[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 45 (Thursday, March 31, 2011)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E580]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       TRIBUTE TO CESAR E. CHAVEZ

                                 ______
                                 

                             HON. JOE BACA

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, March 31, 2011

  Mr. BACA. Mr. Speaker, I rise to pay a special tribute to a 
historical leader not only for the Hispanic community but for workers 
all across America.
  Cesar E. Chavez was born on March 31, 1927 near Yuma, Arizona at a 
time of great discrimination and injustice.
  He believed that the only way to get out of the circle of poverty was 
to work your way up and receive an education. With his family, Cesar--
as he is called by his most ardent followers worked in the fields all 
throughout California.
  Along the way, Cesar attended nearly 40 schools before joining the 
Navy at the age of 17.
  After marrying in 1948, Chavez and his wife, Helen Fabela, settled in 
Delano. Soon after he became involved with the Community Service 
Organization, run by Fred Ross, a man who worked to better the lives of 
Mexican Americans in the state.
  Working with the organization in the 1950s, Chavez became more 
familiar with the plight of farm workers in southern California, and in 
1962 founded the National Farm Workers Association, later to become the 
United Farm Workers.
  As a cofounder and president of United Farm Workers, Cesar used 
nonviolent tactics to bring attention to the dangerous working 
conditions in the fields and the plight of exploited farm workers and 
their right to unionize.
  At the same time, he studied the teachings of Mahatma Gandhi, which 
led to his practice of nonviolence throughout his life.
  Those beliefs meant turning to hunger strikes rather than violent 
means to draw attention to the plight of the farm workers.
  Cesar Chavez completed his 36-day Fast for Life on August 21, 1988. 
The Reverend Jesse Jackson took up where Cesar left off, fasting on 
water for three days before passing on the fast to celebrities and 
leaders. The fast was passed to Martin Sheen, the Reverend J. Lowery, 
President SCLC; Edward Olmos, Emilio Estevez, Kerry Kennedy, daughter 
of Robert Kennedy, Peter Chacon, legislator, Julie Carmen, Danny 
Glover, Carly Simon, singer; and Whoopi Goldberg.
  Today, on the 84th anniversary of his birthday, I stand to pay 
tribute to this hero who emerged from very little but left a tremendous 
impact on all of us decades later.
  Cesar died in his sleep on April 23, 1993 near Yuma, Arizona at the 
age of 66 years old. At the time, he was in Yuma helping farm workers.
  This year, Interior Secretary Ken Salazar dedicated the site of the 
United Farm Workers Delano Field Office, known as ``Forty Acres'' as a 
National Historic Landmark.
  On August 8, 1994, Cesar Chavez was awarded the Medal of Freedom by 
President Bill Clinton. Helen Chavez, Cesar's widow accepted the medal 
for her late husband, with an accompanied citation that included 
``faced formidable, often violent opposition with dignity and 
nonviolence.''
  In the words of President Clinton ``The farm workers who labored in 
the fields and yearned for respect and self-sufficiency pinned their 
hopes on this remarkable man who, with faith and discipline, soft 
spoken humility and amazing inner strength, led a very courageous 
life.''
  For over ten years, I have fought for a national holiday to honor 
Cesar Chavez, a man who not only carried the torch for justice and 
freedom, but was the beacon of hope for thousands without a voice.
  The reach of his accomplishments stretches far beyond the Latino 
community. The battle for social justice is far from being over. But in 
the words of Cesar Chavez, ``si se puede!''
  During these hard economic times, let us not forget that history 
teaches us many things. True leaders are those who fight for those 
without a voice, and he was one that fought for many of those who 
didn't have voices.
  On the anniversary of Cesar's birthday, I encourage all Americans to 
remember Cesar Chavez and honor him and his legacy.
  I urge my colleagues to co-sponsor H. Res. 130, a resolution to 
encourage the designation of the fourth Friday of every March to be 
observed as ``Cesar E. Chavez Day.''

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