“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.” (Chavez)
Early on Chavez new that he wanted a better life for not only himself but for his family. His thoughts were that if he worked hard enough and worked his way up then he could get out of the circle of poverty and even send his children to college. So he began by working the fields of California from Brawley to Oxnard, Atascadero, Gonzales, King City, Salinas, McFarland, Delano, Wasco, Selma, Kingsburg, and Mendota.
After some time Chavez found himself influenced by Father Donald McDonnell, when together they often talked about farm workers and strikes, which then led him to another very influential figure in his life Fred Ross. From this point on Chavez would be on his path as a union leader. And in 1962 Cesar founded the National Farm Workers Association, later to become the United Farm Workers – the UFW.
However, Chavez is best known for initiating a national boycott of table grapes to support his union’s efforts to unionize the grape industry. It was 1970 and the UFW got grape growers to accept union contracts and had effectively organized most of that industry. Through Chavez’s leadership and nonviolent tactics he was able to gain national attention on farm workers problems. Cesar made sure to open the eyes of people and expose the struggles of farm workers in their efforts to receive better pay and safer working conditions. Cesar Chavez worked diligently with his union so that the importance and dignity of all farm workers be recognized.
What truly I find remarkable is how it does not take violence or piety tactics to gain attention to a cause he was able to achieve what he set out to do through his nonviolent strategy (boycotts, pickets ,fasts, marches and strikes). Like Cesar Chavez states:
“We have proved it before through persistence, hard work, faith and willingness to sacrifice. We can win and keep our own self-respect and build a great union that will secure the spirit of all people if we do it through a rededication and recommitment to the struggle for justice through nonviolence”
Here is a short video and link for more information depicting the dedication of a strong nonviolent labor leader Cesar Chavez enjoy!
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