¡Si, Se Puede! / Yes, We Can!: Janitor Strike in L.A.

Against the neon pulse of downtown Los Angeles in 2000, young Carlitos watches skyscraper lights sparkle while his mamá polishes endless corridors, a night‑shift hero paid far less than dignity demands. When the janitors unite under the rallying cry “Sí, se puede,” Carlitos fears the rent‑tight reality squeezing his family and abuelita—until compassionate teacher Miss Lopez shares how her grandfather once battled for farmworker wages, igniting a spark of possibility. Classroom chatter morphs into bright poster paint, and soon Carlitos and his diverse classmates march beside purple‑shirted janitors, their homemade sign glowing like sunrise against corporate glass. Author‑activist Diana Cohn and artist Francisco Delgado weave urgent street beats, mariachi horns, and picket‑line chants into a narrative alive with Economic Justice and Immigrant Rights, reminding readers that children can swing hope like a hammer. Recognized as a Jane Addams Peace Award Honor Book, this tale carries instant classroom credibility, and poet Luis J. Rodriguez’s stirring afterword plants lyrical questions for reflection. Will Carlitos’s brave artwork help bend a city’s steel‑framed heart toward fairness, or will towering buildings muffle their songs of change? Feel the drum of collective footsteps and join the march.