Nearly 20,000 farm workers and UFW supporters will march and rally during April for immigration reform in California and Arizona to honor Cesar E. Chavez between the United Farm Workers founder’s birthday and the 16th anniversary of his passing. Chavez’s March 31 birthday is celebrated as an official holiday in eight states.
April 23 marks the anniversary of his death.
The series of marches and events, sponsored by the UFW, 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. The union’s nationwide ‘Con La Union de Campesinos Tendremos Papeles’ campaign 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 in March 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.
AgJobs is the most broadly backed bipartisan immigration reform measure before Congress. Advocates of genuine immigration reform hope it is possible to pass legislation embracing "earned legalization" with Democratic control of Congress and President Obama’s support.
"Farm workers are marching to make Cesar’s gritoSi Se Puede! (Yes we can!) a reality," Rodriguez says.
April events and marches:
Sunday, April 5 at 11 a.m. in Delano, Calif. Thousands of marchers meet at the Cesar E. Chavez Park in Delano for a Catholic mass and then march to the historic UFW "Forty Acres" compound west of town.
Friday, April 17 at 5:30 p.m. in Salinas, Calif. Hundreds meet with U.S. Congressman Luis Gutierrez at St. Mary of the Nativity Parish in Salinas.
Sunday, April 19 at 12 noon in Oxnard, Calif.
Sunday, April 19 at 2 p.m. in Phoenix, Arizona. Thousands of marchers meet at the State Capitol (17th Ave. & Washington)