About Alina Zárate Books
Alina Zàrate is a PhD student in the Energy and Resources Group at UC Berkeley and longtime farmworker justice advocate. She began working for the UFW in 2018 and has dedicated her graduate studies to investigating the relationship between climate change and farm labor.Edward Dennis is an illustrator, an art teacher, and a social media marketing maven with expertise working with many businesses, hotels, and restaurants improving their individualized market outreach. Additionally, Edward has multiple books in the process of being completed, including the story of the immigrant chef, Cristina Martinez, from the Netflix special Chef's Table. Edward Dennis has illustrated multiple books in the past, including a collection of children's books called My First BMX Race, and a children's book about ocean care called A Mermaid's Message. Additionally, Edward has created artistic work for big names such as Madonna and Erick Cedano.Arturo S. Rodriguez served as president of the United Farm Workers of America (UFW) for 25 years, continuing the legacy of Cesar Chavez During his tenure, he expanded union membership through aggressive organizing and negotiating campaigns, securing contracts with major agricultural employers across the U.S. Rodriguez led the UFW in advocating for landmark immigration reform and workers' rights legislation, including key provisions in the 2013 U.S. Senate immigration bill and President Obama's 2014 executive order. He worked to make it easier for farm workers to organize, negotiate fair contracts, and gain protections such as health care, retirement security, safeguards from toxic pesticides, and relief from extreme heat exposure. He also co-founded the Equitable Food Initiative to expand worker protections beyond traditional union efforts.Rodriguez's commitment to the farm worker movement began in 1966 in his hometown of San Antonio, Texas, when he was introduced to Chavez through his parish priest. As a student activist, he supported the UFW grape boycott first at St. Mary's University and later at the University of Michigan where he earned a master's degree in social work. He began working full-time with the UFW in 1973 and spent two decades under Chavez's mentorship. With over 40 years of experience, Rodriguez became a key figure in labor advocacy, using a combination of grassroots organizing, legislative action, and coalition-building to improve conditions for farm workers in the U.S. and abroad.
