Dozens march in Flint to honor the late Cesar Chavez
By Melissa Burden | Flint Journal
March 27, 2010, 3:45PM
Lorenzo Rivera, president of the Labor Council for Latin American Advancement, carries a Cesar Chavez Day sign while walking in a march today in Flint to honor the late Cesar E. Chavez.
Marco Martinez, 20, smiles amidst a sea of flags during a march today in Flint to honor the late Cesar E. Chavez.FLINT, Michigan — With the red United Farm Workers flag featuring a black Aztec eagle on proud display and chants of “Si Se Puede,” dozens of people such as Juan Diaz of Flint came together today to honor the late Cesar Chavez.
They marched for about a quarter mile chanting the English equlivalent of “yes we can” under blue skies and a chilly wind on the roadway in Flint named in his honor 23 years ago.
Chavez, a union organizer and social activist known for winning rights for farm workers, would have turned 83 on Wednesday. He died in April 1993.
“Every step we take today will be a remembrance of the hard work that came before us,” the Rev. Angel Luis Garcia, pastor of the Latinoamericana Baptist Church in Burton, told the crowd as they set out for the fourth annual Cesar Chavez March. It’s presented by the Hispanic Latino Collaborative of Genesee County.
Diaz, 34, of Flint pushed his 8-month-old son Benjamin Diaz, bundled in his stroller under a red teddy bear blanket.
“It’s for support of the immigrants,” Diaz said of why he chose to march.
Chavez, whose parents were migrant laborers, formed the National Farm Workers Association and later United Farm Workers.
Some marchers carried banners and posters of Chavez, some proudly carried American and other flags, while others carried their young children along a portion of Chavez Drive. The walk started and ended at the University of Michigan-Flint University Center.
About 15 kids also rode in a wagon pulled by a little red tractor — which march committee chairman Art Reyes said was symbolic of Chavez’s work.
Many such as Garcia walked to remember all of what Chavez did for farm workers’ rights.
“It’s an inspiration to all the Hispanics,” Garcia said.
Philip Ramos, 40, and his wife Ileana Ramos, 31, walked for the first time, bringing their daughter Rose, 9 months along with them.
The Ramoses are in the process of moving to Flint from Chelsea. Philip Ramos is a pastor and is working on Hispanic outreach with the local Our Savior Lutheran Church.
“The march was meaningful for us,” Philip Ramos said. “We’re both of Hispanic origin and we enjoy seeing Hispanics being honored here in the U.S. for their contributions to this country.”
Flint was one of the first U.S. cities to honor Chavez by naming a street after him.
Ballet Folklorico Estudiantil, a group of local students who perform Mexican forklore dance, also performed before the march. Marchers met for a luncheon featuring food from Tia Helita’s Mexican Cuisine in Burton and a program that included a keynote address about the importance of the U.S. Census.
Ruth Person, U-M Flint chancellor who welcomed the marchers, also urged them to fill out their Census forms to ensure our community is accurately counted.
“It’s very important that everyone in Flint and everyone in Genesee County complete that form,” she said.
Politicians including Flint Mayor Dayne Walling, state Sen. John Gleason, D-Flushing; state Rep. Lee Gonzales, D-Flint Township; State Sen. Deb Cherry, D-Burton and Linden Mayor David Lossing also participated in the event.