Alicia Escalante facts for kids

Alicia Escalante is a brave Chicana activist who worked hard during the Chicano Movement. This movement was a time when Mexican Americans fought for their rights. Alicia Escalante started and led the East Los Angeles Chicana Welfare Rights Organization from 1967 to 1978.

Early Life and Challenges

Alicia Escalante was born Alicia Lara in El Paso, Texas in 1933. She was one of seven children. Her family faced many difficulties when she was young.

When she was twelve, Alicia went to find her mother. They reunited in Boyle Heights, a part of East Los Angeles. Life was tough for the family, and they relied on some help from the government (called welfare) to get by. A kind doctor even helped her with hearing loss for free.

Fighting for Rights: Public Activities

In 1967, Alicia Escalante created the East Los Angeles Chicana Welfare Rights Organization. This group helped Spanish-speaking families, especially those needing government support. They made sure people knew their rights and helped them get the help they deserved.

Standing Up for Education

Alicia was very active in the community. In 1968, she was one of 35 people arrested during a "sit-in" at the Board of Education. They were protesting to get a teacher named Sal Castro back to his job.

Joining National Movements

She also took part in the 1968 Poor People's Campaign. She organized single mothers and their children to travel from Los Angeles to Washington D.C. to demand better conditions for poor families.

In 1969, she joined a protest at Saint Basil's Church during a midnight mass. She was arrested and spent 30 days in jail for her actions.

Expanding the Movement

From 1969 to 1970, a leader named Corky Gonzales encouraged Alicia to start a similar welfare rights group in Denver, Colorado. She worked with other groups like Crusade For Justice to help the Chicana community there.

She also participated in the Chicano Moratoriums in 1969 and 1970. These were large protests against the Vietnam War and for civil rights. In 1969, she was chosen by the Presbyterian Church to go on an all-women's World Hunger Tour.

Recognized for Her Work

In 1973, Alicia Escalante wrote an important essay called "A Letter from The Chicana Welfare Rights Organization." This letter was published in a journal called Encuentro Femenil. The journal's editor said it was a very important moment for their publication. She saw Alicia as a key figure in Chicana feminism, which focuses on the rights of Chicana women.

That same year, Alicia was honored in a mural at the University of Houston. The mural, called "The Chicano Mural," showed her alongside other important Chicano Movement leaders like Corky Gonzales and José Ángel Gutiérrez.

In 2009, the National Chicano Moratorium Committee recognized Alicia Escalante for all her hard work and dedication.