Cesar Chavez Day

A Guidebook for Families, Schools & Communities

LEARNING GUIDE

Developed with information from following resources:

California Department of Education

Cesar Chavez Foundation
Public Broadcasting Service
United Farm Workers
 Table of Contents
Introduction
Why We Serve 3
Curriculum Guide Overview 3

Section I: Cesar Chavez: Life, Work and Legacy

Quotes & Values of Cesar Chavez 5
Vocabulary Words 6
Timeline of the Life of Cesar Chavez 7
Life of Cesar Chavez 9
Prayer of the Farm Workers’ Struggle 12
Speeches & Writing of Cesar Chavez 13

Section II: Chavez Learning Toolkit

Drawing Activities 16
Writing Activities 18
Discussion Questions 21

Section III: Chavez Reflection Toolkit

A Few Words About Reflection 23
Facilitating Reflection Activities 23
Reflecting on Today 24
Reflecting on Chavez Values 25

Websites 26

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 Why We Serve
A true American hero, Cesar Chavez was a civil rights, Latino, farm worker, and
labor leader; a religious and spiritual figure; a community servant and social
entrepreneur; a crusader for nonviolent social change; and an environmentalist and
consumer advocate.
The significance and impact of Cesar’s life transcends any one cause or struggle. A
unique and humble leader, humanitarian, and communicator, Cesar influenced and
inspired millions of Americans to seek social justice and civil rights for the poor and
disenfranchised in our society.
As President of the United Farm Workers of America (UFW), Chavez founded and
led the first successful farm workers union in U.S. history. Under his stewardship a
broad coalition of unions, religious groups, students, minorities, and consumers
joined together in solidarity.
The late Senator Robert Kennedy called Cesar Chavez, "One of the heroic figures of
our time." In 1994 he was posthumously awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom,
the highest civilian honor in America, as a testimony to his lifelong contributions to
humanity.
This is the legacy that we celebrate and seek to share with our children and all
Americans through the Cesar Chavez Day of Service and Learning.

Curriculum Guide Overview

This guide is a tool that can be used by service leaders, educators, agency staff and
parents to educate individuals on Cesar Chavez Day, either at home, in
neighborhoods, or at Days of Service activities. The goal of this curriculum is to
provide a snapshot of the life and work of Cesar Chavez as a vehicle for enhancing
the experience for people of all ages. This guide is provided in the following
sections:

Section I: CESAR CHAVEZ: LIFE, WORK AND LEGACY

Section II: CHAVEZ LEARNING TOOLKIT: ACTIVITIES FOR ALL AGES
Section III: CHAVEZ REFLECTION TOOLKIT: ACTIVITIES FOR ALL AGES
Section IV: RESOURCES: BIBLIOGRPAHY FOR FURTHER INFORMATION

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 Section I

CESAR CHAVEZ
LIFE, WORK AND LEGACY

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 Quotes of Cesar Chavez
"There's no turning back...We will win. We are winning because ours is a revolution
of mind and heart..."

"We must understand that the highest form of freedom carries with it the greatest
measure of discipline."

"If you really want to make a friend, go to someone's house and eat with him...The
people who give you their food give you their heart."

"In this world it is possible to achieve great material wealth, to live an opulent life.
But a life built upon those things alone leaves a shallow legacy. In the end, we will be
judged by other standards."

"We cannot seek achievement for ourselves and forget about progress and
prosperity for our community...Our ambitions must be broad enough to include the
aspirations and needs of others, for their sakes and for our own."

"You are never strong enough that you don't need help."

"Preservation of one's own culture does not require contempt or disrespect for other
cultures."

"The strike and the boycott, they have cost us much. What they have not paid us in
wages, better working conditions, and new contracts, they have paid us in self-
respect and human dignity."

"¡Viva la causa!"

VALUES of Cesar Chavez

Achievement Labor Unions
Character Nonviolence
Commitment Perseverance
Community Personal Commitment
Culture Personal Responsibility
Dignity Respect
Education Sacrifice
Equality Service to Others
Farm Workers Social Justice
Freedom Social Responsibility
Hope Social Transformation
Humanity Wisdom
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 Vocabulary Words
AFL-CIO – Abbreviation for the American Federation of Labor–Congress of
Industrial Organizations, two groups that merged in 1955 to become the largest
federation of labor unions in the United States.

