Farm workers travel to D.C. to formally invite President Obama to the UFW’s 50th anniversary convention

 
Washington D.C. – California farm workers Mauricia Santivañez Calvillo and Carlos A. Bermudez Hernandez are leading a delegation of farm workers traveling to Washington D.C. on Wednesday to hand deliver a letter to President Obama inviting him to the United Farm Workers’ 19th Constitutional Convention that also marks the union’s 50th year anniversary.
 
Farm workers from California, Florida, the Pacific Northwest, Midwest and Northeast will deliver the letter during a celebration in honor of Cesar Chavez set for Wednesday, March 30, at the White House’s South Court Auditorium. The event, which will include Secretary of Labor Hilda L Solis, Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar and Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack, will feature the film “Common Man, Uncommon Vision: The Cesar Chavez Story,” narrated by Martin Sheen.
 
In 1962, the infant union’s first convention was held at a Fresno, Calif. movie theater. It was there that 200 farm worker delegates from rural cities and towns decided to name themselves the National Farm Workers Association. Since that humble beginning, the UFW has held biennial constitutional conventions, most recently has been celebrated every four years. The UFW convention will be held May 18-20, 2012 in Bakersfield, Calif. The theme is “Ganamos el Futuro” (We’ll Gain the Future).”
 
Santivañez Calvillo has been a grape picker and packer for Giumarra Vineyards for 16 years. Carlos A. Bermudez Hernandez, a UFW member, currently works for D’Arrigo Brothers Co.
 
WHO:     Farm workers and UFW members Mauricia Santivañez Calvillo and Carlos A. Bermudez Hernandez, UFW Vice President Diana Tellefson.
WHAT:  Inviting President Obama to attend the UFW convention marking the union’s 50th anniversary.
WHEN:   Wednesday, March 30, 2011. Event starts at 2:45 p.m. Eastern time
WHERE:  The White House, 1600 Pennsylvania Ave., N.W, Washington D.C.
 
 
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