SAN DIEGO — A civic institution after only four years, the Las Mañanitas Breakfast to honor Cesar Chavez and raise money for the student service clubs named for the late farmworkers leader drew a crowd of 800 educators, dignitaries and activists Thursday.

Held at the Jacobs Center and hosted by the Cesar Chavez Service Clubs, the event recognized student Chavistas and four San Diegans whose work reflects his legacy.

“The four honorees embody our club’s mission of inspiring young people to believe in themselves and to know they can make a difference,” said Carlos LeGerrette, Cesar Chavez Service Clubs director.

The club honored four San Diegans who have worked for change in their various professions. A documentary-style video that was shown at the breakfast featured student club members interviewing the honorees — who at times questioned the children. The revealing conversations were funny, moving and inspirational.

Many in the audience were moved to tears.

In one segment, a boy sits on a couch in a sunny living room talking to the eloquent Leon Williams, San Diego’s first African-American city councilmember and San Diego County’s first and only African-American county supervisor.

Williams got choked up recalling the injustices — and some justices — he has witnessed in his lifetime. Poised and candid, the boy revealed his broken family’s struggles, relationship with a social worker and how sticking to his club’s values — especially the ones that promote creativity and nonviolence — have helped him reverse his once-troubled behavior.

“It’s important that the young people in our community recognize the contributions the honorees have made to our society and the positive manner in which they have led others,” said LeGerrette, who with his wife, Linda, worked closely with Chavez during the movement to unionize farmworkers and improve working conditions.

The other San Diegans honored and interviewed by children in the video were:

• Lucy Killea: former state senator and San Diego city councilmember.

• Armando Rodriguez: first Hispanic to hold an administrative position with San Diego Unified School District (vice principal of Gompers Jr. High), first Latino Commissioner of Education in California, and former commissioner of U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.

• Gracia Molina de Pick: longtime advocate for feminist, Chicana and human rights. Education and literacy philanthropist.

There are 24 Cesar Chavez Service Clubs in San Diego’s schools and membership has grown 25 percent in the past year to more than 600 students. The clubs promote leadership and community service opportunities.

San Diego Mayor Bob Filner at the breakfast encouraged the young activists to “know you have power and to use it.”

Chavez died 20 years ago next month. Cesar Chavez Day is celebrated this Sunday, on his birthday. He fought to develop the United Farm Workers union and called attention to the plight of farmworkers, who toiled in the fields for decades without proper sanitation, living wages or rights.

maureen.magee@utsandiego.com