzales.
"I am Joaquin,
Lost in a world of confusion,
Caught in the whirl of gringo society,
Confused by the rules,
Scorned by the attitudes...
I've come a long way to nowhere...
I am Cuauhtemoc... King of an empire,
civilized...
far beyond the dreams of the Gachupin Cortez...
I am the Maya Prince...
Great leader of the Chichimecas...
I rode with Pancho Villa.
Hidalgo! Zapata! Murietta! Espinoza!
are but a few... who dared to face The force
of the tyranny of men
who rule by farce and hypocrisy.
I stand here looking back,
and now I see the present.
In a country that's wiped out all my history...
and stifled my pride.
I shed a tear of anguish
when I see my children disappear in the shroud
of mediocrity,
never to look back...
and remember me.
And now the trumpets sound,
The music in the people stirs a Revolution,
Like a sleeping giant, slowly rearing its head...
And we start to move. La Raza!
Mexicanos! Espanoles! Chicanos! Latinos! whatever I call myself,
I look the same
I feel the same
I cry and sing the same...
I am Joaquin... My blood is pure.
I am Aztec prince... I am Christian Christ.
I shall endure!"
Yeah, I know one thing--
I ain't no Joaquin.
- Who's Joaquin? - The guy from the poem.
"Lost in a world of confusion,
Caught in a whirl of a gringo society."
Hey, that's Bobby!
You're Chicano, Bobby. You can't wash that shit out.
You're an Aztec. Mexica.
Man, I ain't no Aztec. I'm a Dodger's fan.
"Lost in a world of confusion."
And you're the son of your father. Your father's a Chicano.
My father's a Teamster, man.
Naw, man, he's from Bakersfield.
He's Mexican-American.
No, you're either Mexican or you're American, you can't be both.
- You're one or the other. - That's not true.
But Irish-Americans don't have to chose.
I'm not a Mexican-American.
I'm a Chicana. Born and raised in the U.S.A.
- We can all agree on that one, right? - Yeah.
You know, one day I want to be the first great Chicano surfer.
- What's stopping you? - I can't swim.
Okay, what was your favorite part, Paula?
Oh, the best part was definitely dancing around the fire.
Oh, you two were so funny. Bobby was such a dork.
I've never seen you move like that, man.
You get red ants on your feet, of course you move like that.
This is what's great though. You've got a bunch of kids,
some of the brightest kids, right, that want to change
as much as you guys, that's what's great about it.
I didn't know there were that many people--
There's a lot more!
- Where are we? - It's a high school. Who needs to go?
I'm going.
Okay, this is the senior court. You see the stairwell?
- Yeah. - Okay, there's a water fountain.
Behind the water fountain, there's a bathroom.
Okay? Fernie, come with me.
- There you are. - I'm sorry! I was gonna come down--
No no no. What are you looking at?
Oh, look at this. There's so much to learn
we don't find out about.
Our library is sad. I mean, look--
they have books in Hebrew.
They have French, German.
They even have Spanish.
Look at this, look.
We can't even speak Spanish in our schools.
I know.
It's not right. I mean, don't people realize how we're being treated?
Hmm... you should write an article about it.
What, "A Tale of Two Schools"?
That's a good title.
Hi, Papi.
Mando Ramos?
I love Mando. Look at him dance.
He's running away.
Come on. He's amazing.
He used to be. Now he don't work for it.
Thinks he knows everything.
He still wins on points.
He takes too many chances.
Guys who take chances...
vas a ver.
Bang!
Get their heads taken off.
You should have seen it, Papi.
All we did was drive across the city
and it was like we were in a whole new world.
There were kids from all over, smart kids, Papi.
We heard speeches and there was a poem,
and we learned all about our culture.
What culture?
The Chicano culture.
You're not a Chicana.
Of course I am.
I am from the Philippines.
You're a Chilipina.
Chilipina.
"A Tale of Two Schools.
You're afraid of us, your own children,
scared that we're gonna shake things up,
change what you're holding on to.
But we're beginning to see what's going on and we don't like it.
We're opening our eyes and finding our own voices."
"It's not about swimming pools
and fancy auditoriums.
The Palisades High library
has books in languages from all over the world.
They honor the cultures of their students.
In East L.A., the Chicanos aren't even allowed to speak Spanish.
The Declaration of Independence
tells us that we are created equal,
but our schools teach us that we are not."
Dang, girl, you can write!
I know.
Risco at "La Raza" will love this.
- Really? - Mm-hmm.
This is La Piranya.
That's right, girl. We built this place ourselves.
There's so many people in there.
Don't worry. You met a lot of them up at Malibu.
Yeah.
Chicana, Chicano headquarter.
Come on.
Paula, Vickie, hi! Thanks for coming.
- I think you know everyone here. - Hey, Robert.
- Hey, Paula. - Hey, Mocte, Tanya.
- Hi. - Oh-- Tanya.
Tanya Mount. Roosevelt?
- Hey girl. - Um, wait, what was your name again?
John Ortiz. I'm with Garfield.
- Garfield. - Just like Mita, Mita goes to Garfield.
Yeah, Mita Cuaron. Hi, Paula.
- Um, and Mickey? - Mickey Fernandez.
- Beverly Hills High School. - He wishes.
- And Harry, right? - Harry Gamboa.
Wow, so we have all five East L.A. high schools here in one place.
