Cesar Chavez brought a voice to the migrant farm workers of California, Texas, Arizona, and Florida. He exposed their exploitation by the American agricultural industry and successfully organized them into a union that earned better pay and working conditions for its members. 

His example of servant leadership and persistence in the goal of achieving justice rings in the minds and hearts of American decades later, reminding us all that any dream is possible when people come together around a unified purpose.

Former President Barack Obama proclaimed March 31 as Cesar Chavez Day in 2014.

“On Cesar Chavez Day, we celebrate one of America’s greatest champions for social justice. Raised into the life of a migrant farm worker, he toiled alongside men, women, and children who performed daily, backbreaking labor for meager pay and in deplorable conditions. They were exposed to dangerous pesticides and denied the most basic protections, including minimum wages, health care, and access to drinking water. Cesar Chavez devoted his life to correcting these injustices, to reminding us that every job has dignity, every life has value, and everyone — no matter who you are, what you look like, or where you come from — should have the chance to get ahead,” Obama proclaimed.

Cesar Chavez’s life and legacy inspires people and organizations today to become a voice for the unheard. At Hope Services, we draw inspiration from Cesar Chavez in our efforts to improve the quality of life of individuals with developmental disabilities, with the dream of a society that welcomes the ability and value of all citizens.

What dreams do you have? Where do you see a need for justice? 

Cesar Chavez Day is a reminder that “Sí, se puede” // Yes, you can.

“The love for justice that is in us is not only the best part of our being but it is also the most true to our nature.” – Cesar Chavez

Enjoy this heart-warming and explorative documentary short following a student who seeks to learn about the person and impact of Cesar Chavez by visiting historical sites and speaking to those who knew him.