Remembering the Wisdom of Cesar Chavez, on his birthday

In eight US states, today is a holiday: the birthday of Mexican-American Cesar Chavez, co-founder of the organization that became the United Farm Workers. One of the most respected civil rights leaders of the 20th century, Chavez's influence lives on despite his death in 1993. Several US cities host marches in his honor today.

El Paso's march is going to be next month, however, as the committee prepares a theme that relates Chavez to 2009: highlighting today's vulnerable laborer in a economic downturn. In the "images" section of this post are photos from past El Paso Chavez marches and the very colorful flier for our April march.

Chavez's own words show his wisdom, the nonviolent activist:

If you really want to make a friend, go to someone's house and eat with him... the people who give you their food give you their heart.

ON Empowerment:

From the depth of need and despair, people can work together, can organize themselves to solve their own problems and fill their own needs with dignity and strength.

On the Common Good:

We cannot seek achievement for ourselves and forget about progress and prosperity for our community... Our ambitions must be broad enough to include the aspirations and needs of others, for their sakes and for our own.

Uncannily Appropriate for 2009:

Who gets the risks? The risks are given to the consumer, the unsuspecting consumer and the poor work force. And who gets the benefits? The benefits are only for the corporations, for the money makers.

On Strength:

You are never strong enough that you don't need help.

On the Environment and Social Justice:

It's amazing how people can get so excited about a rocket to the moon and not give a damn about smog, oil leaks, the devastation of the environment with pesticides, hunger, disease. When the poor share some of the power that the affluent now monopolize, we will give a damn.

And my personal favorite:

Once social change begins, it cannot be reversed. You cannot uneducate the person who has learned to read. You cannot humiliate the person who feels pride. You cannot oppress the people who are not afraid anymore.

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The video (above) will tell you quite a bit about Chavez and his important contributions in only five minutes.