- That could be dangerous. - Did you guys all read Paula's article?
I read it. I really liked it, Paula.
- It was really good. - Great article.
- Impressive. - East L.A. schools
are more jacked up than Westside schools.
- That ain't news. - It is news, Harry. A student wrote it.
The principal should read the article, actually.
We should get all our principals to read that.
Principals know the school's jacked up,
but that's just one student complaining. It's not going to do anything.
One student might not change anything,
- but a whole bunch will. - So what do we do?
How about we get every high school student to write
an essay about what they think about schools?
They're not going to write an essay. They don't even do homework.
This is East L.A. You know what I mean? Not everybody can write.
We can make it simple.
We can ask the questions ourselves-- come up with a list of questions,
and then kids can answer them about their schools.
- Like a survey. - Oh yeah!
Surveys are bullshit.
- Have you got a better idea? - You want to get people's attention,
get their attention. The Black Panthers don't take no surveys.
- We're not the Black Panthers, ese. - Black Panthers?
We're talking about improving the schools, Carlos.
We're talking about getting people's attention, que no?
Que si. That's why we're gonna do it our own way.
- Nonviolently. - Hey, Vickie, I'm just going to go.
You just got here. Come on, we're just getting into it.
I have to get home. I didn't realize what time it is.
- You guys don't know my dad. - Can I give you a ride?
- You have a car? - Yeah, I have a car. Come on.
All right, well, it was nice seeing you guys again.
- Bye. - Thank you, bye.
- I'm watching you. - All right, bye.
- Whoo. - So you think Carlos is serious?
- About what? - About doing like the Black Panthers,
violence and shit.
I don't know.
I-- I don't think so.
I mean I can't take guys too seriously who wear sunglasses at night.
Neither can I. Here, I'll get it.
Thanks. Sorry.
So... why did you join?
- What, the Brown Berets? - Yeah.
I saw you sign up.
I don't know, I want to help out the community.
I think we all need to stick together.
So do I.
Thanks for taking me home.
Yeah sure. It's no problem.
Um, look, Paula.
- Yeah? - Um...
You know, I was watching you tonight.
When everyone was talking, you were just listening.
I just wanted to hear what they had to say.
Yeah--
- Hey, sis! - What?!
Nothing. Dad's home from work early.
- Oh my gosh. You didn't tell him-- - Wait--
- No, you've gotta get out of here. - Wait, Paula-- do you maybe--
- Go go go go! - want to do something on Friday?
No, go now.
Hey, hey!
- So who's the vato? - Al, I swear if you say anything--
Papi, you're home early.
- It's late. - It's a Saturday night.
- Who brought you home? - Yeah, tell him who brought you home.
- Wasn't that Vickie's car? - Who's Vickie?
She's a counselor I met at camp.
I told you I don't want you hanging around those people.
You don't even know them. Vickie goes to college.
- They're agitators! - Agitators?
You see? She's agitated!
Mija.
- Who was the boy? - He was just a friend.
- If you're trying to hide something-- - Mom.
If I was trying to hide, we wouldn't be parked in front of the house.
- If you get pregnant-- - What?!
Mom, is that what you think this is about?
I don't know what this is about.
"Do your parents and counselors support you in all your ambitions?"
"Do you think you are going to graduate?"
Pssh. Chale, hell no.
- Why not? - "If not, why not?"
I'm serious, Bobby.
"What is the point?"
Hey, I can hear you in there.
It's a raging river, sir.
All right, come on out of there now.
Nature's calling, Mr. Hurley, I have to answer it.
Now you're going to have to answer to Principal Ingles. Let's go.
What is he supposed to do?
- He's supposed to use the bathroom. - The bathroom is locked.
Well then, he can wait.
That's what people do-- they wait.
Come on. Let's go.
Mr. Hurley, come on. Give the guy a break.
Rodriguez, this doesn't concern you.
He didn't hurt anything. He won't do it again.
- Right, payaso? - Scout's honor.
Hey, come on, let us handle it.
All right. Everybody listen up.
Don't pee in the bushes.
All right?
Okay. Open the bathrooms.
Yeah.
Are you guys tired of this?
About how we're being treated in school?
Well, we might have something to change it.
- What is that? - It's a survey.
It asks questions about our schools and the way we're being treated.
We're hoping it will make a difference.
- Can I see one? - Yeah.
"Are you made to feel ashamed of your heritage?"
Can I fill one out?
Yeah.
- Gimme one of those. - Here.
- I want one. I want one. - You guys can all fill them out.
We can change this.
Try to fill these out and get them back to us as soon as you can.
Here you go.
Try to fill these out.
Please fill out a survey and return it to me.
- Here, fill out a flyer. - Everybody take a survey
to evaluate our high school.
People of our school are supposed to fill out this survey.
It's a survey about our education. Brown power.
Thank you so much. Improve your schools, make a difference.
Hi, how are you? Fill one of these out, it'll only take a minute.
Make a difference. Hi, how are you?
Please take one. It'll only take a minute. Hi.
It'll only take a minute. Improve your schools, make a difference.
Hey, fill out this survey, man.
Hey, ladies, how you doing?
How was that biology class?
Fill out these surveys, we want to know what kids at Belmont have to say.
Fill this out. There you go.
It's a survey.
Here you go. Thank you.
These things are a joke.
