?S?, Se Puede! / Yes, We Can!: Janitor Strike in L.A.

andiexcl;Sandiacute;, Se Puede! / Yes, We Can! is a bilingual fictional story set against the backdrop of the successful janitorsandrsquo; strike in Los Angeles in 2000. It tells about Carlitos, whose mother is a janitor. Every night, he sleeps while his mother cleans in one of the skyscrapers in downtown L.A. When she comes home, she waves Carlitos off to school before she goes to sleep. One night, his mamandaacute; explains that she canandrsquo;t make enough money to support him and his abuelita the way they need unless she makes more money as a janitor. She and the other janitors have decided to go on strike.

How will Carlitos support his mother? Carlitos wants to help but he cannot think of a way until his teacher, Miss Lopez, explains in class how her own grandfather had fought for better wages for farmworkers when he first came to the United States. He and the other children in his class join the marchers with a very special sign for his mom!

andiexcl;Sandiacute;, Se Puede! is a Jane Addams Peace Award Honor Book, a Skipping Stones Honor Book, as well as a selection for The Best of Beyond Difference, a recommended list of the top 10 diversity books published in 2002.

Diana Cohn, the author, is a social activist. As an elementary teacher, she discovered there were few books for children that discussed social issues, so she began to write as an avocation. She now works as Program Director for the Solidago Foundation, a foundation that supports communities working for economic and environmental justice. She lives on a houseboat in Sausalito, California.

Francisco Delgado, the illustrator, grew up in Juandaacute;rez, Chihuahua, but completed high school in El Paso, Texas. He will -receive his MFA at Yale in Painting, Drawing, and Printmaking in May 2002. Francisco is becoming known nationally for his political paintings that satirize U.S. icons blind to the mestizo and immigrant communities of Mexico. He lives in New Haven, Connecticut. Luis J. Rodriguez (Always Running) adds the afterword and a poem.

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Skipping Stones Honor Book, 2002
Honor Book, Jane Addams Peace Award, 2002Vermont Center for the Book Top Ten Diversity Book, 2002

When the janitors' union strikes for better wages, Carlitos discovers a way to help his mother in this powerful bilingual picture book.

Cuando el sindicato de conserjes organiza una huelga para exigir mejores salarios, Carlitos descubre una manera en que le puede ayudar a su madre en este poderoso libro ilustrado biling e.

Carlitos's mother is a janitor. Every night, he sleeps while his mother cleans one of the skyscrapers in downtown L.A. When she comes home, she waves Carlitos off to school before she goes to sleep. One night, his mam explains that she can't make enough money to support him and his abuelita the way they need unless she makes more money as a janitor. She and the other janitors have decided to go on strike. Will he support her and help her all he can?

Of course, Carlitos wants to help but he cannot think of a way until his teacher, Miss Lopez, explains in class how her own grandfather had fought for better wages for farmworkers when he first came to the United States. Finally, Carlitos knows how he can show his mam how proud he is of her. He and the other children in his class make posters and Carlitos joins the marchers with a very special sign for his mom

Backmatter includes an interview by Luis J. Rodriguez (Always Running), discussing the real Justice for Janitors strike in 2000 with a union organizer who participated, as well as a poem inspired by it.

La mam de Carlitos es conserje. Cada noche mientras l duerme su mam limpia un edificio en el centro de L.A. Una noche su mam le explica que al menos que gane m s como conserje, no va tener el dinero suficiente para mantenerlo a l y a su abuelita como ella quisiera. Ella y los otros conserjes han decidido entrar en huelga. Acaso l la apoyar y ayudar en todo lo que pueda? Claro, Carlitos quiere ayudar, pero no sabe c mo hasta que ve a su mam en la televisi n dando un discurso en favor de la huelga. Al final, Carlitos encuentra la manera de ense arle a su mam lo orgulloso que esta de ella. l y su compa eros de clase hacen carteles y Carlitos se une a la marcha con un cartel muy especial para su mam

S , se puede incluye un ensayo escrito por el aclamado autor Luis J. Rodr guez sobre Dolores S nchez, una de las mujeres involucradas en la verdadera Huelga de Conserjes de L.A. El libro tambi n incluye un poema de Rodr guez e informaci n sobre sindicatos.

Honor Book, Jane Addams Peace Award, 2002
Skipping Stones Honor Book, 2002

When the janitors' union strikes for better wages, Carlitos discovers a way to help his mother in this powerful bilingual picture book.

Cuando el sindicato de conserjes organiza una huelga para exigir mejores salarios, Carlitos descubre una manera en que le puede ayudar a su madre en este poderoso libro ilustrado biling e.

Carlitos's mother is a janitor. Every night, he sleeps while his mother cleans one of the skyscrapers in downtown L.A. When she comes home, she waves Carlitos off to school before she goes to sleep. One night, his mam explains that she can't make enough money to support him and his abuelita the way they need unless she makes more money as a janitor. She and the other janitors have decided to go on strike. Will he support her and help her all he can?

Of course, Carlitos wants to help but he cannot think of a way until his teacher, Miss Lopez, explains in class how her own grandfather had fought for better wages for farmworkers when he first came to the United States. Finally, Carlitos knows how he can show his mam how proud he is of her. He and the other children in his class make posters and Carlitos joins the marchers with a very special sign for his mom

Backmatter includes an interview by Luis J. Rodriguez (Always Running), discussing the real Justice for Janitors strike in 2000 with a union organizer who participated, as well as a poem inspired by it.

