Tenayuca led strikes and protests. She wanted Mexican American workers to have better working conditions and better pay in 1930s Texas. Tenayuca worked with many moderate unions such as the League of United Latin American Citizens or the International Ladies Garment Workers. But she believed those groups ignored many workers who needed help. She started her own organiation. This organization was a communist Texas group called the Workers Alliance of America. The group helped unemployed people. Tenayuca said that "Mexicans need to unite, not divide on the basis of citizenship, class or educational status." 