- They can't even spell. - You should have no problems.
She wants to be able to ask questions during class. That's reasonable.
Hey, this guy wants Mexican food in the cafeteria.
Yeah, tacos for everyone.
Hey, the pinche cops across the street just hassled me, man.
- What? - Yeah, there's cops out there.
We're not doing anything wrong.
They been out there for a while. They been watching us, ey?
Hey, did they ask you any questions?
Every night. Fucking every night.
Yeah, you can't take these surveys to the school board.
- Morning, Mr. Hurley. - Good morning.
- Hey, Lloyd. - Morning, Sal.
Why not? Look. Mocte said that if we take--
Mocte. Did he tell you that he tried this two years ago?
- What? - Yeah, and they shut them down.
- They'll shut this down. - No, the school board has to listen.
They don't have to listen to you. Not the students.
- Yes they do. - They can wait until you graduate
or drop out, and then problem solved.
You don't even sound like you're on our side.
I am on your side. I was born on your side.
I have tortillas in my blood.
You have to slow down.
Okay? You have to build support.
Okay.
What about the school principals?
That's a start. Try Ingles.
You want Mexican food served in the cafeteria?
That's one point in 39, Mr. Ingles.
"Compulsory bilingual education.
Text books revised to reflect Mexican-American culture and--"
"Teachers who show prejudice must be transferred."
"Libraries expanded.
End of swatting."
"Covered lunch areas.
No janitorial punishment." Mm-hmm.
"New schools"?
Tell me, Tanya, who's going to pay for the new schools?
I don't know, sir.
I don't think you thought this through.
You're going to graduate in just a few months.
Are you saying it's not important to improve our schools?
I don't see what you have to complain about.
- You've done extremely well here. - 'Cause it's not just me.
Look, I'm not saying the schools are perfect.
I've pushed for some of these same changes myself. These things take time.
Will you at least take it to the school board?
Paula, you have a bright future ahead of you.
Don't mess things up.
And that group that you've been hanging out with...
you're too much of an individual to buy into that collective angst crap.
Be sensible about this.
- Sal, can I have a word? - Yeah, sure.
Did you put these kids up to this?
- No. - Now I'm not stupid, Sal.
This is going to stop. Paula Chrisistomo is--
- Chrisostomo. - Chrisostomo.
Paula Chrisostomo is a good student.
She shouldn't be jeopardizing her future.
It's not up to me. The kids took the initiative themselves.
Oh, and you're not giving them any advice?
If they ask me a question, I answer it truthfully.
That's what a teacher does.
I think that you're trying to coerce these kids--
Ingles, I'm not trying to coerce anybody.
"Mr. Ingles" please.
Mr. Ingles, these kids don't have to be coerced,
they know what's going on. They know that they're getting
the short end of the stick.
I can see why they kicked you out of Belmont.
You just don't know when to draw the line, Sal.
Well, these kids are gonna be heard.
- If things go wrong... - Mm-hmm.
...I'm coming after you.
Well, come early, 'cause there'll be a line.
- What was that? - Oh, I said everything will be fine.
Come on, huevones. You just gonna sit there and watch us clean all night?
You know the reason we got shit-canned.
It was because it was a stupid idea to go to the principals in the first place.
- That was Sal's idea. - No, that was my idea.
Your idea was to take a survey, and you didn't tell us that you did it before.
- Hey, that was two years ago. - Yeah, and it failed.
Look, we weren't nearly as organized as we are now.
Screw that, it's the past.
Why don't we just take the surveys to the school board?
Enough with the surveys already! It didn't work.
Kids are getting their heads busted for burning their draft cards,
and we can't turn in a few papers to the school board? Shit.
I'll have to build a coalition.
You know how this thing works. It's gonna take time.
Time is what we're running out of.
These kids are ready to blow.
- Sal... - Mm-hmm.
You're the teacher, teach them the system.
Well, the system's been screwing them their entire lives.
I think they have a pretty good idea of how the system works.
Well, radical reform doesn't happen overnight.
Did the Watts riots really change anything?
Well, let's just hope it doesn't come to that.
Well, I'm gonna need time to do this,
but I just got elected to the school board.
Yeah, thanks to the Chicano vote.
Let's get one thing straight, all right?
It was a countywide election.
Oh. Well, y-you're just sounding like a politician.
- You're sounding like an idiot. - Oh! An idiot, huh?
Unenlightened.
- I prefer idiot. - Listen, get me more of these surveys.
- I'm gonna have to pass them out... - Mr. Castro.
so bring them to me for the next...
The meeting will now come to order.
Excuse me, Madam Chair.
First thing on the agenda is of course the funding for the Westside.
It will be approximately 2.5 million.
Mr. Richardson? Thank you.
- Yes, Madam Chair. - Yes.
We'll take it up next week.
- I say we call it a day. - One moment, if I may?
Julian, you never take just one minute.
Earlier today, I passed out a report.
It's a survey taken by a group of students from our East L.A. schools...
with some very interesting ideas
on how to improve the studies for Mexican-American students.
May we go through it?
I think we could all use a little more time to review the document.
What do you think, Dr. Nava?
Well, I'd like to set a timetable.
Put the timetable on the agenda for our next meeting.
This session is now adjourned.
We can't just sit around and wait for these pendejos!
It's time to protest!
