San Luis, Ariz. – Facing the Yuma Valley, a life-size bronze monument was dedicated Saturday afternoon in honor of the man who devoted much of his life fighting for the rights of migrants and farm workers.

On what would have been his 80th birthday, a large crowd of community residents watched as a bronze statue of Cesar Chavez was unveiled on the grounds of a cultural center that also bears his name.

In the statue’s right hand, which is raised above it’s head in victory, is a labor contract.

"While we are appreciative of the recognition, if you truly want to honor his legacy you should go out and be of service to your community," his son Paul Chavez told the crowd prior to the unveiling. "If you do that, it’s a legacy that is more vibrant than just a building or holiday."

The unveiling ceremony was the culmination of a day of festivities and ceremonies on Saturday honoring the famed civil rights leader and labor activist.

Chavez, who is still idolized by San Luis residents, founded the United Farm Workers Union, which formed protests against objectionable growers and farmers with fasts, boycotts and strikes.

Chavez was born on his father’s farm in the Gila Valley on March 31, 1927, and spent his youth in the Yuma County area before his family moved to California in 1938.

His life also ended in Yuma County. He passed away in San Luis on the night of April 23, 1993, when he was in the area attending to union business.

Congressman Raul Grijalva called the monument, in a city with a large agricultural base, a fitting gesture to Chavez’s legacy.

"Whether you agreed with him or not, he changed the political landscape of this country," Grijalva said. "He gave a voice to the most powerless workers."

The project to erect the monument began as a grassroots effort two years ago. Community members formed a broad-base coalition to raise money for the project and volunteers went door-to-door seeking contributions and held fundraisers to pay for it.

James Gilbert can be reached at jgilbert@yumasun.com or 539-6854.

EDITOR’S NOTE: Story revised. A story in Sunday’s edition of The Sun about the unveiling of a statue of famed labor leader Cesar Chavez incorrectly stated the direction it faces. The statue faces toward the Yuma Valley. The Sun regrets the error.