Casa Grande Valley Newspapers, AZ: ‘Yes we can’ plan revisited

‘Yes we can’ plan revisited

Cesar Chavez’s grandson urges leadership, education, activism at dinner in Casa Grande

By DONOVAN KRAMER JR., Managing Editor

"Today your leadership starts. Don’t forget where you came from."
– Alejandro Chavez, Cesar Chavez’s grandson, speaking to scholarship recipients

Today’s youth should think now about being leaders, a grandson of labor and civil rights inspiration Cesar Chavez told scholarship recipients in Casa Grande Friday night.

Chavez was an advocate for education despite having to end his own to work in the fields after attending 57 schools through eighth grade. "But he was always reading," Alejandro Chavez said during the second annual Cesar E. Chavez Celebration Dinner at The Property Conference Center.

"Today your leadership starts," Chavez said. "Don’t forget where you came from."

He quoted his grandfather as saying, "It doesn’t take a perfect political system, it takes perfect participation."

His grandfather encouraged leadership but as a leader always was one of the people, dressing as he did every day even while meeting four presidents.

Born on a small farm near Yuma that his family later lost during the Great Depression, he accomplished much before dying in 1993 at age 66. A community activist in Phoenix, Alejandro Chavez had the audience recite his grandfather’s famous slogan, "Sí se puede, yes we can."

Monday will be the 81st anniversary of his birth.

Author Stella Pope Duarte, who grew up in south Phoenix, recalled demonstrating outside a church while Chavez was on a 25-day fast inside for workers’ rights.

"He used his body as a peaceful weapon for justice," she said.

"I see in you young people who we are."

The event was organized by the Cesar E. Chavez Memorial Committee of Pinal County. Scholarships were presented to 17 high school students and college freshmen with the help of sponsors and the dinner and auction. Leading in this effort were prestige sponsor Gila River Indian Community and platinum sponsor Arizona Public Service Co.

The recipients were: Simona Arenas, Harnish Ayora, Rebecca Barber, Jessica Bender, Brianna Blanco, Jordan Bohrn, Jessica Diaz, Renae DuBois, Danielle Galaviz, Anissa Galindo-Richard, Gabriel Gomez, Miguel Maldonado, Alexis Ramirez, Brian Kramer, Kimberly Sauceda, Veronica Sauceda and Andrea Varela.

Casa Grande City Councilman Ralph Varela was emcee. A children’s choir from Palo Verde and Mesquite schools under the direction of Jan Leary provided entertainment.