A Better Turn-out for the Cesar Chavez March
by Liz Reyna
Edited by Jared Greenleaf
When Cesar E. Chavez took to the streets of Delano, Cal. during the height of the civil rights movement, his efforts were matched with a resounding applause of thousands.
As the Latino Student Union prepares for their annual Cesar Chavez silent march around campus, their efforts are matched with the support of very few.
Why so few? That is what the LSU and the Office of Multicultural Affairs are attempting to discover.
“We haven't really had a good turn-out in past years,” said Aurora Lopez-Pompa, Secretary of the LSU. “We always have approximately 15 to 25 people there. I think it’s because not many students are aware of who (Cesar Chavez) was or what he did for migrant workers.”
The march for Chavez—a civil rights activist that strove for the humane treatment and the equal rights of migrant workers—is held every year on his birthday, March 31.
Despite the event, the efforts to remember the life of Chavez have gone unnoticed, as many are unaware of his contributions.
Despite the event, the efforts to remember the life of Chavez have gone unnoticed, as many are unaware of his contributions.
However, Paulla Sandoval, Special Projects Coordinator of the OMA says this is only the beginning of a long list of problems.
Sandoval sees two major problems that contribute to the low turn-out of Cesar Chavez week: A Cesar Chavez national holiday has not yet been declared and with the Latino population around 2 percent on campus, the focus is more on Caucasian and African-American programs.
According to their websites, the United Farm Workers of America (UFW) and The Cesar Chavez National Holiday Coalition are circulating petitions for the declaration of a Cesar Chavez Day. However, to Sandoval and members of the LSU, the holiday will not come soon enough.
“We (Latinos) don't get the same publicity or support that other civil rights activists get,” Lopez-Pompa said.
In a meeting held on Tuesday, members of the OMA addressed the under-representation of the Latino campus community. Sandoval said the consensus of the meeting is that “the finger of blame lies on everyone” but mostly on the insufficient funds reserved for Latino organizations.
Sandoval says Latinos on campus lack the community organizations and fund raising that “puts money in the pot” and brings new and exciting Latino cultural events similar to the events African-Americans have on campus.
Most of all however, Sandoval says Latinos lack a prominent role model in the university.
“Where is the representation for Latinos? Sandoval said. “There is no (Latino) in a predominate position in this university demonstrating success. Students need to see that representation in order to believe it.”
With the week-long celebration of the life and legacy of Chavez, the OMA and LSU seek to remind students of this prominent representative of the Latino community.
“He's our only leader...We don't hear about him in school and they don't talk about him in our history books, but his is the representative that Latinos need,” Sandoval said.
As for Grand Valley State University President Thomas Haas, Sandoval says he will not only participate in the march, but also send out a letter to faculty and staff urging them to participate in the upcoming events.
With the added advertising by Haas, the LSU and OMA expect a higher turnout for the march this year.
“Any event that represents and reflects Latinos, such as Cesar Chavez week, helps because it exposes people to our culture and informs them about it,” LSU Vice President Mariana Saucedo said.
The annual Cesar Chavez March will be held on March 31, at 12 p.m. at the Zumberge Library leading to the Grand River Room in Kirkhof.
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