Atención Campesinos (Attention Farm Workers)

Atención Campesinos is a screen-printed poster created by José Montoya, a member of the Royal Chicano Air Force (RCAF), an artist collective established in Sacramento, California, during the Chicano Movement. The group used art and graphic design to advocate for Mexican American communities and address social inequalities. This poster promotes a community meeting involving César Chávez, a Mexican American labor leader and co-founder of the United Farm Workers, who fought for better wages, safer working conditions, and the rights of agricultural workers in the United States.

The poster uses bold typography, a limited color palette, and an illustration of Chávez to communicate its message clearly. The use of Spanish also makes the design more accessible to its intended audience while reinforcing its cultural identity. Through screen printing, artists like Montoya could reproduce and distribute their work more efficiently, allowing graphic design to reach communities beyond traditional commercial spaces. This demonstrates how accessible printing methods supported political activism, cultural expression, and community engagement.

The poster also demonstrates how Latino designers in the United States incorporated printing techniques while maintaining their cultural roots. By combining Spanish-language communication, Mexican American imagery, and political activism, Montoya created a visual message that reflected both his cultural heritage and the social realities of American society. His work shows how graphic design can serve as a tool for community organization, cultural representation, and social change.