The news of the abuse of women and children by César Chávez came as a shock to many, especially to those who had invested so much into the success of the United Farm Workers union (UFW).
Faced with this horrific set of headlines and the painful details of these situations, the UFW and Chavez Foundation pushed to cancel the many national celebrations of César's birthday on March 31st.
Many like me joined the union as young dreamers of justice and freedom. In 1970, I began my journey as a full-time organizer, earning $5 wages and $10 for food weekly. Thousands of us sacrificed to get union contracts and to build a foundation of hope.