Tribute to Cesar Chavez

Over one hundred buttons adorn a United Farm Workers’ flag that hangs prominently on the wall of Salvador Soto’s office at Yuba College. Nearby are two photos: one with Cesar Chavez in deep thought and the other with farm tools over his shoulder.Soto adjusts his glasses and gazes at each button. He points to Cesar Chavez’s signature on the UFW flag and says that Maria, his wife, made it back in the 70s. His fingers touch the frayed edges.Soto, 58, a Yuba College history professor, is one of many across the state who honored Chavez’s birthday, celebrated on March 31 for the first time in California.Chicano legislators led by Sen. Richard Polanco fought to declare Chavez’s birthday a state holiday. On August 10, 2000, the measure won approval and was signed into law by Governor Davis.The measure called for a paid holiday for state workers and an optional day in schools to teach about Chavez’s life and to promote projects to help the community.”Here at Yuba College it’s not an observed holiday, but maybe next year. I’m going to get on the committee that designates holidays,” said Soto. “This is long over due. There has been no recognition of the major contributions of Mexican Americans to the Southwest. By recognizing Cesar’s birthday in this state, we are also recognizing the contribution of all Mexicans and helping people to become aware us,” said the history professor. “It validates all of us.”Soto, who has taught at Yuba College for thirty years, recalled the day when he first met Cesar Chavez.”I was a graduate student at Sacramento State, and he (Chavez) came to speak to us. When you heard him speak,” Soto straightened in his chair, “you felt a need to do something.” The Yuba College instructor was so impressed by Chavez that he decided to take on the fight to help farm workers. “He made you believe that you could actually do anything. Cesar had that ability-that was his gift.”Soto went on to combine a long career of teaching Chicano Studies at Yuba College with helping farm workers by picketing Safeway, organizing in the fields and undertaking long marches with Chavez.According to Soto, some people in the Yuba-Sutter area were sympathetic, and others not so.”Sometimes people would get angry at us and say things. I remember some people would come out with a box of grapes and eat it in front of us,” said the former UFW organizer.Soto went on to paint a very different picture of life in the Yuba-Sutter area in the late 60s and early 70s. “At that time, the Yuba-Sutter area was much like South Africa. All the people in the fields were Mexican, and all the people that had power- the land owners, the store owners, police- were white.”The Yuba College history instructor also recalled the long marches he and his wife undertook with Chavez. “I remember the 1000 mile march in 1972. About three-hundred people went with us. We went down Highway 99 through Modesto, Turlock. Sometimes it was hard, and we would get discouraged,” recalled Soto. “Cesar would come to speak to us and get us encouraged again.”On the long treks, the UFW marchers would also sing songs of protest and chants to keep their sprits up he said.But of all the marches, Soto remembers with deep sadness the one organized after Cesar Chavez died in 1993.”It was like a family member died. I took my daughters to the march. When we got to Delano where they had his body and I saw him, I started crying,” said Soto. ” He was in a pine box his brother made for him, dressed in a white shirt.” Soto cleared his throat and paused for a moment. “We marched for hours in a procession through the heat of the valley. People that lived along the route would come out and give us water,” said Soto. “My daughters said they were tired, but I don’t remember feeling tired, just very sad.”It has been eight years since that tearful march, but Soto keeps the memory of Chavez alive by covering the fallen leader’s life in his Mexican-American history class he teaches at Yuba College each semester. He also remains active in organizations that help farm workers such as the Western Farm Workers, which has an office in Yuba City.Soto’s most cherished memory is when the legendary UFW leader called him at his home.”I picked up the phone and heard this calm, gentle voice on the other end. I knew it was him immediately. He said he had heard all the good things I was doing to help the farm workers and the UFW and wanted to thank me,” said Soto. “I was speechless. I wanted to say so many things and could think of nothing. It was like when the president calls. The sound of his peaceful, kind voice is still with me.” When speaking of the situation of the farm workers today, the Yuba College instructor is guarded”The effects of pesticides on farm workers has gotten more attention and awareness. Also certain laws have been passed like that against the short hoe. But there are many infractions in our community. The abuse is prevalent still. Workers are still being housed in substandard housing. Some are living in the orchards. Society doesn’t see them still,” said Soto. “Much work still needs to be done, and by taking up the cause, we are truly honoring Cesar.”Estaban Rosales, administrative assistant for the local chapter of The Western Farm Workers, which consists of volunteers who offer farm workers assistance, knows much of the abuse first hand that Soto talked about.”In this country that is so wealthy, how can so many farm workers be without homes and going hungry after they spend so many hours harvesting crops to feed Americans?” Rosales asked. “It’s just not right, and all of us must do whatever we can to change this.”