Yeah! Hey, I know a vato back from Vietnam
who makes some mean Molotov cocktails.
Hey, the point is nonviolence, pendejo!
Just like Martin Luther King and Gandhi and Cesar Chavez.
What about the Montgomery Bus Boycott?
- Hey! Hold it, hold it! - It's like Montgomery.
You know, Dr. King got everybody to boycott buses right?
Yeah, and Cesar is boycotting grapes.
Yeah, you guys, but this is about schools, okay?
- So let's boycott! - The schools?
- Why not? - That's completely different.
No, it's not! It's-- it's exactly the same.
We get treated like second-class citizens!
Hey, are we talking about buses here or what?
Our schools are the back of the bus!
What?
Boycott the schools.
- That's good! - Yes, boycott.
- No, that's not a good idea! - Oh it isn't?
No, you wanna know why?
Because they don't give a shit if these kids go to school or not!
- Actually, they do! - Oh, how so professor?
A.D.A.-- Average Daily Attendance!
Schools get money from the state
according to how many students are present!
Empty chairs, empty pockets!
- They need us! - So what, bunch of kids stay home sick?
No, we show up and then we leave!
- Si. - Walkout.
A walkout, yeah.
- A walkout. - A walkout. Walkout.
Walkout, guys!
I like that! Walkout!
- Walkout! - Let's do it!
Come on! Let's go! Walkout, walkout...
Walkout, walkout, walkout, walkout!
Molotov cocktails and walkouts worry me.
I mean, I think there could be a better way to do this.
Why didn't you say anything?
This whole thing can backfire on us.
If we attack the principals and the school board members...
they're gonna fight back.
It's not an attack, it's a protest.
I don't know. Yeah, I want better schools.
I want a Chicano mayor from East L.A.
So, are you declaring your candidacy?
No.
- I don't know. Maybe. - Maybe?
Hey, holmes. Hey, check it out.
- What is it? - Smile for the camera.
- Check out those pigs right there. - Cheese!
- Queso. - Make sure they get your good side.
Check that out.
Come on, Fernie, you missed a candy wrapper.
Come on, pick it up. Let's get that.
You got something else here by the drainpipe.
By the rain gutter, Fernie, let's go.
This whole quarter's got to be clean.
Not one piece of trash.
Come on, come on, don't forget these papers over here.
Not one piece of trash.
Come on, I've been here long enough already.
Don't you wanna go home?
You got two milk cartons under that table.
Fernie, you got two milk cartons under that table, clean it up.
Clean up the two milk cartons.
Come on, Fernie, all the trash.
All of it. How many times do I gotta say it?
Come on, we've been doing this all day.
Two milk cartons and you're off the hook!
Clean up the two milk cartons,
put them in the trash pile, and let's get out of here.
- Fernie. - Fernie, it's not worth it.
- Pick up that broom. - Just do what he says.
- Come on, he just wants you to quit. - Hey, you stay out of this!
- I did not ask you! - He wants you to quit.
Just do what he says, okay? Just do what he says.
- Hey, Fernie, look at me. - Come on.
Pick up that broom, or you're out of here.
Please, Fernie, just do it, okay?
Come on.
Please, Fernie.
Last chance, Fernie, pick up the damn broom!
That's right, pick it up.
All right. Now you got a pile of trash over here.
Hey, you got two milk cartons under that table!
- Fernie? Fernie? - Hey!
Happens to so many kids. The ones who don't fit in,
- they get pushed out. - This boy made a poor choice.
He didn't have a choice. You don't know Fernie.
Oh, I know Fernie. At least he didn't kill the guy.
He was going to graduate high school. Now what's he supposed to do?
If he wants to fight, he can fight in the army.
Know what I'm talking about?
- Is there another choice? - It's an honor.
- Is Al going to the army? - No.
If the government asks, he will go.
The country must defend itself.
- From what? - Communism.
We're not stopping communism, we're probably spreading it.
She's right. I can't believe I'm defending you.
I'm defending you, if you go to the army,
they'll send you to the front line. That's where they send all the Chicanos.
I've heard that too, Panfilo. I believe it.
That's where Woody's brother got killed.
If you want to live in this country, you must be willing to die for it.
All the good things we have in America...
it's not for free.
That's what's great about our countries, we can question our leaders.
You're all so smart, start your own country.
- Papi, I'm ready. - Okay, let's go.
- Hey, what are you doing here? - The principals know we're blowing out.
- Julian Nava talked to Sal. - What?
They know everything: who's on the committees, when we meet.
- How'd they find out? - Nava thinks it was the police.
- Come on, we're meeting. - I can't, I have work.
Well, can't you get out of it?
Papi, Vickie's gonna take me.
- Bye. We gotta pick up Bobby and Yoli. - Okay, go go go.
Aren't we going to La Piranya?
No, the church. La chota closed us down.
The police know who we are. They know what we're up to.
That's why they closed down La Piranya.
Somebody here's talking to them.
Snitch.
On behalf of all the outside agitators in this room,
I'd like to send a special message to the police.
- Que viva la raza! - Que viva!
Wait a minute, wait a minute.
I have a special message for the informant,
whoever you are.
Que viva!
Whoo whoo!
Paula is one of our best students,
but she's fallen in with a radical crowd.
- Is she breaking any school rules? - Not technically.
Paula's trying to convince her fellow students
to boycott the school. She's trying to stage a walkout.