La mam de Carlitos es conserje. Cada noche mientras l duerme su mam limpia un edificio en el centro de L.A. Una noche su mam le explica que al menos que gane m s como conserje, no va tener el dinero suficiente para mantenerlo a l y a su abuelita como ella quisiera. Ella y los otros conserjes han decidido entrar en huelga. Acaso l la apoyar y ayudar en todo lo que pueda? Claro, Carlitos quiere ayudar, pero no sabe c mo hasta que ve a su mam en la televisi n dando un discurso en favor de la huelga. Al final, Carlitos encuentra la manera de ense arle a su mam lo orgulloso que esta de ella. l y su compa eros de clase hacen carteles y Carlitos se une a la marcha con un cartel muy especial para su mam

S , se puede incluye un ensayo escrito por el aclamado autor Luis J. Rodr guez sobre Dolores S nchez, una de las mujeres involucradas en la verdadera Huelga de Conserjes de L.A. El libro tambi n incluye un poema de Rodr guez e informaci n sobre sindicatos.

Jane Addams Children's Book Award Honor Book, American Library Association (ALA)
Skipping Stones Honor Award, Skipping Stones Magazine

When the janitors' union strikes for better wages, Carlitos discovers a way to help his mother in this powerful bilingual picture book.

Cuando el sindicato de conserjes organiza una huelga para exigir mejores salarios, Carlitos descubre una manera en que le puede ayudar a su madre en este poderoso libro ilustrado biling e.

Carlitos's mother is a janitor. Every night, he sleeps while his mother cleans one of the skyscrapers in downtown L.A. When she comes home, she waves Carlitos off to school before she goes to sleep. One night, his mam explains that she can't make enough money to support him and his abuelita the way they need unless she makes more money as a janitor. She and the other janitors have decided to go on strike. Will he support her and help her all he can?

Of course, Carlitos wants to help but he cannot think of a way until his teacher, Miss Lopez, explains in class how her own grandfather had fought for better wages for farmworkers when he first came to the United States. Finally, Carlitos knows how he can show his mam how proud he is of her. He and the other children in his class make posters and Carlitos joins the marchers with a very special sign for his mom

Backmatter includes an interview by Luis J. Rodriguez (Always Running), discussing the real Justice for Janitors strike in 2000 with a union organizer who participated, as well as a poem inspired by it.

La mam de Carlitos es conserje. Cada noche mientras l duerme su mam limpia un edificio en el centro de L.A. Una noche su mam le explica que al menos que gane m s como conserje, no va tener el dinero suficiente para mantenerlo a l y a su abuelita como ella quisiera. Ella y los otros conserjes han decidido entrar en huelga. Acaso l la apoyar y ayudar en todo lo que pueda? Claro, Carlitos quiere ayudar, pero no sabe c mo hasta que ve a su mam en la televisi n dando un discurso en favor de la huelga. Al final, Carlitos encuentra la manera de ense arle a su mam lo orgulloso que esta de ella. l y su compa eros de clase hacen carteles y Carlitos se une a la marcha con un cartel muy especial para su mam

S , se puede incluye un ensayo escrito por el aclamado autor Luis J. Rodr guez sobre Dolores S nchez, una de las mujeres involucradas en la verdadera Huelga de Conserjes de L.A. El libro tambi n incluye un poema de Rodr guez e informaci n sobre sindicatos.

When the janitors' union strikes for better wages, Carlitos discovers a way to help his mother in this powerful bilingual picture book.

Cuando el sindicato de conserjes organiza una huelga para exigir mejores salarios, Carlitos descubre una manera en que le puede ayudar a su madre en este poderoso libro ilustrado biling e.

Carlitos's mother is a janitor. Every night, he sleeps while his mother cleans one of the skyscrapers in downtown L.A. When she comes home, she waves Carlitos off to school before she goes to sleep. One night, his mam explains that she can't make enough money to support him and his abuelita the way they need unless she makes more money as a janitor. She and the other janitors have decided to go on strike. Will he support her and help her all he can?

Of course, Carlitos wants to help but he cannot think of a way until his teacher, Miss Lopez, explains in class how her own grandfather had fought for better wages for farmworkers when he first came to the United States. Finally, Carlitos knows how he can show his mam how proud he is of her. He and the other children in his class make posters and Carlitos joins the marchers with a very special sign for his mom

Backmatter includes an interview by Luis J. Rodriguez (Always Running), discussing the real "Justice for Janitors" strike in 2000 with a union organizer who participated, as well as a poem inspired by it.

La mam de Carlitos es conserje. Cada noche mientras l duerme su mam limpia un edificio en el centro de L.A. Una noche su mam le explica que al menos que gane m s como conserje, no va tener el dinero suficiente para mantenerlo a l y a su abuelita como ella quisiera. Ella y los otros conserjes han decidido entrar en huelga. Acaso l la apoyar y ayudar en todo lo que pueda? Claro, Carlitos quiere ayudar, pero no sabe c mo hasta que ve a su mam en la televisi n dando un discurso en favor de la huelga. Al final, Carlitos encuentra la manera de ense arle a su mam lo orgulloso que esta de ella. l y su compa eros de clase hacen carteles y Carlitos se une a la marcha con un cartel muy especial para su mam

S , se puede incluye un ensayo escrito por el aclamado autor Luis J. Rodr guez sobre Dolores S nchez, una de las mujeres involucradas en la verdadera Huelga de Conserjes de L.A. El libro tambi n incluye un poema de Rodr guez e informaci n sobre sindicatos.

Diana Cohnis an author and social activist. She lives on a houseboat in Sausalito, California.