Tag Archives: cesar chavez

Grandson of Cesar Chavez to give keynote at GVSU

3-bottom, , , , , ,
Andrés Chavéz

By Leah Twilley

Grand Valley State University

 

A presentation by Andrés Chavéz, grandson of labor leader and civil rights activist César E. Chávez, will kick off Grand Valley State University’s annual César Chávez Celebration.

 

His presentation, “Latinos Millennials to be the Voice of Change,” will take place March 24 at 11 a.m. in the Grand River Room, Kirkhof Center. A meet and greet reception will follow.

 

Andrés was raised during the farm worker movement, which was founded by his grandfather. He has participated in social justice activities and demonstrations, including ones for immigration reform. He is currently attending California State University, Bakersfield, where he is majoring in public policy and administration.

 

Additional events, which are free and open to the public, are highlighted below. For more information, visit www.gvsu.edu/oma.

 

• LSAU Dinner and Dance, “Feria De Las Flores,” March 24, 8 p.m., Grand River Room, Kirkhof Center: The Latino Student Union will host a night of free food and open dance.

• “Contemporary Mexican Cinema: Romantic Comedies, Democracy, Border Crossing and Crisis of National Identities,” March 30, 4-5 p.m., room 2215, Kirkhof Center. Ignacio Sánchez Prado, professor of Spanish, Latin American Studies and Film and Media Studies at Washington University, will give a presentation on Mexican cinema.

• Grand Rapids Latin American Film Festival, March 31-April 2, Wealthy Street Theatre, Grand Rapids: Films are free to attend and will be presented with English subtitles. Visit www.grlaff.org for more information.

 

March 31 is César Chávez Day, the federal holiday that celebrates the legacy of Chavez, who co-founded the National Farm Workers Association in 1962.

 

The celebration is organized by Grand Valley’s Office of Multicultural Affairs and WGVU Public Media, with support from numerous campus departments.

Annual march honors legacy of Chavez

3-bottom, City of Wyoming, , , , ,
Committee to Honor César E. Chávez Chairperson Lupe Ramos-Montigny

By Michele Coffill

Grand Valley State University

 

Leaders from Grand Valley State University will join hundreds of college and K-12 students, community leaders and advocates at the 17th Annual César E. Chávez Social Justice March on Thursday, March 16.

 

• Details: The march will begin at 11 a.m. at the Cook Center Library, 1100 Grandville Ave. SW.

 

The march will cover the length of César E. Chávez Boulevard, celebrating the work and legacy of Chávez, and end with a community gathering at 11:30 a.m. at Potter’s House Church, 811 Chicago Dr., SW.

 

Grand marshals are President Juan R. Olivarez, Aquinas College, and President Steven C. Ender, Grand Rapids Community College.

 

Lupe Ramos-Montigny, committee chair, said the program is dedicated to “A Day Without Immigrants.”

 

Proceeds from a luncheon later in the afternoon will benefit a scholarship at Grand Valley that honors Ramos-Montigny.

 

Details are posted on Facebook, search for the Committee to Honor César E. Chávez.

Community fills local church for annual Cesar Chavez March and Community Gathering

3-bottom, Local Faces, Our Cities, WKTV Projects, , , ,

By Joanne Bailey-Boorsma

joanne@wktv.org

 

Pastor Troy “PE” Evans probably best described the Cesar E. Chavez Social Justice March and Community Gathering the best.

 

“I was about to apologize about there not being enough room, but this is pretty sweet,” said Evans from the podium at the Edge Urban Fellowship where he serves as pastor and where the community gathering took place.

 

The event – in honor of civil rights leader César E. Chávez – started with the march from Potters House School on the corner of Van Rattle and Granville Avenue, known as César Chávez Boulevard. The parade, which was lead by Mayor Grand Rapids Rosalynn Bliss and Committee to Honor César Chávez Chairperson Lupe Ramos-Montigny, ended at Edge Urban Fellowship, located at 735 Ritzema SW, right next to the César Chávez Elementary.

 

The little over an hour-long program – will be broadcasted on WXTV (channel 25 on Comcast, channel 26 on AT&T, and channel 99 on U-verse) – started about 15 minutes late as organizers worked to seat attendees with the audience spilling into the foyer and balcony area.

 

The annual event is organized by The Committee to Honor César E. Chávez in partnership with the César E. Chávez Unity Committee, a community and collegiate collaborative that includes Ferris State University, Aquinas College, Central Michigan University, Davenport University, Grand Rapids Community College, Grand Rapids Public Museum, Grand Rapids Public Schools and Grand Valley State University.

 

The legendary Latino leader, who died in 1993, co-founded the United Farm Workers Union. The event, which falls on his birthday every year, is designed to commemorate the vision of Chávez “to engage all, particularly youth, to carry on his values and timeless vision for a better world.” During his life, Chávez made several visits to Grand Rapids in support of improving working conditions for migrant workers who worked in the fields.