Boycott – To abstain from or act together in abstaining from using, buying, or

dealing with as an expression of protest or disfavor.

California Agricultural Labor Relations Act of 1975 – Protects the rights of farm
workers to act together to help themselves, to engage in union organizational
activity, and to select their own representatives to bargain with employers. This Act
prohibits employers and unions from interfering with these rights.

Commitment – To pledge (oneself) to a position on an issue or question

Discrimination – Treatment or consideration based on class or category rather than

individual merit.

Equality – The state or quality of being equal.

Fast – An abstinence from food, or a limiting of one's food, esp. when voluntary and
as a religious observance.

Labor Union – An organization of wage earners formed for the purpose of serving
the members' interests with respect to wages and working conditions.

March – To participate in an organized walk, as for a public cause.

National Labor Relations Act – An act of Congress (1935) that forbade any
interference by employers with the formation and operation of labor unions.
Agricultural workers were not protected under this Act.

Posthumously – Occurring or continuing after one's death.

Racism – Hatred or intolerance of another race or other races.

Segregation – The policy or practice of separating people of different races, classes,

or ethnic groups, as in schools, housing, and public or commercial facilities,
especially as a form of discrimination.

Strike (huelga) – To declare or engage in a suspension of work until an employer

grants certain demands, such as pay increases, an improved pension plan, etc.

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 Timeline of the Life of Cesar Chavez
1927 Cesar Chavez is born in Yuma Arizona to Juana and Librado Chavez. He will be
one of seven children

1935 The Congress of Industrial Organizations (CIO) is formed

1936 The National Labor Relations Act takes effect, excluding farm workers from
protections enjoyed by other workers

1937 The Chavez family loses their store and farm, and become migrant farm
workers in California. In order to help support his family and prevent his
mother from the burden of working in the fields, Cesar Chavez becomes a farm
worker after having only completed the eighth grade

1942 The Bracero program begins, authorizing the importation of Mexican workers
into the United States under contract to do agricultural and railroad work

1946 Cesar Chavez joins the Navy and serves 2 years in the Pacific

1947 The Taft-Hartley act limiting labor organizing is passed by Congress over
President Truman’s veto

1948 Cesar Chavez marries Helen Febela

1952 Fred Ross recruits Cesar Chavez into the Community Services Organization
(CSO). Chavez becomes a community organizer, first coordinating voter
registration drives and eventually rising to head the organization

1955 The American Federation of Labor (AFL) and CIO merge to become the AFL-
CIO

1962 Cesar Chavez leaves CSO and moves to Delano, California to start the National
Farm Worker Association (NFWA). He is joined by Dolores Huerta, Gilbert
Padilla, Jim Drake and others

1965 Inspired by the struggle of Gandhi and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Cesar
Chavez begins the nonviolent Delano grape strike. The mostly Mexican NFWA
joins the mostly Filipino Agricultural Workers Organizing Committee (AWOC)

1966 Farm workers walk 300 miles from Delano to Sacramento in a pilgrimage that
ends on Easter Sunday. The NFWA signs its first contract with Schenley
Industries Incorporated, a liquor conglomerate with a small grape ranch. The
NFWA and AWOC merge to become the United Farm Workers Organizing
Committee (UFWOC)

1967 Striking farm workers and supporters begin a national boycott of California
table grapes

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1968 Cesar Chavez fasts in Delano for 25 days. Senator Robert Kennedy joins him at
the end for a public ceremonial breaking of the fast. The UFW campaigns for
Robert Kennedy in the California primary

Robert Kennedy is assassinated in Los Angeles California on the night of the

California Presidential primary

1970 The UFWOC signs three-year contracts with the Delano growers, ending the
grape strike and boycott

Salinas lettuce and vegetable growers sign with the Teamsters Union. The UFW
protests deal and declares a strike and boycott

1972 The UFW is admitted as a full member to the AFL-CIO.

Chavez fasts in Arizona against a restrictive farm labor law. The slogan of his
fast is Si Se Puede! (It can be done!)

