DELANO, CA – Thousands of farm workers, UFW supporters and community leaders will march and pray for immigration reform to celebrate Cesar E. Chavez’s legacy Sunday in Delano. Chavez’s March 31 birthday is celebrated as an official holiday in eight states. April 23 marks the anniversary of his death.
The UFW sponsored-Delano march is part of the union’s nationwide campaign ‘Con La Union de Campesinos Tendremos Papeles’ that calls for legislation that would allow farm workers to earn the legal right to permanently stay in this country by continuing to work in agriculture. That is the aim of the UFW’s landmark AgJobs bill negotiated by the union and the nation’s agricultural industry.
"President Obama spoke last month about how important it is to build a path to citizenship for immigrants who have put down roots in this country," notes UFW President Arturo Rodriguez, "and the farm worker movement that Cesar began is the root of the Latino political movement."
"Now we have a President whose own roots are like ours and whose campaign was rooted in Cesar’s Grito, "Si se puede! Yes we can!" Rodriguez says.
The campaign for immigration reform kicked off on March 22 when approximately 12,000 people demonstrated in the California cities of Greenfield, Salinas, Gonzales, Soledad, Chualar and Santa Rosa. Other marches were held in Washington, Oregon and Texas. An April 19 march is scheduled in Arizona.
Join the UFW and our Cesar Chavez march. Let’s show America that our work brings food to America.
WHEN: Sunday, April 5, meeting at 11 a.m.
WHERE: Marchers meet at the Cesar E. Chavez Park in Delano for a Catholic mass. A celebration with music and vendors will follow at the historic UFW "Forty Acres" compound west of town from 2- 6 p.m.
WHO: United Farm Workers – Open to the public
WHAT: March celebrating Cesar E. Chavez’s Legacy and Focusing on Immigration Reform