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Home |
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About Cesar E. Chavez National Holiday |
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About Cesar E. Chavez |
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About the Holiday |
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Get Involved |
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Sign The Petition |
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Join March 31, 2008 Actions |
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Links |
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Contact Us |
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Press
Jan 8, 08 : Carlos Santana, Martin Sheen And Edward James Olmos Agree To Co-Chair Effort... read
April 1, 08: Sen. Obama calls for Cesar Chavez National Holiday... read
March 31, 08: Sen. Obama's statement for CEC holiday... read
March 27, 08: Impulsan dia nacional para honrar a Chavez... read
March 26, 08: Co-Chair Carlos Santana helps kick off national campaign... read
April 7, 07: Cesar E. Chavez National Holiday calls on Senate Republicans to withdraw from blocking Cesar Chavez tribute... read |
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Video
Hear Edward James Olmos, National Co-Chair, wish Cesar Chavez a Happy Birthday! click here |
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Does Your State Participate?
Tell us what is going on in your city/state to honor Cesar Chavez?
Click Here |
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Make a Donation
Make check out to:
Cesar E. Chavez
National Holiday
Send to:
Cesar E. Chavez
National Holiday
3325 Wilshire Blvd.
Suite 1208
Los Angeles, CA 90010 |
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Barack Obama calls for National Holiday for Cesar E. Chavez
April 1, 2008 Washington DC--Evelina Alarcon, Executive Director of Cesar E. Chavez National Holiday welcomed the backing for a Cesar Chavez national holiday from Presidential candidate Senator Barack Obama who issued a statement on Cesar Chavez’s birthday Monday, March 31, 2008.
“We at Cesar E. Chavez National Holiday appreciate the backing of a national holiday for Cesar Chavez from presidential candidate Senator Barack Obama. That support is crucial because it takes the signature of a President to establish the holiday along with the Congress’s approval,” stated Evelina Alarcon. “It is also encouraging that Senator Hillary Clinton who is a great admirer of Cesar Chavez acknowledged him on his birthday. We hope that she too will soon state her support for a Cesar Chavez national holiday.”
Alarcon’s remarks were part of a statement made at a press conference at our nation’s Capitol on April 1st called by Chair of the Hispanic Congressional Caucus Rep. Joe Baca (D-CA) in support of HR 76, a resolution he authored with 62 Co-Sponsors that encourages the establishment of a Cesar Chavez national holiday by the Congress. |
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Barack Obama’s statement for a Cesar Chavez national holiday:
"Chavez left a legacy as an educator, environmentalist, and a civil rights leader. And his cause lives on. As farmworkers and laborers across America continue to struggle for fair treatment and fair wages, we find strength in what Cesar Chavez accomplished so many years ago. And we should honor him for what he's taught us about making America a stronger, more just, and more prosperous nation. That's why I support the call to make Cesar Chavez's birthday a national holiday. It's time to recognize the contributions of this American icon to the ongoing efforts to perfect our union."
Senator Barack Obama March 31, 2008. |
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Impulsan día nacional para honrar a Chávez |
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Executive Director Evelina Alarcon and National Co-Chair Carlos Santana join with leaders of Los Angeles to launch nationwide effort to win a Cesar Chavez National Holiday |
Activistas recuerdan su pasión
por la justicia y la paz
Iván Mejía
ivan.mejia@laopinion.com
27 de marzo de 2008
Casi medio siglo después de haber empezado a organizar trabajadores en los campos de California, y a 15 años de su fallecimiento, el líder campesino César Chávez podría ser recordado con un día de celebración a nivel nacional. |
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Ayer, representantes de organizaciones comunitarias, políticos, artistas y familiares del recordado activista hicieron un llamado al Congreso federal y al presidente Obama para que se establezca El Día Nacional de César Chávez.
"César Chávez merece ser recordado con un día de celebración en los Estados Unidos porque se encuentra entre los grandes líderes del siglo XX", dijo Evelina Alarcón, presidenta de la organización César Chávez Holiday.
"La vida de César Chávez es una historia de coraje, sacrificio y compromiso incansable por la justicia económica y social para los campesinos y desposeídos", recordó la hermana del concejal angelino Richard Alarcón, cuya familia está dedicada a impulsar el día nacional del líder campesino.
> more |
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Co-chair Carlos Santana Helps Kick Off
Cesar E. Chavez National Holiday Campaign
Events in over 65 Cities in 30 States
Los Angeles, CA – Music legend and National Co-Chair Carlos Santana joined with civil rights, labor leaders and Los Angeles officials representing the Cesar E. Chavez national holiday coalition to announce the launching of a nationwide effort to win a national holiday for Cesar Chavez, founder and former President of the United Farm Workers (UFW) on March 31, his birthday.
"Cesar Chavez was a national treasure and he deserves a national holiday," Carlos Santana said. "As a labor activist and a leader of the United Farm Workers, his voice for migrant farm workers and his tireless leadership helped focus national attention on their horrible working conditions which ultimately led to improvements. He is an icon for everyone and someone who we should honor with a national holiday."
