Granddaughter of Cesar Chavez speaks for NOVA
Madalyn Johnson
Issue date: 2/11/08 Section: News
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So when Nonviolent Alternatives (NOVA) sponsored its week on nonviolence last week, students and faculty alike were interested in what different speakers had to say about the issues.
Last week's keynote speaker, Julie Chavez Rodriguez, gave a speech in Ritsche Auditorium Wednesday evening.
Chavez Rodriguez is the granddaughter of the late Cesar Chavez, a labor organizer, civil rights leader and co-founder of the National Farm Workers Association, which became the United Farm Workers.
Chavez Rodriguez's presentation titled "Si Se Puede!" (Yes We Can!) focused on her 31 years of experience with the farm worker movement, mainly based out of California.
Chavez Rodriguez grew up watching and learning from her grandfather as he led strikes and fasted to fight, nonviolently, for farm laborers' rights in the work field. Chavez Rodriguez explained how the "stones he cast started a mass ripple effect."
Cesar Chevez' work and determination brought to California farmers gains they deserved such as decent pay, protection against discrimination, payed holidays and other rights found in the office work places.
Chavez also touched on some of the recent immigration laws in California that differ from those in Minnesota.
Eighty percent of farm workers are undocumented - proving how "broken" the U.S. immigration system is, Chavez Rodriguez said.
However, with new executive orders, all vendors and contractors will have validation that their employees are in fact U.S. citizens, thus taking a big weight off many working families.
Students and faculty listening to Chavez Rodriguez were moved in a number of ways.
Robert Aceves, a professor in SCSU's aviation program, grew up in Stockton, Calif., where his grandfather worked closely with Cesar Chavez.
He said he remembers it was "the crop spreading planes that initially brought his aviation interest" when he was just a teenager.
A student, Martha Noyole, was also reminded of her childhood in California as a central valley garlic picker.
Another student, Steven Covralejo, also enjoyed Julie Chavez' political views. "It's always good to hear something familiar. You forget how political people are about common issues. No matter what class. People bicker about it on a daily basis." he said.
When she was finished, Chavez Rodriguez took questions from the audience.
For students who want to help the labor movement, Chavez Rodriguez said, "Just use whatever organizations you have to get the word out...and fighting for a similar cause is just as good."
In her and her grandfather's opinion, "It's the students that have started so many positive movements throughout history," Chavez Rodriguez said.
By simply staying involved, letting others know about their thoughts and beliefs, any student can make the changes Julie Chavez Rodriguez has.