Democratic lawmakers call for Cesar Chavez national holiday

By Jim Tharpe The Atlanta Journal-Constitution A group of Democratic state lawmakers is calling on the federal government to make the birthday of the late Cesar Chavez a national holiday.Chavez, born March 31, 1927, was a Mexican-American farmworker, labor leader and civil rights activist who, with Dolores Huerta, co-founded the National Farm Workers Association. That group later became the United Farm Workers.Chavez died in 1993 and is considered a major figure in the Hispanic history of the nation.State Sen. Nan Orrock (D-Atlanta) and Rep. Pedro Marin (D-Duluth) have introduced resolutions in both chambers of the Legislature calling on lawmakers to support the idea of a federal holiday for Chavez. Eight states already have holidays honoring Chavez, whose work led to numerous improvements for farm laborers.“We need to honor his life,” said state Sen. Vincent Fort (D-Atlanta). “Like Dr. [Martin Luther] King he was one of the towering figures of the last 60 years in this nation. And we are becoming a blacker and browner state and nation.”Jerry Gonzalez, executive director for the Georgia Association of Latino Elected Officials, said he thinks Chavez’s birthday could become a federal holiday within a decade. He pointed out that President Barack Obama endorsed the idea during his run for the White House.“It’s very important that we recognize the great American heroes we have had,” Gonzalez said. “We have recognized Dr. King with a holiday, and now it’s important that we honor his colleague who was doing great work at the same time."