I'm sure you can appreciate the position that puts me in.
Your daughter is a good student.
And Paula, when you get to college, you can protest all you want--
hell, it's probably an elective.
If I have to expel one student to protect all the others, I'll do it.
I'm sorry, what was that?
He says he will speak to his daughter.
Good.
I'd hate to see Paula lose everything she's worked so hard to attain.
Paula, these men are serious.
They're gonna make an example of you!
They're just scared 'cause they know we're right.
You are risking everything.
I told you to stay away from these agitators.
Why do you listen to those people?
They don't care about you.
In a few months, you graduate...
do whatever you want.
Get married, have babies, work-- whatever!
Go back to school. Go back.
- Mr. Castro. - Yeah?
I don't know if I can do this.
What? W-what's the matter?
Principal Ingles said that he would expel me if I did the walkouts.
What? He can't do that.
You have every right to protest.
But what if he can?
What if he could take away everything that I worked for?
The one thing that I accomplished in life?
- Oh. - What would you do?
I can't answer that for you, I...
- You're my teacher. - Yeah, you're right, you're right.
Every choice has a set of consequences, right?
And you're gonna have to live through those consequences, not me.
Aren't you scared?
Never.
You got fired, right? From your last job?
For the tortilla movement.
Yeah.
There was no Mexican-Americans in student council.
100% Anglo.
So I helped them put together a political party.
And it was good, they were good.
They ran a strong campaign, you know,
and it came down to the final debate,
and they delivered their platform in Spanish.
Which follows which political rule?
- Consolidate your power base. - That's right.
It was a scene. You shoulda seen it.
One half was going crazy, the other half didn't know what the hell was going on,
and the principal comes out and takes the mic.
He says, "You can't speak a foreign language in L.A. schools."
Mr. Castro, you know that.
Did you know the original California Constitution
was written in Spanish and English?
They were both official languages.
But you still got fired.
It was a good lesson.
Kids learned about politics.
Guess you did too.
Well, that was my choice.
Now you have to make your choice.
Thank you.
I have been looking all over for you.
- Wilson walked out. - What?
I know, I know. They didn't tell anybody, they just did it.
Come on, we have to have a meeting.
What's wrong?
You go ahead, I have work.
Can't you get out of it?
Yeah, but...
I'm not going to.
The schools are supposed to walk out together.
- Exactly. - That's the point.
- Right on, Robert. - Yeah, Robert, what happened?
Were you a part of it?
I didn't tell them to, they just did it.
We know that. Why?
Principal canceled some play, actors got all pissed off
and just started yelling, "Walkout," and they walked out.
- We're gonna get blamed anyway. - That's a joke.
The other schools have to go out now.
- Yeah, we're gonna get blamed anyway. - No, hey. Whoa whoa whoa,
- no no. Hold on, wait a minute. - No. No more waiting.
- No, we're not ready. - We don't have a choice.
Wilson jumped the gun.
- We go out tomorrow. Who's with me? - I'm with you.
Yeah, man, I think we should go out.
- Hold on. - Hold it, one at a time, guys.
Okay. Uh... was there any cameras there?
- No. - No, no photographers, no reporters?
I don't think so.
- Didn't happen. - What are you talking about?
- The walkout didn't happen. - Mr. Castro, we know it happened.
Well, no no no, if the news wasn't there, then it didn't happen.
Tune in tomorrow, Sal, 'cause we're going out.
You're not ready yet. You're not organized.
- We're organized. - How many picket signs do you have?
What do they say?
Who's gonna carry them?
- Hey, Paula. - And what about the gangs?
We'll be walking right into their territory.
And what about after the walkout?
How about the news stations? Has anybody talked to the news stations?
You talk to the news stations?
You know what happened today at Wilson?
Nothing. Whole bunch of kids got home early.
A bunch of kids stood up for what they believed in.
Yeah, but everybody has beliefs.
You want to inspire people with what you believe,
- you gotta get organized. - We don't have to listen to this--
- we could blowout tomorrow. - You have to get organized.
Chavez organized the farmworkers.
Dr. King organized the blacks.
- Gandhi, he organized India. - Also, Che and Zapata.
Yeah, you don't think they're organized?
You take your time, you do your work,
you'll inspire people.
How long do you think it'll take us?
Two years.
No, I'm just...
No no. A week, a week. It'll take a week.
- Wednesday at the earliest. - We said tomorrow.
Know what? Let's put it to a vote.
- Let the kids vote. - No.
Yes. Sal's right.
They're the ones with the most to lose.
All those in favor of walking out tomorrow, please raise your hand.
Wednesday?
All right, let's get organized.
All right, blowout committee, Brown Berets, ready?
Ready! Where's Cal State?
- Ready. - Loyola's ready. What about UCLA?
- Ready! - Long Beach, USC, Northridge?
All right, Brown Berets, listen up.
Remember, you keep between the cops and the kids, you got it?
Passive resistance. If those pigs try to grab you, go limp.
Make no mistake, mi gente, la placa knows this is coming.
The LAPD, the FBI, the CIA,
Sheriffs' Department and everybody else is gonna be there tomorrow,
so I want the Brown Berets and UMAS, use your head. Take care of these kids.
If any heads get busted, make sure it's yours, okay?
I have a question.
What if nobody walks out?
They'll walk out.
