WASHINGTON — In honor of César Chávez Day, the White House on Thursday honored 10 leaders who, like Chávez, have dedicated themselves to improving the lives of others throughout their community.

Among the César Chávez Champions of Change honorees was Rose Garcia, executive director of Tierra del Sol Housing Corp., which has offices in Las Cruces and Anthony, N.M.

The leaders were recognized in a White House ceremony.

A nonprofit, Tierra del Sol is a regional affordable housing and community development organization.

Garcia has worked for more 30 years to improve the quality of life for the rural poor, minorities, farmworkers and the elderly individuals in small towns and rural areas along the United States-Mexico border, according to a White House news release.

She works closely with partners in both the public and private sectors to deliver services and meet the needs of people of New Mexico and the Southwest.

During Garcia’s 28 years of leadership, Tierra del Sol has grown from providing single family housing in rural areas under a mutual self-help program, to a multi-faceted organization that has become a leading housing and community development organization in the southwestern United States.

César Chávez Day, which this year marks what would have been his 85th birthday, will be celebrated Saturday across the United States.

Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar and actress America Ferrera, who will be playing Helen F. Chavez in the upcoming biopic "Chavez", participated in Thursday’s ceremony.