Hamilton community commemorates Cesar Chavez through service, education
by Kate Moore ’12
MANAGING EDITOR
The “American Dream” could become a reality for many Hamilton students. Since childhood, society has emphasized that the path to success begins with a solid education, the will to work hard and the belief in one’s ability to achieve greatness. Cesar Chavez’s motto “si se puede,” or, “it can be done,” reflects similar values, but he sought to bring the American Dream within the grasp of those who may not have access to stepping stones such as a private college education.
For decades, Chavez fought for equal education, healthcare and benefits for farm workers. He organized the country’s first farm workers union, which was instrumental in passing the 1975 California Agricultural Labor Relations Act. Chavez helped Americans to look beyond their own personal bubbles and think about where their food actually came from.
In a similar attempt to inspire Hamilton students to think about the larger implications of Chavez’s legacy, several campus organizations joined forces to present Cesar Chavez Commemorative Week beginning on March 31, Chavez’s birthday.
When Consulting Director of the Cultural Education Center and Lecturer in Education Madeleine Lopez first arrived at Hamilton in 2008, she was surprised by the lack of student awareness regarding Chavez’s legacy and resolved to change this. In Spring 2009 she teamed up with several student organizations to host a one-day event introducing Chavez to the campus consciousness. Given the strong turnout, Lopez opted for a week-long event this year and introduced different elements. While the academic and educational component remains, theatrical performances and service excursions were also included.
“The really wonderful thing is [that] different groups were involved each day, so we really reached a large audience,” said Lopez.
The Diversity and Social Justice Project hosted a coffee hour on “The Future of Labor in the U.S.” According to Irma M. and Robert D. Morris Professor of Economics Derek Jones, unions are generally associated with good social justice outcomes because they close the ‘representation gap’ that exists between workers and employers.
However, Henry Platt Bristol Professor of International Affairs Alan Cafruny asserted, “organized labor in the United States is on life support today.” He said that many Americans are only just recognizing the serious economic disparities in our country, and that there is no countervailing ideology to support the underrepresented populations if unions are snuffed out. Lopez went on to argue that the protection of unions is a life or death decision in this country. She cited the case of 17-year-old Maria Isabel Vasquez Jimenez, who worked picking grapes in California until she died of heat stroke in the summer of 2009.
According to Lopez, 14 other heat-related deaths have occurred in California since then, with employers consistently being let off with community service and $1,000 fines. According to Lopez, Americans need to consider not only the status of unions in this country, but the status of the workers they serve to protect.
One way in which Cesar Chavez Week examined the plight of the underrepresented populations was to invite the filmmakers of New Children/New York to share their experience working with immigrant communities in the United States. Gisela Sanders Alcantara wanted to work with the children of Latino immigrant families in New York City by offering them opportunities to explore and preserve their heritage.
Alcantara partnered with the non-profit Make the Road by Walking to offer a youth film program, but quickly discovered that “[the youth] wanted to do films about anything but themselves, least of all their heritage.” Over the course of the next four years, Alcantara brought the students out of their shells and encouraged the production of films that included personal exploration as well as community education.
For her part, Alcantara produced a documentary about her experience, highlighting three students’ perspectives on their immigrant families. New Children/New York received critical praise along with comments from many viewers who felt that their attitude toward immigrants in America had changed since listening to the youths’ perspectives.
Two service events during Cesar Chavez Week encouraged members of the Hamilton community to consider the perspectives of others. A group of Hamilton students read the book Harvesting Hope to fourth-graders at Kernan Elementary School in Utica. In addition, a campus-wide service event sent Hamilton students and faculty to volunteer at local community gardens, food pantries and soup kitchens.
“I wanted to emphasize Chavez’s dedication to service; he was an agent for change,” said Lopez. “I felt it was important to bring Chavez’s legacy to a campus like Hamilton; it would be poignant and welcome on campus.”
“[Volunteering at Kernan Elementary] was a great way for me to learn more about Chavez’s life and then share his legacy with the students in a fun and interactive way,” said Hannah Roth ’11. “After reading the story, the students created symbols of their own to represent ways to improve their own communities. Chavez’s legacy is a message of hope for marginalized communities and it was empowering to watch these fourth-graders connect it to their own lives.”
Lopez feels that the commemorative week brought Chavez’s humanitarian vision to fruition on campus and in the surrounding community. After the “Mexican Night” party controversy in spring 2009, many students on campus advocated for education about Latinos in America in order to prevent such stereotyping in the future. Lopez believes that the events of last week were a step toward educating the campus in this way.
“The coming together of a diverse cross-section of Hamilton College–faculty, administrators, students and staff–across gender, racial and ethnic lines captures the potential of a truly diverse, intercultural vision for Hamilton’s future,” said Lopez.