We're gonna walk out.
Tomorrow, all the schools.
If we back down now...
how are we ever gonna stand back up again?
Papi's gonna trip out, huh?
Good?
I hope you know what you're doing.
It's gonna be okay.
With 52 deaths today,
the total number of American casualties
in Vietnam now stands at 23,042.
There is very little hope for peace on the horizon.
U.S. troops are now bogged down in a four-year conflict
with no end in sight.
Are you nervous?
Paula?
Did you get to sleep?
No, not really.
Good morning. Everybody's in a good mood?
- Yeah. - Good morning.
Walkout.
- Walkout, Garfield. - Belmont, walkout!
- Roosevelt, walkout! - Wilson, walkout.
Walkout.
Paula, what are you doing?
Sorry, Mr. Hurley.
Paula, get back in your seat, please.
Walkout.
Walkout!
Lincoln, walkout!
- Walkout! - Paula.
- Where is everybody? - Be strong, be strong, be strong.
Walkout!
- Walkout! - All right, let's take attendance.
Walkout!
Rodriguez, sit back down.
- Rodriguez! - Walkout!
Walkout!
Come on! Walkout!
- Walkout! - Walkout!
Roosevelt, walkout! Roosevelt, walkout!
Wilson, walkout!
- Walkout! - Let's go, come on!
Walkout! Walkout!
Walkout! Come on, you guys!
All right, let's take attendance.
- Chiapa. - Here.
Walkout! Come on, you guys, keep it going!
- Viva la raza! - Viva!
Walkout! Walkout! Walkout! Walkout!
Come on, you guys! Walkout!
Other side, other side.
Walkout! Walkout!
Stay on the sidewalk, stay together, move!
- Chicano! - Power!
- Yes, it's really happening! - Yeah!
Hey, keep all these people on the sidewalk!
Let's go, keep moving!
Off the street! Get these people off the street!
- Chicano! - Power!
Excuse me. Excuse me?
Aren't you Sal Castro, the teacher who orchestrated today's walkout?
Y-yes, I am Sal Castro,
and uh... no, I-I didn't orchestrate the uh... walkouts.
The uh... kids did it in their own.
- Why do you think they did it? - Well, the Mexican-American community
has long been referred to as the uh... sleeping giant.
And uh... today he's getting his wake up call.
- Chicano! - Power!
- Viva la raza! - Viva!
We want equal education for all! Chicano!
- Chicano! Chicano! - Honey.
Honey, come here.
What is she doing?
Listen up, everybody! I just got off the phone with Julian Nava,
and the school board said they're gonna consider our demands...
- next week. - Whoo-hoo!
We won, yeah!
Hey, man-- hey, wait a minute. We didn't win nothing.
A phone call from a coconut saying he's gonna consider our demands?
Yeah, they're called negotiations.
Yeah, I know how they negotiate with Chicanos.
We give and they take.
Well, let's wait and see what they come back with.
Oh no!
Hey!
Wait a minute, hold on, hold on,
- wait a minute, hold on. - We back off now, we're old news.
All right, what if we meet the board halfway?
Some schools walk out, others stay in?
- A show of weakness. - You already sent the message.
- Well, let's send it louder. - Yeah.
Okay okay okay okay. Let the schools decide.
- Yeah. - Fine, all right.
- Wilson. - Garfield,
- Lincoln. - Roosevelt.
- Berets. - Belmont.
All right. Garfield?
We're undecided.
- Lincoln? - Lincoln's gonna stay in.
- Roosevelt? - We're walking.
- All right. - Wilson?
Wilson stands down with Lincoln.
- Belmont? - Blowout.
Blowout! All right!
Why were you so quiet tonight?
I don't know. Everyone else was talking,
I just, uh... didn't have that much to say.
Look, I uh...
I'm uh...
I'm glad you're not walking out tomorrow.
I, um... I have to go.
Yeah?
I-- my dad's probably, um...
waiting for me right now so I-- I have to-- yeah.
- So I'll call you tomorrow? - It's probably better if I call you.
All right.
Roosevelt and Belmont are walking out tomorrow.
Give me enough men to cover these two schools.
I want to put a stop to this.
Yeah, we know all about this Brown Beret group.
They're a potentially militant, dangerous group.
Any kind of communist affiliation, foreign agents?
My own daughter enters the house like a thief.
Papi, I didn't want to wake anybody.
So now you are concerned about your family?
I saw you on TV.
My daughter, standing on a car,
waving a sign.
- How do you think I felt? - Proud?
- No. - Did you read the sign?
- Does not matter. - Did you read the sign?
You were waving it in the face of a policeman.
- "Equal education for all." - What is wrong with you?
What is wrong with what you have?
I don't know, I just don't want to be like you.
Get in.
I brought you some clothes, and your books.
Your aunt has a spare room.
I'm going to Vickie's.
He'll cool down in a few days.
Fathers tend to worry, you know?
Especially about their daughters.
I'll handle Papi.
My father used to tell me, "Never fall in love with a sailor."
Mom, I know how you met Dad.
I got pregnant.
It's been 20 years, we've had very few easy days.
Make sure you can live
with the decisions that you make, mija.
Damn. We can't even get close.
All right, get those signs to the kids. Move it.
- Let's go. - Quickly, quickly.
Let's go, people. Let's go, man.
- Come on. - If we have to push back, we will.