1973 When the grape contracts expire, growers sign with the Teamsters Union.
Major UFW strikes spread throughout California, with thousands arrested and
two dead

1975 California passes the Agricultural Labor Relations Act (ALRA), the first law
recognizing the rights of farm workers to organize and bargain collectively.
The UFW wins a majority of union elections

1978 The Teamsters Union withdraws from the fields

1982 George Dukmeijian is elected governor of California with strong support from
agriculture. Enforcement of the ALRA slows

1988 Cesar Chavez conducts a Fast for Life, his last and longest fast, in Delano
California

1993 Cesar Chavez dies in Yuma, Arizona. His funeral in Delano CA is attended by
40,000 people.

Arturo Rodriguez is named the new UFW president

1994 Cesar Chavez is awarded a posthumous Medal of Honor by President Clinton

1994 The UFW wins new contracts representing workers in rose, mushroom,
to strawberry, wine grape, lettuce and vegetable workers in California, Florida
2004 and Washington state

2000 California establishes a state holiday in honor of Cesar Chavez

2003 The Cesar E. Chavez commemorative stamp is issued by the United States
Postal Service

2009 As of 2009, eight states recognize Cesar Chavez’s birthday, March 31st, as a
state holiday (AZ, CA, CO, MI, NM, TX, UT, WI).

THE FIGHT IN THE FIELDS CONTINUES…

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 Life of Cesar Chavez
A second-generation American, Cesar was born on March 31, 1927, on a small farm
near Yuma, Arizona. At age 10, he and his family became migrant farm workers after
losing their farm in the Great Depression. Throughout his youth and into his
adulthood, Cesar migrated across the southwest laboring in the fields and
vineyards, which exposed him to the hardships and injustices of farm worker life.
Cesar’s family eventually ended up in California, where they lived in a barrio called
Sal Si Puedes (Get Out If You Can) and worked in the fields.

Cesar was always strongly connected to his family. Cesar’s mother and grandmother
taught him about sincerity and charity through their actions. His mother, Juana, set
an example of the importance of helping others regardless of their background. His
grandmother, Mama Tella, made a point to teach Cesar the importance of being a
moral person. Throughout his life, Cesar folded his grandmother’s moral teachings
into his actions and mirrored his mother’s kindness to others. He also reflected their
values of ‘practicing what you preach.’ Cesar learned that he could not just tell
others how they were supposed to live their lives; he had to do it through his
example.

As a child, Cesar disliked school partly because he spoke only Spanish at home
while most of his teachers were Anglo and spoke only English. Speaking Spanish
was forbidden in school and was often punished with a ruler to the knuckles of
anyone who violated the rule. Cesar also faced racist remarks and segregation in the
form of signs that read “Whites Only.”

After achieving only an eighth-grade education, Cesar left school to work in the
fields full time to help support his family. He had attended over 30 elementary and
middle schools. Although his formal education ended then, education later became
his passion. He possessed an insatiable intellectual curiosity and was well read
throughout his life. One of the readings that Cesar took on was the Life of Gandhi by
Louis Fisher. This book made a deep impression on Chavez and he took the
teachings of Gandhi quite seriously, as he would later demonstrate.

Cesar joined the US Navy in 1945, and served in the Western Pacific during the end
of World War II. After returning from the war, he married Helen Fabela, whom he
had met working in the vineyards of central California. The Chavez family settled in
the East San Jose barrio of Sal Si Puedes, and would eventually have eight children
and thirty-one grandchildren.

Cesar’s life as a community organizer began in 1952 when he joined the Community
Service Organization (CSO), a prominent Latino civil rights group. While with the
CSO, Cesar coordinated voter registration drives and conducted campaigns against

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racial and economic discrimination primarily in urban areas. In the late 1950s and
early 1960s, Cesar served as the CSO’s national director.

Cesar’s dream, however, was to create an organization to protect and serve farm
workers, whose poverty and disenfranchisement he had shared. In 1962, Cesar
resigned from the CSO, leaving the security of a regular paycheck, and moved to
Delano, California to found the National Farm Workers Association, which later
became the United Farm Workers of America (UFW). Cesar set up the UFW’s
headquarters in Delano because it had a year round farming community.

Cesar had a number of people to look to as role models for his union activity. The
first was his father, Librado Chavez, who joined many unions while Cesar was
growing up. Another was Ernesto Galarza, who organized many of the strikes during
the 1940s in which the Chavez family participated. Galarza later served as an advisor
to Cesar as he began to form the UFW’s leadership.

