Student leadership preserves Chavez legacy
Speaker, rally, and service project in celebration of Farmer Workers Association
Darwyyn Deyo
Issue date: 4/4/06 Section: News
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Thursday afternoon a speech was given by Casimiro Alvarez, an organizer and spokesman for the United Farm Workers Association, which was founded so that farm workers could fight for a living wage, housing, better working conditions, and protection from pesticides. Today, Hernandez said, those same battles are being re-fought as reform is rolled back. "Pretty much the same things Cesar Chavez fought for they're fighting for now." Since Thursday's weather was inhospitable to outdoor events, about 30 people gathered under the breezeway to hear Alvarez speak and share food. Afterwards, students could attend the Hermanas Unidas meeting which was putting special emphasis on women in fields and factories.
Friday's events were three-part in nature, beginning with an end to the fast that had begun the night before. At 12:05 p.m. a Prayer for Peace was held, and from noon to 3 p.m. the Social Justice Fair was held, although it, too, was forced to seek shelter under the causeway. Regardless, students viewed the fair as worthwhile. "It was good because it had never really been done before, and the clubs all got together on their separate issues," said Hernandez reflecting the student-leadership desire to see more social justice action as a campus community. Clubs from all walks of campus joined together to draw attention to issues on particular interests. "Res Life had a thing where you wrote letters to senators about the new immigration law and APASA was doing a thing on human trafficking."