Brother of César Chávez to be rally’s keynote speaker
ARIZONA DAILY STAR
Richard Chávez, the brother of César Chávez — the late civil- rights leader and founder of the United Farm Workers union, will be the keynote speaker at a Saturday rally.
The ninth annual César E. Chávez March will start at 9 a.m. at Pueblo Magnet High School, 3500 S.
12th Ave., and end at Rudy García Park at South Sixth Avenue and East Irvington Road.
Richard Chávez will be accompanied by several leaders of unions who will speak at the park, said Rubén Reyes, a member of the Arizona César E. Chávez Holiday Coalition.
On Friday, Richard Chávez will address students at the University of Arizona, Pima Community College’s Downtown and Desert Vista campuses, Sunnyside High School, Tucson High Magnet School and Luz Academy of Tucson, Reyes said.
About 30 members of the coalition also are set to give talks about César Chávez to students at public schools and charter schools in Pima County.
At 7 that evening, Richard Chávez will attend a fundraiser at The Screening Room, 127 E. Congress St., that the coalition is hosting for the family of the late Consuelo Aguilar.
Aguilar was an organizer of the yearly march. She died from cancer last month at age 26, and the fundraiser is to help the Aguilar family pay their daughter’s medical bills.
Aguilar, who had plans to go to law school, earned a master’s degree in Mexican-American Studies from the University of Arizona in 2006.
She was inspired by César Chávez, who was born March 31, 1927, on a farm near Yuma and became an advocate for social justice.
César’s family lived near Yuma since his grandfather immigrated from Mexico. César’s parents owned a farm that they lost during the Great Depression when César was 10 years old.
The family worked as migrant farmworkers, traveling to different agricultural towns in Arizona and California to harvest crops. After serving in the Navy during World War II, César returned to working in the fields and later became active in voter-registration drives and seeking labor rights for farmworkers.
He was committed to righting wrongs through peaceful demonstrations, and brought international attention to the plight of farm workers after he went up against wealthy California growers during the 1960s, and led union organizing and boycotts of grapes and lettuce.
He died in his sleep in San Luis on April 23, 1993, after ending a nearly weeklong fast. He was 66. A year later, he was posthumously awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation’s highest civilian award for exceptional meritorious service.
march and rally
What: Ninth annual César E. Chávez March
When: Saturday at 9 a.m.
Where: Meet at Pueblo High Magnet School, 3500 S. 12th Ave., and march east on 44th Street, south on Sixth Avenue to Rudy García Park at the corner of South Sixth Avenue and East Irvington Road.
Information: 940-7752 or www.azcesarchavezcoalition.com
Contact Carmen Duarte at 573-4104 or cduarte@azstarnet.com.