Henry Dominguez said the theme, "Let the Eagle Fly," accentuates the United Farm Workers’ flag, adorned with an eagle designed like an inverted Aztec pyramid. The symbol has been co-opted by Norteños, a Northern California gang.

"The emphasis that César made, and the legacy that he left us, was his sacrifice by his commitment to nonviolence," Dominguez said.

The eagle, Dominguez said, is a sacred symbol for many cultures.

"If the gangs represent violence then that’s disrespectful, because [Chávez] stood for the opposite," Dominguez said.

Dominguez said he wants to be able to reach out to gang members through the symbol.

The rally will also spotlight the César E. Chávez Peace Plan, a document that maps out ways to promote peace, drawn up by Barrios Unidos in Santa Cruz.

Dominguez said he would like to get parents involved, because they are the best resource for keeping children out of gangs.

"They don’t come here to belong to gangs," Dominguez said. "Tonight, you go down to the flea market: these are not gangs. These are families and children."

Dominguez said he hopes to be able to educate people who don’t know about Chávez. He said "cultura es cura," or "culture is healing."

"How do you know where you’re going unless you know where you come from?" Dominguez said.

Naiche Dominguez, another organizer and Henry’s son, said reclaiming the eagle is a wish of the Chávez family.

"A lot of people right now are abusing that eagle, and we’re trying to teach the young children that the eagle represents unity," Naiche Dominguez said. "Kids don’t know what that eagle is."

Naiche Dominguez said similar marches in Sacramento, San Jose and Delano will carry the same theme.

The march and rally will feature Azteca dancers, folklórico dancers, piñatas, refreshments and guest speakers. The march begins at noon from City Hall, 520 J. St., and will head to Pacheco Park on the corner of Pacheco Boulevard and Seventh Street.

Chávez, a civil rights leader who fought for farmworkers, was known for his nonviolent protests, including a 25-day fast in 1968 and a 36-day fast 20 years later. His efforts led landowners to sign union contracts with farmworkers.

Henry Dominguez said Chávez’ later fast of 36 days brought attention to the pesticides that farmworkers came in contact with in the fields.

"He was speaking not only for Mexicans [and] Chicanos," Henry Dominguez said. "He was speaking for everybody that went out there and picked the crop, no matter if it was cantaloupe in the fields here in Los Banos or whatever."

    
Enterprise reporter Thaddeus Miller can be reached at 209-388-6562 or by e-mail at tmiller@losbanosenterprise.com.