Late activist Cesar Chavez is remembered during March for Justice

ASB members from San Fernando high march along San Fernando Mission blvd. in the 18th annual Cesar Chavez March for Justice and Cultural Arts Festival Sunday at Brand Park. Supporters marched from Brand Park to Ritchie Valens Park at the annual event. (David Crane/Staff Photographer)

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MISSION HILLS - Aztec dancers, student drummers, mothers with strollers and seniors with canes were among the hundreds who joined in the northeast San Fernando Valley Sunday to honor the memory of labor leader Cesar Chavez.

Despite gray skies and light morning showers, community members of all ages gathered at Brand Park in Mission Hills for the 18th annual March for Justice.

Holding red flags emblazoned with the black eagle icon made famous by the United Farmworker's Union launched by Chavez, marchers headed toward Ritchie Valens Park in Pacoima as clouds made way for sunshine. Their "Si se puede" chants could be heard from afar.

Chavez, who died at the age of 66 in 1993, fought to bring awareness to the plight of farmworkers by organizing marches and hunger strikes.

Dozens of community activists, teachers, and elected officials participated in the event that has become a tradition for this community, and they stressed the need to remember Chavez's legacy of empowerment and equity for all.

"When you march today, you not only march to honor the memory of Chavez, but to honor everything he stood for," said Los Angeles County Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky, who represents the San Fernando Valley.

"Those values are still relevant today - he stood for workers' rights, human rights, civil rights and health care ... things we continue to fight for today."

This community's tradition of honoring Chavez stretches back

to the 1960s, when the peaceful activist visited communities in the Northeast Valley to build support for his labor movement.

Many families in the communities of Pacoima, Arleta and Sylmar would make their way to the farms of Central California in the summer to work the fields, said event organizer and community activist Alex Reza.

The city of San Fernando also became the first city in the country to establish a legal holiday honoring the labor leader in 1994.

"Because of that connection it is especially meaningful to keep Cesar's legacy alive," Reza said.

What began as a small march has now grown to include an arts and essay contest for students and a food and health fair for local families.

"This gives us an opportunity to be a part of something bigger than ourselves," said 19-year-old Mission College student Erika Ramos.

"There are still a lot of changes we need to fight for, better jobs, better pay, the rights of immigrants," said Elizabeth Rodriguez, 18, and also a Mission College student.

Anthony Chavez, Cesar's 25-year-old grandson, said in the current political climate in which legislators in several states have proposed legislation to reduce collective bargaining rights for unions, it is essential to remember what his grandfather stood for.

"He wanted everyone to know how difficult working conditions were for farmworkers, and workers of other trades," Chavez said.

"That is especially significant today, with the current onslaught on workers' rights we're seeing."

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