SENATE RESOLUTION
8641
By Senators Saldaña, Conway, Hasegawa, Kuderer, Torres, and Wagoner
1 WHEREAS, On October 25, 1913, Larry Itliong was born in San
2 Nicolas, Pangasinan, which was a territory of the United States at
3 that time; and
4 WHEREAS, At 15 years of age, Larry immigrated to the United
5 States and despite only receiving formal education up to the sixth
6 grade, taught himself about law and soon became involved in political
7 and labor organizing; and
8 WHEREAS, Larry became a farmworker and worked in canneries and
9 agricultural fields across the country, putting labor organizing
10 lessons into practice; and
11 WHEREAS, In 1965, Larry Itliong led the "Great Delano Grape
12 Strike" as a means to protest the working conditions of agricultural
13 workers, specifically highlighting their low wages and physically
14 detrimental working environment, a strike that set the stage for a
15 civil rights struggle and a movement to achieve justice for
16 farmworkers; and
17 WHEREAS, In 1966, Larry Itliong led the Agricultural Workers
18 Organizing Committee, which merged with the National Farm Workers
19 Association led by Cesar Chavez and Dolores Huerta, thereby creating
20 the United Farm Workers Union — a union that organized marches,
21 national consumer boycotts, and fasts, which attracted national
22 headlines, gained labor contracts with higher wages, and improved
23 working conditions for thousands of agricultural workers; and
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 1 WHEREAS, In 1970, Larry Itliong founded and became the
2 president of the Filipino American Political Association, the
3 first national political Filipino American organization in the
4 country; and
5 WHEREAS, Cesar Chavez, Dolores Huerta, Larry Itliong, and
6 the United Farm Workers continue to inspire farmworkers in
7 Washington state to organize and advocate for a more just world;
8 NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, That the Washington state
9 Senate recognize and celebrate the historical contributions of
10 individuals like Larry Itliong in our efforts to achieve a more
11 equitable, just, and fair labor and economic system; and
12 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the Washington state Senate
13 encourage the people of Washington state to celebrate the
14 countless social, political, economic, and cultural
15 contributions Filipino Americans have established in Washington
16 state and across the country.
17 I, Sarah Bannister, Secretary of the Senate,
18 do hereby certify that this is a true and
19 correct copy of Senate Resolution 8641,
20 adopted by the Senate
21 April 10, 2023
22 SARAH BANNISTER
23 Secretary of the Senate
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