At the first mass meeting of the UFW, the powerful flag of the union was unveiled.
The black eagle and red and white flag became a rallying image for the union and
Mexican Americans throughout the United States. The black eagle signified the dark
situation of the farm worker. The white circle signified hope and aspirations. The red
background stood for the hard work and sacrifice that the union members would
have to give. They also adopted an official motto, “Viva la Causa” (Long Live Our
Cause).

One of the biggest successes of the UFW was the Delano Grape Strike, which gained
national attention. Farm workers joined la huelga (“the strike”) demanding a
contract that would bring them better working conditions and fair pay. The growers
brought in strikebreakers and harassed the picketers, with the help of local police.

On the union’s side of the strike, Cesar preached a call for nonviolence. Cesar
recognized the spiritual and political power of nonviolence from his studying of
Gandhi’s struggle in India and that of the Reverend Martin Luther King Jr. in the
United States. It was Cesar’s call for nonviolence that convinced so many across the
nation to support the UFW.

Cesar planned a march from Delano to Sacramento in March, 1966. The purpose of
the march was to get the support of the Governor of California, while also getting
increased exposure to the union’s cause. It was called a pilgrimage because it was
as much a unification effort as it was a protest march. Cesar marched the entire way,
gathering more supporters the farther he went. The march was a procession of many
nationalities, all fighting for the same cause. As the march came closer to
Sacramento, Cesar was called to an emergency meeting with the head of the
grower’s association. The Delano grape growers conceded to the demands of the
UFW and signed the first union contract between growers and a farm workers’ union
in United States’ history.

In 1968, Cesar went on a 25 day fast that brought national attention to the UFW. The
point of his fast was to bring attention to the principle of nonviolence. During one
tense strike, some of the members of the UFW wanted to retaliate for violence that
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was being used against them. Cesar decided that he was going to fast until the
members “made up their minds that they were not going to be committing
violence.” Soon, his fast became a national event, with letters of support pouring in
from all over the country. Leaders like Martin Luther King, Jr. and Robert Kennedy
sent him encouragement.

By 1969 Chávez could command a national stage for the farm workers’ cause. The
efforts of the California growers to circumvent the boycotts of specific labels led the
union to ask for a national boycott of all table grapes. Grapes became a national
symbol of farm worker exploitation and soon people throughout the nation were
choosing to boycott grapes. Volunteers began picketing supermarkets that sold
grapes. Buying grapes became a moral issue.

In time, most of the major cities in America (and some in Canada) started refusing
shipments of grapes since millions of pounds were rotting because so few people
were buying them. As a result, on July 29, 1970 the majority of the grape growers in
the region agreed to sign contracts with the union. After five years of struggling the
union finally achieved its goal of getting contracts with the large majority of growers.
The battle of the grapes came to symbolize the power of Americans to unite for a
common cause.

In founding and leading the first successful farm workers’ union in American history
from 1962 to 1993, Cesar achieved for hundreds of thousands of farm workers
dignity and respect, fair wages, medical coverage, pension benefits, humane living
conditions, and countless other rights and protections. His union’s efforts also led to
the passage of the groundbreaking legislation to protect farm workers, including the
only law in the nation that protects their right to unionize, the 1975 California
Agricultural Labor Relations Act.

Cesar passed away in his sleep on April 23, 1993, in San Luis, Arizona, only miles
from the farm on which he had been born 66 years earlier. More than 50,000 people
attended his funeral services in the small town of Delano, California, the same
community in which he had planted his seed for social justice only decades before.

Cesar’s life cannot be measured in material terms. He never earned more than
$6,000 a year. He never owned a house and did not own his car. And when he
passed, he had no savings to leave to his family.

His motto in life – “sí se puede” (“it can be done”) – embodies, however, the
uncommon and invaluable legacy he left for the world’s benefit. Since his death,
dozens of communities across the nation have renamed schools, parks, streets,
libraries, other public facilities, awards and scholarships in his honor, and have
enacted holidays on his birthday, March 31. He was awarded posthumously in 1994
the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian honor in America.

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 Prayer of the Farm Workers' Struggle
Show me the suffering of the most miserable;
So I will know my people’s plight.

