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La Virgen de Guadalupe andStruggles for Justice inChester CountyMembers of the KaolinWorkers Union at the KennettSquare MushroomFestival, 1994. Photos:Miguel Díaz-Barriga and theKaolin Workers’ UnionImages of LaVirgen deGuadalupe(Our Lady ofGuadalupe) areeverywhere inChester county—in Mexican restaurants,on T-shirts and bumperstickers, at the offices ofCatholic services, at alocal convent, on bannershanging from businessesand homes, and atpolitical protests. For theestimated 10,000 Mexicanswho have migratedto the region, mainly towork in the mushroomindustry, devotion to LaVirgen (Our Lady) signifiesboth their connectionto Mexico and hopes fortheir future in the UnitedStates. For manymigrants, including laboractivists, the meaningsto overcome marginalizationand demand justice.This was especially evidentin 1994 when agroup of workers carriedan image of La Virgen deGuadalupe in the mainparade of the AnnualMushroom Day Festival.The Festival, whichincludes a mushroomcook-off, a beautypageant, tours of mushroomfarms, and a streetfair, was organized bycivic leaders and mushroomgrowers to educatethe public about andpromote mushroom productionin the region.The Festival also servesto bring the communitytogether—local artists displaytheir work, highschool bands march inthe parade, and dinnersthough migrant laborplays such a large role inthe industry, festivalorganizers have notemphasized the role andpresence of workers.Until recently, the Festivalculminated with thecrowning of a mushroomqueen who was presentedalong with the winnerof the mushroom-pickingcontest. This contest wasthe major way that theMexican community participatedin the Festival.The group of abouttwenty-five workers andrepresentatives from theCommittee to SupportFarm Workers whomarched in the paradewith La Virgen sought toemphasize the role ofMexican workers inmushroom productionlabor movement. Theyear before, mushroomworkers had organized astrike and a union atKaolin Mushroom Farms.Kaolin management,however, challenged thelegality of the union elections.Aided by lawyersfrom Friends of Farmworkers,the KaolinWorkers’ Union (KWU)engaged in a legal battlethat went all the way tothe PennsylvaniaSupreme Court. After fiveyears of legal maneuvering,the Supreme Courtordered management tonegotiate with the KWU.In all of their marchesand protests, includingthe 1993 strike and amarch from Chestercounty to Harrisburg,members of the KWUcarried images of La Vir-by Miguel Díaz-Barriga and Luis Tlasecaers represented theirsearch for justice, reaffirmedthe dignity of theirculture, and expressedtheir devotion to La Virgen(Our Lady).La Virgen is the mostimportant symbol ofMexican and Mexican-American identity andculture. After the 1519 to1521 conquest of Mexicoby Cortés, indigenouspeoples were subjugatedand forced to practiceChristianity. La Virgen deGuadalupe’s appearanceto Juan Diego, a poorIndian peasant, onDecember 12, 1531, hascome to symbolize hopeand dignity for the poorand marginalized. Sherepresents the integrationof Aztec and Catholicbeliefs since the hillwhere She appeared,Tepeyac, was also thesite of worship to theAztec goddess Tonantzin.La Virgen’s appearanceas a brown Virgin Maryalso signified the emergenceof the mestizo raceand culture that resultedfrom the Conquest. Since1531, Mexicans and nowMexican Americans havecarried her image innumerous demonstrationsand protests-fromthe 1821 war of Mexicanindependence to the1910-1920 Mexican Revolution,from United Farmworker’sstrikesof the 1960s to protestsorganized by mushroomworkers in the 1990s.Luis Tlasecamigrated toSoutheasternPennsylvania inthe early 1980sand after yearsof working inthe mushroom industrybecame active in unionorganizing. Mr. Tlasecawas active in organizingthe Kaolin Worker’sUnion (KWU), and hetalks about the significanceof La Virgen deGuadalupe for Mexicanculture and activism:At present, Luis Tlasecaand members of theKWU are involved inlabor negotiations overOften, an image of La basic issues such as8associated with La Virgenalso inform their attemptsare held for civic leaders.For the most part, evenand demonstrate theirgrowing influence as agen de Guadalupe. Indoing so, Mexican work-“We march with La Virgento give the impres-Virgen is carried inmarches, and Mr. Tlaseca [Continued on p. 27➝]9sion—not only to givethe impression, but toshow—that we arebelievers. She is ourMother and by carryingHer we believe that Sheis going to help us, Herchildren, who are seekingjustice so that there ispeace. For this reason wealways carry the image ofLa Virgen de Guadalupe.For me, the most positiveand direct message isthat we are not alone,that we have a protectorwho is always with us.The message that we aresending is that we areprotected by Her andthat She will help us inseeking justice and peaceand in resolving ourproblems. At an organizationallevel She helpsto unite us. The presenceof La Virgen is a way ofdrawing people so thatthey will struggle fortheir rights.”explains, “The workersare the ones who decidethat we will carry La Virgen.We want to showthat even though we arein protest, She is still ourprotector. When theworkers have problems,such as accidents at oroutside of work, they livewith the hope and faiththat La Virgen will aidand guide them. Theproblem is that many donot understand themeaning of La Virgen forus… She is a part of ourculture, our beliefs, ourfaith. She is our Motherand we believe in Her.We believe that She isalways with us, and thather presence is a causeof happiness, a source ofstrength that makes usfeel whole again.