San Juan Bautista-based El Teatro Campesino was named by Sen. John Laird as the 2025 Nonprofit of the Year for District 17.
“For over half a century, El Teatro Campesino has uplifted the voices of working people, celebrated Chicano culture, and inspired generations through the power of art and storytelling,” Laird said in a May 13 announcement. “From the picket lines to the main stage, I’m proud to recognize El Teatro Campesino as my Nonprofit of the Year for its enduring legacy and transformative impact.”
Founded in 1965 by Luis Valdez during the Delano Grape Strike in collaboration with Cesar Chavez’s United Farm Workers, El Teatro Campesino began with “actos”—short performances staged on flatbed trucks and in union halls to depict the struggles of farmworkers.
Over the decades, the company has earned numerous accolades including Obie Awards, multiple Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle Awards and a George Peabody Award for its PBS production “Corridos: Tales of Passion and Revolution,” says a press release from Laird’s office.
From Hollywood films like “La Bamba” to youth arts programs and community events in San Benito County, El Teatro Campesino continues to bridge the worlds of professional arts, education, and grassroots storytelling.
“It is an immense honor to be recognized as a 2025 Nonprofit of the Year,” said Luis Valdez, Founder and Artistic Director. “This recognition belongs to our incredible staff, board, volunteers, and community who continue to champion teatro chicano in California.”
Geoff Green, CEO of the California Association of Nonprofits (CalNonprofits), added, “We are grateful for the work of El Teatro Campesino and want to extend our congratulations for this well-deserved recognition. Nonprofits provide critical services, advocate for our most vulnerable neighbors and enrich the lives of all Californians.
“From the childcare program to the soccer team, from the art class to the health clinic, and from the community organizer to the animal shelter, nonprofits make our communities stronger.”
The program is sponsored by CalNonprofits in partnership with the state Senate and Assembly Select Committees on the Nonprofit Sector, Laird’s office said.
Each year, state legislators choose a nonprofit from their district to be honored at an annual awards luncheon at the Capitol in May.
