The familiar red and black flags of the United Farm Workers union dominated the colors in the crowd which included the U.S., California and Mexican flags.

“I am here to help make it possible for people to become legal residents here in the U.S.,” said Susana Lopez, whose father works for the UFW, and whose mother is a farm worker.

Others had personal reasons to urge Congress to act.

“I joined this march because I want to be able to see my family. This march is important, because if I can get my papers, I can bring my mother here. I haven’t been able to leave the country to see my family for so long,” said Francisco Avila Torres, a “fresero,” or strawberry worker.

The UFW and immigration reform supporters want to see a path to citizenship created for undocumented farmworkers who’ve spent their lives toiling in U.S. crop fields.

They are using the marches and other public events to keep up the pressure on a divided Congress to act once and for all on reform proposals. The union also joins agricultural interests and other labor groups that support the AgJobs legislation to bring in guest workers during the harvest seasons.

The Salinas march on Sunday was one of seven planned from Yakima, Wash., to Bakersfield.

The marches were meant to commemorate the legacy of Cesar Chavez, civil rights leader and UFW founder whose birthday is March 31. Chavez’s birthday is a holiday celebrated in eight states, including California. He died 20 years ago.

The marches are part of the UFW’s national campaign "Con la Union de Campesinos Tendremos Papeles" (With the United Farm Workers We Will Have Papers). A series of events and marches are planned in other California cities, Oregon, Washington, and Washington, D.C. within the next few months.