Free me to pray for others;

For you are present in every person.

Help me to take responsibility for my own life;

So that I can be free at last.

Grant me courage to serve others;

For in service there is true life.

Give me honesty and patience;

So that I can work with other workers.

Bring forth song and celebration;

So that the spirit will be alive among us.

Let the spirit flourish and grow;

So we will never tire of the struggle.

Let us remember those who have died for justice;

For they have given us life.

Help us love even those who hate us;

So we can change the world.
Written by Cesar E. Chavez, UFW Founder (1927-1993)

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 Speeches & Writings of Cesar Chavez
The following are excerpts of some of the speeches given by Cesar Chavez. They provide
additional insight and information into the values, action and character of Chavez as well as
his call to the nation in non-violently fighting for the rights of every man, woman and child.

"THE LAST SHALL BE FIRST" (November 9, 1984)

EXCERPTS from the speech:

“All my life, I have been driven by one dream, one goal, one vision: To overthrow a farm
labor system in this nation which treats farm workers as if they were not important human
beings. Farm workers are not agricultural implements. They are not beasts of burden--to be
used and discarded. That dream was born in my youth. It was nurtured in my early days of
organizing. It has flourished. It has been attacked.”

“I'm not very different from anyone else who has ever tried to accomplish something with
his life. My motivation comes from my personal life, from watching what my mother and
father went through when I was growing up, from what we experienced as migrant workers
in California. That dream, that vision grew from my own experience with racism, with hope,
with a desire to be treated fairly, and to see my people treated as human beings and not as
chattel. It grew from anger and rage, emotions I felt 40 years ago when people of my color
were denied the right to see a movie or eat at a restaurant in many parts of California. It
grew from the frustration and humiliation I felt as a boy who couldn't understand how the
growers could abuse and exploit farm workers when there were so many of us and so few of
them.”

“LESSONS OF DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR.” (January 12, 1990)

EXCERPTS from the speech:

“My friends, today we honor a giant among men: today we honor the reverend Martin Luther
King, Jr. Dr. King was a powerful figure of destiny, of courage, of sacrifice, and of vision. Few
people in the long history of this nation can rival his accomplishment, his reason, or his
selfless dedication to the cause of peace and social justice. Today we honor a wise teacher,
an inspiring leader, and a true visionary, but to truly honor Dr. King we must do more than
say words of praise. We must learn his lessons and put his views into practice, so that we
may truly be free at last. The men who rule this country today never learned the lessons of
Dr. King, they never learned that non-violence is the only way to peace and justice.”

“Our nation continues to wage war upon its neighbors, and upon itself. The powers that be
rule over a racist society, filled with hatred and ignorance. Our nation continues to be
segregated along racial and economic lines. The powers that be make themselves richer by
exploiting the poor. Our nation continues to allow children to go hungry, and will not even
house its own people. The time is now for people, of all races and backgrounds, to sound the
trumpets of change. As Dr. King proclaimed ‘There comes a time when people get tired of
being trampled over by the iron feet of oppression.’”
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“CESAR CHAVEZ REFLECTS ON WORKING TOWARDS PEACE”
EXCERPTS:
Nonviolence supports you if you have a just and moral cause. Nonviolence provides the
opportunity to stay on the offensive, and that is of crucial importance to win any contest…If
for every violent act committed against us we respond with nonviolence, we attract people's
support. We can gather the support of millions who have a conscience and would rather see
a nonviolent resolution to problems. We are convinced that when people are faced with a
direct appeal from the poor struggling nonviolently against great odds, they will react
positively.

The American people and people everywhere still yearn for justice. It is to that yearning that
we appeal. The greater the oppression, the more leverage nonviolence holds. Violence
does not work in the long run and if it is temporarily successful, it replaces one violent form
of power with another just as violent. People suffer from violence. Examine history. Who
gets killed in the case of violent revolution? The poor, the workers. The people of the land
are the ones who give their bodies and don't really gain that much for it.

“THE UNION AND THE STRIKE”

BACKGROUND: One of the greatest successes of the United Farm Workers Union was the
Delano Grape Strike, which started in1965 as a small strike in Delano and eventually grew to
national importance.

