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Only full immigration reform can do justice to the memory of Cesar Chavez Only full immigration reform can do justice to the memory of Cesar Chavez
(6 months later)
Farm workers are marking this season around legendary United Farm Workers (UFW) leader Cesar Chavez's 31 March birthday and 23 April, the 20th anniversary of my father's passing, by pressing for immigration reform. Twenty years after his death, interest in him and his legacy continues to grow.Farm workers are marking this season around legendary United Farm Workers (UFW) leader Cesar Chavez's 31 March birthday and 23 April, the 20th anniversary of my father's passing, by pressing for immigration reform. Twenty years after his death, interest in him and his legacy continues to grow.
There have been countless celebrations and observances for my dad in communities across this country, where ten states celebrate his birthday as an official holiday. San Antonio, Texas is the latest big city to name a major downtown thoroughfare after him.There have been countless celebrations and observances for my dad in communities across this country, where ten states celebrate his birthday as an official holiday. San Antonio, Texas is the latest big city to name a major downtown thoroughfare after him.
President Obama recently visited our headquarters at the National Chavez Center in Keene, California, and in front of 7,000 people, dedicated part of the grounds as the Cesar E Chavez national monument. Premiering later this year in movie theaters across America is a major motion picture about Cesar Chavez by director/producer Diego Luna, and a feature-length documentary about my father will soon air on national public television.President Obama recently visited our headquarters at the National Chavez Center in Keene, California, and in front of 7,000 people, dedicated part of the grounds as the Cesar E Chavez national monument. Premiering later this year in movie theaters across America is a major motion picture about Cesar Chavez by director/producer Diego Luna, and a feature-length documentary about my father will soon air on national public television.
Yet, the greatest monument to Cesar Chavez is the determination to work for change that he inspired both in farm workers and in millions of good people from all walks of life who never worked on a farm.Yet, the greatest monument to Cesar Chavez is the determination to work for change that he inspired both in farm workers and in millions of good people from all walks of life who never worked on a farm.
Thousands of farm workers, most of them undocumented, took to the streets in rural communities from Washington state to California. They marched to remember Chvez, but also to carry on his work by pressing for immigration reform that will free so many from vulnerability to abuse. The largest contingent of farm workers ever to lobby lawmakers is traveling to Washington, DC during April, specifically to advocate for immigration reform.Thousands of farm workers, most of them undocumented, took to the streets in rural communities from Washington state to California. They marched to remember Chvez, but also to carry on his work by pressing for immigration reform that will free so many from vulnerability to abuse. The largest contingent of farm workers ever to lobby lawmakers is traveling to Washington, DC during April, specifically to advocate for immigration reform.
There is no more fitting way to honor my dad than for farm workers and other good Americans to push for comprehensive immigration reform that benefits all workers, from the agriculture industry, to the service sector, to the construction business.There is no more fitting way to honor my dad than for farm workers and other good Americans to push for comprehensive immigration reform that benefits all workers, from the agriculture industry, to the service sector, to the construction business.
Before he began organizing farm workers, Cesar Chavez won state old-age pensions for non-citizen immigrants. When he started organizing in 1962, visiting workers up and down the state, my father insisted that the union must represent everyone, regardless of race, ethnicity or immigration status. My dad helped work against the infamous bracero guest worker program that exploited both domestic and imported farm workers, and which Congress finally ended in 1964.Before he began organizing farm workers, Cesar Chavez won state old-age pensions for non-citizen immigrants. When he started organizing in 1962, visiting workers up and down the state, my father insisted that the union must represent everyone, regardless of race, ethnicity or immigration status. My dad helped work against the infamous bracero guest worker program that exploited both domestic and imported farm workers, and which Congress finally ended in 1964.
When the first table grape contracts were won in 1970, some demanded the UFW check the legal status of union members. My father refused, insisting that:When the first table grape contracts were won in 1970, some demanded the UFW check the legal status of union members. My father refused, insisting that:
"Our job is to help good, hardworking people no matter who they are.""Our job is to help good, hardworking people no matter who they are."
My dad ensured California's pioneering farm labor act – still the only law in the nation granting farm workers organizing rights – gave the right to vote in union elections and to be protected against threats for engaging in union activities to everyone, including the undocumented. Under Chavez's leadership, the UFW helped tens of thousands of undocumented farm workers over the years organize and negotiate union contracts that brought them decent pay, family health benefits, paid holidays and vacations, pensions, and protections from pesticides, discrimination and sexual harassment.My dad ensured California's pioneering farm labor act – still the only law in the nation granting farm workers organizing rights – gave the right to vote in union elections and to be protected against threats for engaging in union activities to everyone, including the undocumented. Under Chavez's leadership, the UFW helped tens of thousands of undocumented farm workers over the years organize and negotiate union contracts that brought them decent pay, family health benefits, paid holidays and vacations, pensions, and protections from pesticides, discrimination and sexual harassment.
The UFW became the first union in the nation to oppose the employer sanction, the federal law making it illegal for employers to hire undocumented workers, in 1973 – decades before most other unions and the national AFL-CIO acted similarly. In 1986, the UFW played a key role in fashioning provisions of the last federal immigration reform law, which saw 1 million workers become legal US residents. And with the great majority of farm workers undocumented today, the UFW continues negotiating and lobbying for the agricultural provisions of the comprehensive immigration reform bill.The UFW became the first union in the nation to oppose the employer sanction, the federal law making it illegal for employers to hire undocumented workers, in 1973 – decades before most other unions and the national AFL-CIO acted similarly. In 1986, the UFW played a key role in fashioning provisions of the last federal immigration reform law, which saw 1 million workers become legal US residents. And with the great majority of farm workers undocumented today, the UFW continues negotiating and lobbying for the agricultural provisions of the comprehensive immigration reform bill.
Long before the election results of 2012, Cesar Chavez predicted how Latinos would transform the social and political landscape of America in a landmark address to the Commonwealth Club in 1984:Long before the election results of 2012, Cesar Chavez predicted how Latinos would transform the social and political landscape of America in a landmark address to the Commonwealth Club in 1984:
"Tens of thousands of children and grandchildren of farm workers and the children and grandchildren of poor Hispanics are moving out of the fields and out of the barrios and into the professions and into business and into politics, and that movement cannot be reversed … That means our power and our influence will grow and not diminish …"Tens of thousands of children and grandchildren of farm workers and the children and grandchildren of poor Hispanics are moving out of the fields and out of the barrios and into the professions and into business and into politics, and that movement cannot be reversed … That means our power and our influence will grow and not diminish …
"Like the other immigrant groups, the day will come when we win the economic and political rewards, which are in keeping with our numbers in society.""Like the other immigrant groups, the day will come when we win the economic and political rewards, which are in keeping with our numbers in society."
Now is the time when our elected officials must heed my father's prophetic words from nearly three decades ago and finally act on genuine immigration reform. There would be no greater testament to his legacy.Now is the time when our elected officials must heed my father's prophetic words from nearly three decades ago and finally act on genuine immigration reform. There would be no greater testament to his legacy.
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