Youth honor legacy of Cesar Chavez

Cesar Chavez and his contributions to the workers’ struggle were remembered and honored throughout California on the weekend of April 1. This year marked the thirteenth year since his death, yet even today his name is synonymous with the plight of farm workers.

San Diego, April 1. WW photo: Gloria Verdieu

Now, more than ever, the lessons of Chavez’s life illustrate the need to continue the struggle. Today immigrants have increasingly come under attack both by racist vigilantes and the government.

Los Angeles, April 1. WW photo: John Parker

In San Diego, the annual parade honoring the labor leader had a different feel from those in years past. As is the custom with parades in San Diego, leading the march was a contingent of police officers, but this year youth responded by chanting “La placa la migra la misma porqueria!” meaning “the police and the border patrol are the same dirty pigs.” Organizer Enri que De La Cruz of the California Coalition Against Poverty (CCAP) spoke to onlookers and paradegoers, explaining that the chant was in response to police violence experienced by local youth, who walked out of school last week in response to racist, anti-immigrant legislation. Members of CCAP, FIST—Fight Imperial ism, Stand Together—and other local groups took the opportunity to join the parade. Upon arriving at the rally point the groups took turns speaking, so as to disrupt the politicians on the stage and instead bring messages of truth to the people of the community.

In downtown Los Angeles about 1,000 students, the United Farm Workers, teachers and progressive organizations such as the South Central Farmers marched from historic Olvera Street to City Hall to honor Chavez and continue the sentiment of the pro-immigrant march held the previous week in Los Angeles. The International Action Center marched alongside the South Central Farmers, who were also highlighting their struggle against the city of Los Angeles’s attempt at evicting them from their 14-acre community farm.

In Costa Mesa in Orange County, where there is a first-in-the-nation plan to use local police to enforce federal immigration law, about 1,500 to 2,000 residents, students, union members and progressive organizations marched to protest that plan and honor Chavez.

Cesar Chavez and The United Farm Work ers made tremendous gains for workers, and today the struggle for wages and dignity continues. But as Chavez himself said, “We shall strike. We shall organize boycotts. We shall demonstrate and have political campaigns. We shall pursue the revolution we have proposed. We are sons and daughters of the farm workers’ revolution, a revolution of the poor seeking bread and justice.”

Cesar Chavez presenté!

John Parker contributed to this report.