Mission:
We are a group of farmworker women who create economic development and promote leadership among women inour community. We share, coexist with other women, and learn new skills. We, the members of Mujeres Luchadoras Progresistas (MLP), strive to improve our living and working conditions. We recognize that women overcome exploitation and injustice when we organize and reclaim our rights. We believe there should be respect between workers. As a group of farmworker women, we will strengthen our pride, our dignity and advance our cause.
History:
Mujeres Luchadoras Progresistas (Women Striving for Progress) began as a project of PCUN (Oregon’s farmworker union) in 1992 and was incorporated as a non-profit in 2001 in order to foster the organization’s development and self-determination. In 1992, PCUN’s service center noticed a marked increase in women members who were reporting domestic violence, sexual harassment in the workplace, and other problems. There were no agencies or organizations in the community that addressed the root causes of women’s oppression: economic inequity and dependence. In order to address these issues at their source, and the system which perpetuates these conditions, farmworker women need support from their peers.
Since its creation MLP has worked to build a base of farmworker women to address these issues. While we address systematic and institutional sexism, we are careful not to approach the work in a way that would divide the family or isolate women from the very limited support or security they presently have.
Our goals:
- Develop stronger women’s leadership within the farmworker movement and larger community through plans created and carried out by farmworker women to address their needs and reality.
- Create a vehicle for mutual support among farmworker women.
- Develop an organized, collective response to home and workplace issues and conditions which discriminate against or oppress women
- Continue our radio program “Mujeres de la Comunidad” on 95.9FM Radio Movimiento: La Voz del Pueblo in order to share basic health information for women
- Create paths through which farmworker women can provide themselves greater economic independence