Wait for my command. Line up now.
Come on.
Are we making the right decision?
I really don't know.
Roll-call.
Mickey, I need you to sit back down.
You need to sit back down in your seat, Mickey!
Belmont, walkout.
Walkout, Garfield! Walkout!
Blowout! Walk-- walkout! - Garfield, walkout!
I need everybody to go back to your seats.
Stay seated. I need you to stay in your seats.
Please, Sylvia do-- Angela, don't do this.
Stop, I need you to... stop.
Stop! I need you to step back.
What?
Open your books to page 49.
Walkout! Walkout!
This is an unlawful assembly.
By the order of the State of California,
- you must return to your schools! - Get back inside!
You're making a big mistake.
- We can't let these guys intimidate us. - Keep them on the line.
Students are coming from everywhere.
Susan, make sure these kids keep moving, okay?
Don't let them stop, don't let them stop. Keep 'em moving.
All right, all right, all right! Back inside!
Back inside! Back in...
Walkout, Garfield!
Walkout!
Excuse me, students, what is going on out here?
Walkout, Garfield!
- We have to. - Yeah, do it.
Walkout! Walkout!
Carlos! The gate, get it open!
- Armando, David, let's go! - The gate!
You have two minutes!
Walkout!
No! Go back! Go back!
Return to your classrooms or you will be arrested!
Walkout! Walkout!
- Yeah! - Stay off the street!
Go! Stay on the sidewalk!
Keep moving. Stay off the street!
Keep moving, keep moving.
It's locked!
- Please, no! - It's locked!
- We can't go anywhere! - Please open! It's locked!
One minute!
Better back up!
Clear them out!
Get off me! Get off!
Stop! Stop hitting them!
Get off the bleachers or you will be arrested!
I repeat. Get down from the bleachers
or you will be arrested!
Chrisistomo. Chrisistomo.
- Paula? - Here.
Student protests continued for a second consecutive day
as two East L.A. schools boycotted classes.
Unlike yesterday's peaceful demonstrations,
where all five area schools marched in solidarity,
today's smaller protest was marred by student violence.
Fortunately, a heavy police presence kept order
resulting in only a handful of arrests.
Commentator Earl Brown has some thoughts
about the events of the last two days.
What is the Mexican-American community saying to us
with these random displays of juvenile rebellion?
Are they just children acting out?
Or is there a much more dangerous element
entering the story?
Chief of Police Tom Reddin has specifically
alluded to outside agitators,
many with ties to the Communist Party.
But let us ask ourselves,
has it simply become the vogue for our younger generation
to attack the very institutions
which are the cornerstones of our society?
For we, the people of Los Angeles, know all too well
the results of these types of attacks
when radical youth take the law into their own hands.
Chief Reddin had these comments.
Work still remains. I think we've seen the last of these so-called walkouts.
- Like hell, you have. - The aftermath
- of the Watts riots illustrated... - Can't believe what they did.
- that civil unrest must be countered - Neither can I.
- by swift and precise police action. - Turn it off.
So we got, um...
we got kids in jail...
and in the hospital.
And all the footage that, uh...
the kids were being beat up with,
none of it, uh...
none of it made it on the-- on the news.
They want to pretend that it didn't happen.
It didn't happen.
Tomorrow's Friday.
I say we take a stand.
They won't let you just walk out.
We can win this one, Sal.
We need an escort.
I'll bring my abuela.
He's right though, 'cause they don't hit abuelas.
Bullshit.
My abuela hits back.
Why don't we just invite everybody?
Parents, brothers, primos.
Kids?
Why not?
Uh... okay, every school...
has to walk out together, at the same time.
Yup.
Together, yeah.
All in favor... say "Yea."
Yea!
Lincoln, let's walk out.
Walkout! Walkout! Walkout! Walkout! Walkout!
You know what happened yesterday. Come on, this is dangerous.
Come on guys, it's like lambs to the slaughter.
La raza!
Walkout! Walkout!
Walkout!
- If they come at you, don't resist. - Walkout!
- If they come at you, don't resist.
Okay.
- Walkout! Chicano! - Power!
- Chicano! - Power!
Viva la raza!
- Viva la raza! - Que viva!
- Chicano! - Power!
- Chicano! - Que viva!
- Viva la raza! - Que viva!
- La raza! - Que viva!
Que viva...!
Leave our children alone!
Your papi's gonna trip.
Anything to say?
It's a beautiful day to be a Chicano.
And in that spirit, we're forming a committee
of parents to take over where the kids left off.
And I'd like to introduce to you Dr. Julian Nava, ladies and gentlemen.
I have some very good news.
The board has agreed to convene on a special session
at Lincoln High tomorrow evening.
Looks like you got their attention.
We did it, we made them listen,
and we didn't even have to be sneaky about what we wanted.
- That's a good thing. - Yeah.
I-- I gotta go.
Well, actually um...
there's something I wanna ask you.
Do you wanna go to the prom with me?
- I don't know, um... - You don't have to.
I mean, it...
No, I'd like to.
I would. I'd like to.
- I have to go. - Okay okay.
Compulsory bilingual and bicultural education
will be enacted in all East Los Angeles high schools.
Corporal punishment must be stopped.
Janitorial duties should not be assigned to students as punishment.
Students who speak Spanish in the classrooms
should not be reprimanded.
