Her own fight for female employees’ rights was a way of speaking out for others as did the late civil rights leader César Chávez, Darlene Jespersen said Wednesday night at a Reno celebration for Chávez.

"It was an issue of sex stereotyping," Jespersen, who lives in Sun Valley and now greets customers at Sam’s Club in Reno, told the audience of about 130 people. "Sometimes, it just takes one person to stand up and say something is wrong."

In a 7-4 decision in 2006, the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals said Jespersen failed to show that the makeup requirement posed "an unequal burden on women" because she did not present evidence detailing the actual costs and because the grooming rules also applied to men.

Some members of the Chávez family attended the Reno event.

Last year, Assemblyman Ruben Kihuen, D-Las Vegas, got Assembly Bill 301 passed and signed into law by Gov. Jim Gibbons, designating March 31 as César Chávez Day in Nevada.

Kihuen and Assemblyman Moises Denis, D-Las Vegas, inaugurated a new Southern Nevada event in their city.

Chávez, who died in 1993, visited Reno in 1986 to speak to union members.

This year’s Reno event inaugurated the César Chávez Silver State Public Service Awards, which included Jespersen’s honor.

Entertainment was provided by Mariachi Bossanova.