United to Strike: A Story of the Delano Grape Workers
Things change Jasmine insists Things always change Things can stay the same too I remind her I guess Jasmine doesn't believe in the power of positive thinking I don't know if I do either but I do believe that words are powerful I like words There's just something about them the flow the music that makes me want to write them all down They're always whirling around like a crop duster airplane propeller waiting to be plucked out and put down on paper I even went to our library after school and looked up all the jobs you can do with just words No labor unless you count what's going on in your head and no moving around so much like Jasmine's family used to do before they got to Delano It turns out there are a lot of jobs that I could do with words My favorite is investigative reporter I like the sound of that Tala Mendoza investigative reporter It sounds official and important doesn't it If I was an investigative reporter I'd be taken seriously all the time People would talk to me instead of just smiling and saying Well aren't you the cutest thing ever have a
yema I like yema as well as the next person but I don't want to have one shoved at me anytime I try to do something serious Jasmine's brother Isko who I don't like because he's thirteen and thinks he knows everything about everything says if I write more maybe I'll talk less Is it my fault that I have all these words that need to come out Isko bought me and Jasmine each a diary for our birthdays He says it's to get us to stop chattering like magpies It makes sense that he'd give Jasmine a present because she's his sister But it's weird that he got me one too Before now I think the most Isko has ever given me is a punch in the arm Nanay is practically planning our wedding now She says Isko buying me a gift means something I'd rather marry the Creature from The Black Lagoon than Isko but I didn't tell Nanay that It would burst her bubble Let her plan if it makes her happy A happy Nanay is the best birthday present of all Jasmine has five older brothers and two younger sisters I have zero brothers and zero sisters but that's not because Nanay and Tatay didn't want a big family like the Perezes Nanay and Tatay always
wanted more kids but I'm their only treasure on earth Nanay said she needed an extra special name for their extra special girl She says she took one look at my face and named me Tala after the goddess of the morning and evening star Goddess Tala's love stretches all the way to the sun and moon and back Nanay's love for me did the same when she first saw me I don't mind being the only kid in my family It's not lonely at all Jasmine lives nearby and has enough brothers and sisters for everyone In our little apartment Lola lives with us and we have a lot of aunties and uncles coming and going depending on the season and which crop they're following There always seems to be someone looking for a job on the ranch or just passing through on their way to the next harvest Tatay says we're the landing place for wayward yesterday's word of the day family Sometimes I wonder where we would live if we didn't live in such an agricultural area Sure Delano is a nice enough place and great if you have a vineyard or want to work in one but it's not all that exciting Not that I'm dying for excitement or
anything but it would be nice if the town didn't feel so sleepy Sometimes I think it and me needs a good shake to wake up Last year my teacher gave us an assignment to categorize buildings in town Here's what I found churches 28 elementary schools 4 high schools 1 hospitals 1 newspapers 1 banks 4 movie theaters 2 doctors 8 dentists 4 eye doctors 4 bookstores 0 My least favorite part of this list is the zero bookstores An up and coming investigative reporter like me needs a bookstore or a public library Tatay can't always take me the thirty miles to Bakersfield to get books no matter how much I want him too Most families like Jasmine's live in town They rent a little house on the west side of town and drive to the ranch Three of her older brothers
