Bill Chandler

Bill Chandler began with union organizing and community activism in the 1960s in Los Angeles. He participated in the 1965 grape boycott effort, organizing cross-border actions with Mexican and American workers to support the United Farm Workers in their efforts to improve conditions.

Beginning in 1989 in Mississippi, he organized the aggressive Mississippi Alliance of State Employees/Communications Workers of America. He helped start the successful effort by some 5,000 casino workers to organize into UNITE HERE in Mississippi. In November of 2000, Bill brought a group of immigrants, labor, civil rights, religious, social and human rights activists and organizations together to form MIRA. Over the last 12 years, MIRA has killed some 220 anti-immigrant bills.