Chicanos deserve a right to a higher education.
No student should be discouraged from pursuing a college track.
Teachers who show any form of prejudice
must be transferred out of the district.
No students or teachers are to be reprimanded
for participating in the recent demonstrations.
And restrooms are to remain open
to all students at all times.
Viva la raza! Que viva!
You like it?
Oh, really?
Oh, thank you! Here, let's put them on.
They're gonna bring you good luck tonight.
You'll see.
- Chicano! - Power!
You Moctesuma Esparza?
- Yes. - You're under arrest.
- No! - No!
No more violence! No!
Are you David Sanchez?
LAPD, you're under arrest.
Gentlemen, you are under arrest.
Hey, we got a right to be here, man.
Hey, you got a warrant? Get your hands off me.
Paula.
Please come with me.
Hey, what's wrong?
- What happened? - The police are arresting everybody.
Mocte, Risco, Armando, David--
- they're all in jail. - What about Robert?
I don't know.
They probably arrested Robert.
We have to go find Sal. He'll know what to do.
Mr. Castro!
- Sal, where is he? - He's downtown.
Such an idiot.
I will call my dad right now. He can take all of us.
- It's not fair. - This is just social injustice, man.
- We have to defend ourselves. - Listen listen! Stop!
We have to get them out of jail.
That's all we know. There's gonna be a bail hearing.
Someone's got a line on a Chicano lawyer.
Like there is such a thing.
Hey, man, these are serious charges, all right?
Wait a second, you just said that disrupting the school is a misdemeanor.
They didn't charge them with disrupting a school.
The charged them with the conspiracy to disrupt a school.
- A conspiracy to commit a misdemeanor? - Exactly.
Wait a minute, that doesn't sound so bad.
It's a felony, Bobby. Our friends are looking at serious time.
How much?
- 66 years. - What?
66 years for banging on school lockers?
That's a life sentence.
Hey, they'll never make that stick.
Yes, they can. Robert was with us the whole time.
- He'll tell them everything. - Paula, it's not your fault.
Papi?
I wanted to say that I was sorry.
For everything.
You said those who take chances vas a ver. Bang.
They get hit.
I didn't know what I was doing.
Mr. Castro, Mocte, the Brown Berets--
they were all arrested and thrown into jail.
You step in the ring...
...you get hit.
I should have listened to you.
Now you've disrespected your father,
and now you're just going to quit?
You won't give in to me...
but you're gonna give in to them?
I don't agree with what you were doing...
but they had no right to beat you kids that way.
Do you know why...
nobody wants to fight Latino boxers?
Because they don't quit.
Yeah.
They never give up.
Bobby? This is the plan.
You want me to go to college?
Mita, you, me and everybody,
we have to make a statement.
Okay, listen.
What do you think I should be, Pancha, huh?
How about an ornithologist, huh?
Maybe I'll teach Spanish.
Mexican-American? Nah.
Chicano, right?
What are you gonna be when you grow up, Bobby?
I don't know.
When I find out...
then I'm gonna be it.
Free the East L.A. 13! Free the East L.A. 13!
Move move, go go go! Get out of the way! Come on!
- Go on, move it! - Get out of my way!
Out of the way! Get out of the way!
Go go go go!
Officers, hold this line!
Please disperse and move down!
You must be on the sidewalk!
I repeat: Please disperse and move back!
Sir, please let me speak with them.
I know these people.
Make it quick.
Paula, please. Help me stop this.
Okay? Before anybody gets hurt.
They posted bail, they're gonna be out soon.
I wanted to tell you. I just didn't know how.
I was doing my job.
We trusted you.
Well, what did you accomplish with the walkouts?
Schools aren't gonna change. The dropout rate's not gonna change.
Nothing's gonna change.
Y-you might have ruined 13 people's lives.
Was it worth it?
Yeah.
It was worth it.
You know, the schools may not have changed, but we did.
Sal!
Thank you!
Sal!
- Thank you, Sal! - Thank you!
Thank you, Sal!
Yeah, Sal!
Sal, thank you!
- Chicano! - Power!
- Que viva la raza! - Que viva!
- Que viva Sal Castro! - Que viva!
- Chicano! - Power!
Chicano power!
What the walkouts did--
it focused the attention
now on the Chicanos in the city,
because these kids were serious.
A lot of us had the same sort of...
complaints about what was happening in our lives,
as far as our education, so we decided to take a survey.
That's when we started to gather that information
and started interacting with the school districts,
saying, "You're not meeting our needs,
and-- lookit, we want to go to college."
It was the political evolution of a group of young Chicanos
in East L.A. and asserting their rural identity
and then getting involved and realizing
that they system wouldn't change unless you became more direct action.
My decision to walk out was probably the lightest decision
in terms of what I would've liked to have done at that point,
with that kind of youth, energy and anger.
To see outright hostility, brutality...
it didn't match the thing that we were doing.
We didn't commit a crime, we were protesting.
The blowouts made us all realize
that collectively we had a strong voice
and it gave us a power that we didn't realize that we had before.
This was a time in which enough Chicano students
had gained mastery of the tools that were necessary
to shake up the system
and had taken the ideals of the country to heart.
And so, we protested for our rights.
As the bell rang for the kids to go to school,
into the classroom, out they went with their heads held high...
with dignity.
It was beautiful to be a Chicano that day.