Carlos Santana has joined celebrities Martin Sheen and Edward James Olmos as National Co-Chairs of the national holiday effort. Santana demonstrated support for the California state holiday and Day of Service and Learning for Chavez by allowing the gathering of signatures on petitions at his Supernatural Tour Concerts in 1999 where thousands signed.
In the coming weeks, organizations will hold local events in over 65 cities in 30 states calling upon the Congress to establish the holiday and a day of service and learning for Chavez. Parades, marches, petition gathering, forums, concerts, festivals, faith based and other events will echo Si se Puede! Yes We Can, the slogan learned from Cesar Chavez to state their determination to win national recognition for Chavez.
“The drive for a Cesar Chavez national holiday has won tremendous enthusiasm generating participation from a wide range of organizations, elected officials, and celebrities representing all races and nationalities in every region of the nation including cities and states that have never celebrated Cesar’s birthday before,” said Evelina Alarcon, Executive Director of Cesar E. Chavez National Holiday, the organization spearheading this effort.
> more |
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Carlos Santana, Martin Sheen And Edward James Olmos
Agree To Co-Chair Effort To Win National Holiday For Farm Worker Leader Cesar E. Chavez

Support Action for Cesar Chavez’s birthday March 31, 2008
LOS ANGELES- The Los Angeles-based public benefit organization Cesar E. Chavez National Holiday is proud to announce that three of our nation’s top entertainers, GRAMMY® Award winning musician Carlos Santana, and acclaimed actors Martin Sheen and Edward James Olmos, have agreed to serve as National Co-Chairs of the effort to win a national holiday for the late founder and president of the United Farm Workers, Cesar E. Chavez, to take place on his birthday March 31.
To read full release click here. For information on March 31 actions click here. |
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Photo by Kwaku Alston |
"It's supremely important that a day be selected to honor the life of Mr. Cesar Chavez for his quality of service to all humanity. His supreme cry of si se puede will forever resonate as a positive motivator as words of light."
Carlos Santana
January 2008 |
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“A national holiday honoring Cesar Chavez would secure his profound legacy, while future generations may scarce believe that such a man existed.”
Martin Sheen
January 2008 |
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"Cesar Chavez deserves to be honored with a National Holiday. His life is a beacon of light toward the advancements of all cultures. He gave more than he ever received. Lived the life of one who is truly enlightened by the wisdom embodied in love, kindness and forgiveness. He, like Mahatma Gandhi, Martin Luther King Jr., Mother Teresa and others understood the meaning of non violent social change and used it to elevate the Human Condition. His life should be nurtured into our future and emulated by generations to come. Cesar Chavez is truly a gift to humanity and we as a nation should celebrate his life at least once a year, by way of a National Legal Holiday. We ALL deserve it!"
Edward James Olmos
January 2008 |
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Santana, Sheen and Olmos supported Chavez during the historic movement to win rights for farm workers in California in the 1960’s and 1970’s. Their participation in the current effort to win national recognition for Chavez coincides with the organizing of national actions and events in support of the national holiday to be held on March 31 of this year. Organizations in forty cities in twenty five States have already agreed to hold events.
“Carlos Santana, Martin Sheen and Edward James Olmos give the national holiday effort a tremendous boost and inspiration,” said Evelina Alarcon, Executive Director of Cesar E. Chavez National Holiday, the organization spearheading the effort to win national recognition for Cesar Chavez. “These internationally recognized entertainers bring their own unique history of support for Cesar Chavez, farm workers rights and social and economic justice.”
Press release issued Tuesday, January 29, 2008.
To read full release click here. For information on March 31 actions click here. |
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A National Call for 2008 Action for a
Cesar E. Chavez National Holiday
March, Rally, Gather Together on Cesar Chavez’s Birthday March 31, 2008!
So far Action/Events will be held in 40 Cities in 25 States
Learn More | Sign Up Today!
¡Si se puede!
We launched our web site on March 31, 2007, which would have been farm worker leader Cesar Chavez's 80th birthday. Today you will learn some basics about our organization and it's history. You will find out how to get involved in the effort to honor Cesar Chavez with a national holiday. We have chosen Cesar Chavez's birthday March 31, 2008 as the Day to mobilize actions for the national holiday across the nation. Please read all about it at our Call to Action and sign up to participate.
Cesar E. Chavez was one of the greatest leaders of the 20th century. His courage, dedication, and historic accomplishments deserve national recognition. Tens of thousands of people won the first legal holiday for Cesar Chavez in California in the face of great obstacles. With your help we will win national recognition for Cesar Chavez. Every person can make a difference by getting involved in the March 31, 2008 actions today. Cesar Chavez taught us “¡Sí se puede!” (We can do it). With your help, Cesar Chavez's life will be celebrated across our country.
Don't forget to sign the petition for a national holiday for Cesar Chavez. Even if you have signed this petition elsewhere, please sign on our site to insure that we have your name when we turn in the petitions.
¡Sí se puede!
Evelina Alarcon, Executive Director |
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