 

“I can hardly speak,” said Ramos-Montigny as she spoke to those who had crowded into the church. “And I know, coming from me, it’s hard to believe,” gathering a chuckle from those in attendance.

 

“I am truly moved by the students,” Ramos-Montigny said, adding that she has made it her life’s work to educate the students about Chávez, his life, his work and the importance of all people coming together for a common goal.

 

This year’s event was in, in fact, dedicated to education. “Education is the pathway to social justice,” said Ramos-Montigny, who had the audience repeat it several times. As part of the education focus, this year’s honoree was Kathleen N. Straus, who served on the State Board of Education from 1992 – 2016. She served six terms as president of the board along with filling various other positions. Straus was presented a portrait of her by Grand Rapids artist Erick Picardo.

 

Ramos-Montigny noted that this year’s brought together Straus, who was ending her education career with students who were just starting there. On hand at Thursday’s program were students from a number of local colleges and universities, including Ferris State University and Grand Valley State University. Also, students from Northview High School’s Varsity Voices performed as well as students from the César Chávez  Elementary School, who performed the closing song, the traditional folk-song and considered to be the anthem for the United Farm Workers Union, which Chávez helped found, “De Colores.”

 

“So you will see me with my peacock tail  with my feathers all ruffled as I am very proud of what we the committee has done every year for all the students,” Ramos-Montigny said.

 

WKTV will be broadcasting the César E. Chávez Social Justice March and Community Gathering. Check the WKTV listings at wktk.org for dates and times.

 

 

History! Unity! Camaraderie! César E. Chávez Social Justice Activities planned for March 17

3-bottom, Beer, Local Business, Local Faces, Non-Profits, Our Cities, Politics, Upcoming Events, , , , , , , , ,

By Victoria Mullen
victoria@wktv.org

When César Chávez was 11 years old, his family’s home was lost after his father made a deal to clear 80 acres of land in exchange for the deed to the house. The agreement was broken, and when Chavez’s father tried to buy the house, he could not pay the interest on the loan and the house was sold back to its original owner. It was the Great Depression, and Chávez and his family were forced to became migrant farm workers. The family would pick peas and lettuce in the winter, cherries and beans in the spring, corn and grapes in the summer, and cotton in the fall.

Chávez worked in the fields until 1952, when he became an organizer for the Community Service Organization (CSO), a Latino civil rights group. Chávez urged Mexican Americans to register and vote, and he traveled throughout California and made speeches in support of workers’ rights. In 1958, he became CSO’s national director.

Dedicating his life to workers’ rights, empowerment of the poor and disenfranchised, civil rights, economic justice,
environmental justice and peace, Chávez always used non-violent methods to further his causes. He organized strikes and boycotts, co-founded the National Farm Workers Association (later the United Farm Workers union, UFW) along with Dolores Huerta, and undertook a number of fasts.

After his death, Chávez became a major historical icon for the Latino community. Many streets, schools and parks are named after him. He has since become an icon for organized labor and leftist politics, symbolizing support for Hispanic empowerment and for workers based on grassroots organizing. Barack Obama adopted Chávez’s slogan, “Sí, se puede” (Spanish for “Yes, one can” or, roughly, “Yes, it can be done”), as his 2008 presidential campaign slogan.

Each year across the country, César Chávez Day brings together hundreds of thousands who participate in celebrations, service and learning projects, and other activities that further Chávez’s many causes. Michigan is among the eight states that observe the holiday.

César Chávez National Holiday was established by Los Angeles volunteers who organized and led the effort in California. The legal holiday bill was signed into law on August 18, 2000. The holiday is celebrated in California on César E. Chávez’s birthday March 31st. This marked the first time that a labor leader or Latino has been honored with a public legal holiday.

In Grand Rapids, the Committee to Honor César Chávez plans several events throughout the year to honor the best-known Latino American hero, and the festivities begin March 17 when, at 11 am, the César E. Chávez Social Justice March begins at The Potters House School, corner of Grandville Ave. SW and Van Raalte Dr. SW. Participants will march north on Grandville to The Edge Urban Fellowship.

A Community Gathering follows at 11:30 am at The Edge Urban Fellowship, 735 Ritzema Ct. SW in Grand Rapids. Lead Pastor “PT” Troy Evans will officiate.

The festivities culminate in a luncheon at 1 pm at the Maya Mexican Grill, 1020 28th St. SW, Wyo
ming. The 2016 César E. Chávez Unity Luncheon will congratulate and welcome new Grand Rapids mayor, Rosalynn Bliss; and students from elementary to university level will showcase their musical talent and leadership abilities with special music, poetry and presentations. There will be a special tribute to Kathleen Straus, member of the State Board of Education, who has fought discrimination and worked to build bridges between races, religious and ethnic groups, and to promote social justice and education. A $25 donation per person is requested.

For more info about the march, community gathering and luncheon, go here. For a list of upcoming events, go here.