Celebrating the life of César E. Chávez
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Ever since I learned about César Estrada Chávez and his legacy, I cannot enjoy the sweet juiciness of grapes without thinking about the farmer whose weary fingers sheared grapevines, the unforgiving heat of summer, and the drops of sweat and tears that leave permanent imprints in our past and shape our tomorrows. According to United Farm Workers of America and the César Estrada Chávez Foundation, Chávez is "one of the heroic figures of our time," as told by Sen. Robert F. Kennedy. Born near Yuma, Ariz., on March 1, 1927, Chávez completed eighth grade, then quit school to work full-time in the vineyards and support his family.
Faced with inadequate wages and deplorable working conditions, Chávez participated in his first strike. In 1962, Chávez formed his own organization called the National Farm Workers Association, later called United Farm Workers. In 1965, Chávez and the NFWA led a strike of California grape-pickers to demand higher wages and encourage all Americans to boycott table grapes. The strike lasted five years, prompting a U.S. Senate subcommittee to examine the situation. Its findings resulted in Sen. Kennedy’s support of Chávez’s efforts and the first major labor victory for U.S. farm workers. For more than three decades, Chávez created a sense of pride and respect for farm workers through fair salaries, medical coverage, satisfactory living conditions and many other rights. In 1968, Chávez began a fast to advocate for the poor and the disenfranchised and to increase public awareness of issues related to underprivileged populations. The fast lasted 25 days. He repeated the fast in 1972 for 24 days and again in 1988, this time for 36 days. On April 23, 1993, Chavez died in his sleep. Chávez is known for many heroic roles: laborer, leader, spiritual figure, nonviolent social change agent and compassionate humanitarian. His motto in life, "¡Sí se puede!" – "Yes, we can! It can be done!" symbolizes the priceless legacy he left for our communities to flourish. When our history books teach us about leaders such as Rosa Parks, Martin Luther King Jr. and César Estrada Chávez, we can feel proud about the strides our country has made toward equality. However, we cannot allow the torch of social change to die with these icons. Each of us plays a role in learning about social justice and raising awareness about creating positive change in our community. As a member of the César E. Chávez Day Celebration planning committee, I hope you join us for educational and fun events scheduled today through April 1. The series kicks off with free food and entertainment. Keynote speaker Luis Leon, Ph.D., will speak from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Thursday at Colorado State University’s Lory Student Center. Other highlights include poetry reading, CSU Latino Greek Council speakers, stories from migrant farm workers, performances from Houses on the Moon Theatre Company and a clothing drive to collect clothes for migrant workers (donations accepted at aforesaid events). All events are free and open to everyone, and free parking is available at CSU after 4 p.m. in A, Z and LSC meter lots. For more information, please visit www.fc-cesarchavez.org. The struggle for equality continues; and while we can thank Chávez for establishing a strong foundation for change, we each have a responsibility to follow through with his vision. Christina Paguyo is a member of the César E. Chávez planning community. |
