MADISON – Members of the Latino Caucus, Representative Jimmy Anderson (D-Fitchburg), Representative Sylvia Ortiz-Velez (D-Milwaukee), and Representative Marisabel Cabrera (D-Milwaukee) released the following statements in honor of César Chávez Day on Friday, March 31st:
“César Chávez was a labor leader and activist whose visionary politics inspired a grassroots movement of – and for – migrant and Latino farm workers across America,” Representative Jimmy Anderson said. “Inspired by the nonviolent organizing tactics of Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King, Chávez orchestrated strikes and boycotts that forced America to recognize the fundamental dignity and value of the men and women whose labor fed the nation.
Through his organization, United Farm Workers of America, Chávez helped to secure union contracts that improved wages and working conditions for thousands. His legacy reminds us that the strength of many people together can beat even the powerful interests of capital. We can honor César Chávez’s legacy by working to protect the rights of working people everywhere and by saying: ‘Sí, Se Puede’ – or ‘Yes, We Can.’”
“Representative Ortiz-Velez added, “As the daughter of a mother who came to Wisconsin as a migrant worker, César Chávez holds a special place in my family’s hearts. To quote César Chávez, ‘The fight is never about grapes or lettuce. It is always about people’. His passion and dedication is a shining example of the courage and resolve that embodies our culture. He is an inspiration to not just Mexican Americans, but all Americans.”
Representative Marisabel Cabrera stated, “Today, we celebrate the life and legacy of César Estrada Chávez, a champion for civil rights and the millions of hardworking people throughout the country. Chávez dedicated his life to improving wages and working conditions, fighting against systemic inequalities, and helping establish unions to better the lives of migrant and Latino workers everywhere. In honor of his memory, we commemorate Wisconsin’s rich immigrant history and continue to advocate for workers’ rights and so that ‘equal protection of the law’ becomes a reality in Wisconsin and the United States.”