EXCERPTS:
WHAT IS THIS STRIKE? This strike is all the farm workers standing up together and saying
FROM THIS DAY WE DEMAND TO BE TREATED LIKE THE MEN WE ARE! We are not slaves
and we are not animals. And we are not alone.

This strike is good men standing side by side and telling the growers WE WILL NO LONGER
WORK FOR LOW WAGES! We are not afraid of the growers because we are strong. We want
a union contract that will guarantee us our jobs.

This strike is all farm workers telling the growers WE WILL NO LONGER WORK FOR YOU
UNTIL WE CAN SHARE IN THE GREAT DEAL OF MONEY YOU HAVE MADE! You live in big,
warm homes and we live in boxes. You have plenty to eat while our children work in your
fields. You wear good clothing while we are dressed in rags. Your wives are free to make a
good home while our wives work in the fields. We do the work and you make most of the
money. THIS GREAT INEQUALITY MUST END!

WHAT IS THIS UNION? This union is a group of farm workers who have joined together to
win for themselves the high wages and the decent working conditions they have already
earned. This union is the proof of the strength of good men who realize that the growers are
strong and rich, and WE MUST BE EVEN STRONGER IF WE ARE TO MAKE THE GROWERS
RESPECT US! We must be strong if we are to win decent wages and decent living conditions
and a better life for our wives and children.

We are showing our unity in our strike. Our strike is stopping the work in the fields. Our
strike is stopping ships that would carry grapes. Our strike is stopping the trucks that would
carry the grapes. OUR STRIKE WILL STOP EVERY WAY THE GROWER MAKES MONEY
UNTIL WE HAVE A UNION CONTRACT THAT GUARANTEES US A FAIR SHARE OF THE
MONEY HE MAKES FROM OUR WORK!

We are a union and we are strong and we are striking to force the growers to respect our
strength!
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 Section II

CESAR CHAVEZ
LEARNING TOOLKIT

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 DRAWING ACTIVITY
“¡Sí Se Puede!”
Cesar Chavez adopted “Sí se puede” (Yes we can) as the official slogan of the United
Farm Workers to remind all of us that our actions can bring hope and positive
change to our communities. In the space below, draw a positive change you hope to
see for our world to make it a better place to live for all people.

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 DRAWING ACTIVITY
“Respect for one’s own culture does not require
contempt or disrespect for other cultures.”
Cesar Chavez had a vision for humankind of equality, justice, and dignity for all
races and cultures. Draw what culture means to you or ways that you respect other
cultures.

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 WRITING ACTIVITY

“¡Viva la causa!”
Cesar Chavez dedicated his life to the nonviolent struggle for farm worker’s rights. Cesar’s
passion for this cause grew out of his childhood experience of working in the fields
alongside his family and witnessing the injustices that farm workers faced. His dream was
that one day all workers would be treated with dignity and respect and paid a decent wage.
Write about a cause that is important to you or a dream that you have to make this world a
better place.

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 WRITING ACTIVITY
The life story of Cesar Chavez is one of strong character and conviction. The challenges he
faced on a daily basis became the foundation for what his life has now become – a legacy.

Like Chavez, we all have a personal story. Choose one of the values below that relates to an
experience you have had and tell us about it!

VALUES
Achievement Equality Responsibility
Culture Leadership Service to Others
Dignity Commitment Perseverance
Courage Sacrifice Nonviolence
Social Justice Self-Worth Family Involvement
Knowledge Determination Unity

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 WRITING ACTIVITY
Cesar Chavez was passionate and dedicated to the cause of worker’s rights. His beliefs
centered on empowering individuals to become actively involved in the community to
eradicate racism, segregation and injustice. Today, we as citizens have the opportunity to
give back to our community. We, like Cesar Chavez, can be heroes too. List 10 ways that
you can help the community and be a hero!

WAYS I CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE:

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

10.

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 DISCUSSION ACTIVITIES

Cesar Chavez: Life and Work

1) Pick five events from the timeline. For each event, choose one or more of the
values of Cesar Chavez and explain how it is related to the event.

2) What did César learn from his family?

3) Why do you think it was personally important for César to fight against prejudice
and injustice?

4) César met people and read books that changed his life forever. Which people
have you met or books have you read that have changed your life?

5) Explain how forming a union helped farm workers.

6) Create a new flag for the United Farm Workers. What three colors would you use?
Explain what each color represents.

