Album: ...One Rifle per Family.
Up early like a slave in the summer
Sophomore in high school living with his mama
In Orosi a city 40 miles south of Fresno
Middle of some farm land but very much a ghetto
Not quite North yet, not quite South
Money tight in Orosi so they shooting it out
Southern gangs fighting Northern gangs middle of Orosi
Same people fighting same people in Orosi
Filipino farmers tend to farm with their brothers
Mexican and Central Americans in a huddle
Picking vegetables and fruits
Watering the roots while the babies killing each other over drugs and loots
And between time find a summer job on a farm
Miles hunched over, think McDonald’s is hard?
Up early like a slave, on his knees at 14
In the same tradition as his whole family in the middle of Orosi
Central California, hands buried in mud
Peace in Orosi, send the farmers my love
Screaming Peace in Visalia
Peace out in Fresno
Peace out in Bakersfield
Peace in Modesto
Peace out in Corcoran
Peace near Wasco
All of my manos out in the fields of Delano
Peace to Central Cali, peace to Central Cali
Peace to Central Cali, Central Cali
Before the farm workers united, the people united
The grape strikes for the Mexican farmers just seemed right
So they joined the Filipinos and a bond was born
When manong Philip Vera Cruz and uncle Larry Itliong
Took on the task needed to get the farmers even
Watching brown hands digging 'til their fingers bleeding
So they marched in march of '66 in Delano
One foot in front of the other until Sacramento
Just to get the wages they deserve
The treatment they deserve, the people get served
So whenever my family at the table
We put a coin down and thanks those who made it able
For my son to eat food, my girl to eat too
We always give praises to where praises is due
The farm workers over Jesus that sacrifice direct
Cuz that sacrifice is in every bite I ingest
For Orosi…
To all my brothers and sisters
My manos and manas workin the fields
This our history right here, California
All the youth that had the opportunity to build with from Orosi
I thank ya’ll for the experience, man
I hope uhh, I hope this little bit I do can put a spotlight on what ya’ll go through out in the farms
Central Cali
Yeah
Yeah
Give Thanks
Orosi, I’ll see ya’ll soon, man
Fresno, whaddup?
Modesto, whaddup?
Delano, whaddup?
Between LA to the Bay Area, man
The strike began when the Agricultural Workers Organizing Committee,
mostly Filipino farm workers in Delano, California, led by Philip Vera Cruz,
Larry Itliong, Benjamin Gines and Pete Velasco, walked off the farms of area
table-grape growers, demanding wages equal to the federal minimum wage