Dr. Ernesto Galarza
Dr. Ernesto Galarza was one of the most significant labor organizer, diplomat, social activist, labor organizer, educator and author of the Twentieth Century. If he were alive today, he would almost certainly be in solidarity with immigrant advocacy organizations to advance the democratization of immigrant rights, establish equitable pathways to citizenship, promote humane enforcement policies, reform the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency, and revitalize the asylum process. He would also dedicate substantial effort to cultivating a robust labor dimension within the broader struggle for immigrant rights. Galarza’s intellectual and political commitments went beyond immediate policy issues, leading him to examine the deeper structural forces that shape migration patterns.
Throughout his life, Ernesto Galarza confronted and analyzed some of the most momentous social transformations of the twentieth century. Inspired by his youthful experience as a farm laborer in Sacramento, he dedicated his life to the struggle for justice for farm workers and urban working class Latinos, and helped build the first mixed-race farm workers’ union, laying the foundation for the United Farm Workers Union. While Galarza was deeply committed to the Chicano movement, he remained a complex figure within it, at times offering sharp critiques of its nationalist and ethnic-driven politics in favor of a more class-based, universalist approach to labor and civil rights. Beyond the fields, he worked to change existing educational philosophies and curricula in schools, and his civil rights legacy includes the founding of the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund (MALDEF) and the National Council of La Raza (NCLR). In 1979, Galarza achieved a historic milestone by becoming the first U.S. Latino to receive a Nobel Prize in Literature nomination, a recognition of his significant contributions through works including Strangers in Our Fields, Merchants of Labor, Barrio Boy, and Tragedy at Chualar. Galarza distinguished himself from Cesar Chavez through his exceptional blend of social science
After decades spent organizing labor, Galarza shifted his attention in the late 1960s to the challenges facing Mexican Americans in urban areas. Working alongside Julian Samora and
Herman Gallegos, he played a key role in founding the Southwest Council of La Raza (now known as UnidosUS). The Council successfully obtained financial backing from foundations such as the Ford Foundation for the Mexican American urban initiatives.
Galarza led the DiGiorgio Strike in 1947.
Although Galarza initially gained prominence through his labor activism, his later work—publishing Spanish language mini-books—addressed a pressing need within the school system: the lack of engaging, culturally relevant materials for Spanish-speaking children. Galarza believed that teaching children to read in their native language was the “cornerstone” of their academic success and a crucial step toward transitioning to English. Throughout his career, his wife, Mae Taylor Galarza, served as an indispensable collaborator and played a major role in the Studio Lab project.
Today, Galarza would adopt an approach rare among immigrant rights activists: he would highlight how U.S. imperialist interventions in Mexico and Central America destabilized local economies, undermined livelihoods, and generated widespread insecurity—factors that ultimately compelled individuals to migrate northward in search of stability and opportunity. By foregrounding these broader geopolitical and economic dynamics, Galarza emphasized the importance of addressing root causes in addition to advocating for immigrant rights within the United States. This dual focus situates immigrant advocacy within a larger historical and political context, underscoring the interconnectedness of international policy and migration.
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Copyright 2026 by Dr. Rodolfo Torres. Torres is a visiting scholar at the Institute for the Study of Societal Issues at the University of California, Berkeley”. The photos of Ernesto Galarza are used under the “fair use” proviso of the copyright law.