[New post] Woodland celebrates César Chávez by addressing need for Latino empowerment
Gerardo Zavala posted: "Dozens of Woodland families, officials and leaders filled Banquet Room 1 at the Woodland Community & Senior Center Thursday to celebrate labor and civil rights leader César Chávez's life. The event featured live dancing by the Beamer School Ballet " Daily Democrat
Dozens of Woodland families, officials and leaders filled Banquet Room 1 at the Woodland Community & Senior Center Thursday to celebrate labor and civil rights leader César Chávez's life.
The event featured live dancing by the Beamer School Ballet Folklórico group, singing by Woodland's Jimena Izquierdo and a performance by Douglass Middle School's Mariachi Band led by Idbin Acosta.
Douglass Middle School student Jimena Izquierdo performs Thursday at the Woodland Community & Senior Center. (Gerardo Zavala/Daily Democrat)
Woodland Mayor Victoria Fernandez attended the event and delivered a speech regarding Chávez.
"The significance of César Chávez to a community like Woodland is his non-violent approach to improve working conditions for farmworkers through the United Farm Workers," Fernandez emphasized. "But, on a personal level, his message that all things are possible with determination and hard work is just as important."
"His quote, 'Si Se Puede' or 'Yes We Can' is also an inspiration to many that seek social justice."
David M. Villarino-Gonzales, president and CEO of the Farmworker Institute of Education and Leadership Development, was the keynote speaker during the event and made an argument for empowering underserved Latino communities through education, collaboration and the creation of wealth.
The institute, founded by Chávez in 1978, is a nonprofit organization dedicated to strengthening America's rural communities through workforce and economic development.
One of the ways they do this is through the institute's EPIC de César Chávez High School, which is an accredited charter high school program free for adults looking to earn their high school diploma, according to its website.
"In addition, work experience and career technical education career pathways courses with industry-recognized certificates that are integrated with community college courses are available," the website explained. "For students interested in a university pathway, EPIC also offers college preparatory classes."
The school has graduated over 1,000 students in the past five years, primarily because of its ability to work around people's schedules and offer classes in the mornings and evenings.
Villarino-Gonzales stressed during his presentation that "the demographics substantiate that the future replacement workforce" will be Latinos.
"And the largest segment of the replacement workforce are Latinos that are under seven years of age," he highlighted. "So, arguably, you can say they are going to be taking care of the economy, but they can't focus on being the future because we have a 50% dropout rate of Latinos."
David M. Villarino-Gonzales, president and CEO of the Farmworker Institute of Education and Leadership Development, delivers a speech during the event. (Gerardo Zavala/Daily Democrat)
He added that for them to be able to create wealth and harness their coming power in the future, "we must invest in our children's education by investing in their parents' capacity to help their children with their homework."
"To help their parents improve the environment in which the families live, just like here in Woodland. Now that's economic and social prosperity."
Villarino-Gonzales concluded by noting that bringing about change "would require us to adopt a spirit that promotes confidence, courage and risk-taking to serve others."
"In other words, the 'Si Se Puede' spirit."
"It won't happen overnight," he remarked. "In the words of John Steinbeck, many a trip continues long after the movement in time and space seizes."
"Long after the movement seizes, and in the end, we will win."
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