7) Which nonviolent method of protest - boycotts, strikes, marches, or fasts - do you

think was most effective? Why?

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 Section III

CESAR CHAVEZ
REFLECTION TOOLKIT

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A Few Words About Reflection
Whether you are part of a service project taking part in your community or have been
engaged with your family and neighbors in learning more about Cesar Chavez, taking the
time to reflect on your experience will be an important part of the day. It is an essential and
critical element to providing individuals with the opportunity to make connections from their
activities to learning about the life and work of Cesar Chavez. For participants in volunteer
projects, it is also through this process that volunteers ponder the impact of their service,
not only on the community, but also on themselves. It is through this process that change
takes place -- Insight is revealed -- Knowledge is gained -- Vision is created. Reflection truly
is at the very heart of meaningful service.

Reflection answers three main questions:

What? What service was performed or what did we learn? Facts are provided.
So What? What does our actions mean? Why did we participate here today? What impact
did we make? What did we learn? Feelings, opinions and insights should be discussed.

Now What? Now what do we do? How else can we help? Future possibilities of action
should be explored. Thoughts on what might be different in the future as a result of our
actions should be considered.

Facilitating Reflection Activities

Introduce participants to the concept of reflection as a process for thinking more deeply
about their experience and to explore how it relates to the world around them. It is during
this time, that we give meaning to the service or learning just carried out as we examine the
values of Cesar Chavez.

Here are a few tips for leading reflections with small groups:
• Help the group maintain focus by reminding volunteers of the three main questions.

• Allow silence to occur. Individuals may need to internally reflect before they can
participate in the group. Be patient for responses to the questions you ask!

• Ensure that all people have an opportunity to engage in the conversation.

• Start with low-risk activities. Work your way up to activities that may evoke emotion and
personal convictions.

• Provide a diversity of ways to answer any given question to appeal to multiple learning
styles.

• Have fun!

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 REFLECTING ON TODAY

1 – 15 MINUTE EXERCISES

 1 TO 3!
Have each participate share one to three words to describe the experience and how they felt.

 Poetry and Music

Have groups create and perform a poem or song that describes their experience and how the
community/neighborhood/family benefited.

 Let’s Draw
Give participants a blank paper to draw their favorite part of the day and what it meant to them.
Have them share with the group.

10 – 30 MINUTE EXERCISES
 What? So What? Now What? Question Discussion:
Lead participants in discussion based on the three key questions mentioned above.

 Written Reflection
Ask any of these questions and have participants journal their responses.
- What is something that stands out for you today?
- What did you learn about this community or a particular societal issue?
- How did this project change your assumptions or stereotypes?
- What have you learned about yourself?
- Describe a typical day for the person who received or benefited your service today.
- What can you do further address the issue you addressed through today’s activity?
- What can society do to deal with this issue better?

 A String of Words
Stand in a circle with a ball of yarn. Each person throws it to another and discusses what they
learned. End the activity discussing how we are part of our community and we are all
connected and have a tremendous opportunity to help one another.

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 REFLECTING ON CESAR CHAVEZ
Concentric Circle Exercise (10-15 Minutes)
Engage the group in a discussion on the questions below using a concentric circles model.

• Divide the group evenly.

• Have one group form a circle and face outward.
• Ask the second group to find a partner and face them, to create two circles, one on
the outside and the other on the inside.
• Ask a question.
• Have the volunteers share their answer with the person across from them.
• After they have finished sharing thoughts on that question have the volunteers in
the inner circle take one step to the right.
• Continue with the next question.

Questions:

- Name one thing you learned about Cesar Chavez today.

- What is one value of Chavez that you experienced or witnessed today?
- Talk about a time when you experienced social injustice or prejudice? How did you
feel? What did you do?
- Name a value of Cesar Chavez that you will try to embody.
- If you could meet Cesar Chavez, what would you ask him?
- If Cesar Chavez was alive today, what do you think he would be doing?
- How can we make a difference like Cesar Chavez?

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 LINKS
California Department of Education
http://chavez.cde.ca.gov/ModelCurriculum/Intro.aspx

Cesar E. Chavez Foundation

www.chavezfoundation.org

Public Broadcasting Service

www.pbs.org

United Farm Workers

www.ufw.org

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