César
Chávez
Day in Nevada
EL
DÍA DE CÉSAR CHÁVEZ
¡Sí
se puede!
Be well. Raise hell.
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|
The
César
Chávez Long March
by Reno artist Erik Holland
Mr. Holland
will be selling cards and prints at the March 31 César
Chávez celebration at Circus Circus in Reno. The original
watercolor is currently displayed at the Nevada Legislature
in the office of Sen. Ruben Kihuen, D-Las Vegas.
Copyright
© 2009 Erik Holland. All rights reserved.
|
César Chávez's fight for justice lives on
by Tony Mayorga
Guest Commentary
/ Reno Gazette-Journal / 3-31-2012
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|
The
spirit of César Chávez lives on whenever an Nevada
worker protests unsafe conditions.
The spirit of César Chávez lives on whenever a woman,
a person of color or older worker stands up to discrimination.
The spirit of César Chávez lives on whenever a miner
speaks out about unsafe practices that continue to injure and kill
his fellow workers.
The spirit of César Chávez wept when Las Vegas Strip
construction craftsmen were regularly injured and killed on the
job.
The spirit of César Chávez is troubled as Nevada construction
and mining inspection is chronically understaffed and underfunded.
The spirit of César Chávez screams whenever inattentive
motorists endanger themselves, other drivers and road construction
workers.
The spirit of César Chávez feels pride whenever a
Nevada farm worker objects to inhuman living and working conditions.
The memory of César Chávez was insulted when pregnant
17 year-old grape harvester Maria Isavel Jimenez was criminally
mistreated — denied even water in California heat — and
died as a result.
The spirit of César Chávez wept when her employers
were slapped on the wrist.
The spirit of César Chávez cries for justice as does
her family.
The Internet is rife with the scare tactics of anti-worker lawyers
and consultants offering to protect employers from their own employees,
promoting fear and loathing, not productivity.
César Chávez would be troubled to see that almost
20 years after his death, so many offer the iron fist rather than
extending an open hand.
Workers are not the enemy. Unions are not the enemy. A good day's
pay for a good day's work in a safe environment is all that workers
ask.
Irrational fear and the export of good American jobs are the real
maladies. Clear thinking and mutual respect are the remedies.
Nevada has for too long suffered from a company town mentality pitting
taxpayers against students and teachers, newcomers against longtimers,
the young versus the old.
March 31 is César Chávez Day in Nevada, the 85th anniversary
of the great labor leader's birth.
On Saturday,
we will bring together friends and strangers, allies and adversaries,
labor and management, apprentices and journeymen, trainees and retirees,
humble citizens and high officeholders, all to envision what we
may build and how to accomplish it.
Celebrate the spirit of César Chávez with Nevada workers
and their families on Saturday evening at Circus Circus in Reno.
(Information at CesarChavezNevada.com)
Then move forward and continue César Chávez's work.
Speak out
against and report injustices and dangers foisted upon Nevada workers.
Participate
on national Workers
Memorial Day when Nevadans will join their brothers and
sisters across the nation to remember those hurt or killed on the
job and to advocate for better working conditions.
We are the spirit of César Chávez, the spirit of the
neverending fight for justice.
Please join
us in our fight as we celebrate his life.
______
Tony Mayorga
serves as president and apprenticeship coordinator for Laborers'
International Union Local 169.
March
19, 2012
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT
Andrew Barbano, 775-882-TALK (882-8255)
e-mail barbano@frontpage.reno.nv.us
César
Chávez Celebration X
Saturday
/ March 31, 2012 / Circus
Circus-Reno
César
Chávez X
Celebracion
del
2012
sábado
31 DE Marzo, 2012 en Circus Circus de Reno
RENO, Nevada,
USA — Nevada César Chávez Day X takes place on
Saturday, March 31, 2012, at Circus Circus Hotel-Casino in Reno.
Doors open at 5:30 p.m., dinner at 7:00 p.m. The legendary labor
leader was born March 31, 1927, near Yuma, Ariz.
As always, members of César Chávez's immediate family
have been invited, as have Gov. Brian Sandoval and the Nevada
Legislature's new Latino Caucus. [UPDATE: As in 2011, Gov. Sandoval
will not attend this year.]
In accordance with the bi-partisan measure (1)
passed by the 2009 legislature, the governor will proclaim March
31 as a day in honor of César Chávez. County
Commissioner Kitty Jung
has agendized a similar proclamation at the March 27 Washoe County
Commission meeting.
In 2010, the event inaugurated the César Chávez Nevada
Labor Hall of Fame. The first inductee was former Harrah's bartender
Darlene Jespersen,
whose wrongful termination legal action became an international
cause celébre and is taught in many law schools today.
Honorees in 2011
included 28-year former Assemblymember Bob Price, D-North
Las Vegas. A member of International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers
Local 357/AFL-CIO for more than half a century, Price and his wife,
Nancy, now reside in Sparks.
Wendy Jones, 50-year former office manager of IBEW Local
401/AFL-CIO was installed last year, as was her husband, former
Nevada Labor Commissioner Stan Jones. The retired member
of Sheet Metal Workers Local 26/AFL-CIO also served as director
of the Nevada Employment Security Dept.
Nominations remain open for union organizer, employer and project
of the year.
Seating is limited and reservations are strongly recommended.
On Saturday, March 31, doors of the Circus Circus Mandalay Ballroom
will open at 5:30 p.m. with dinner at 7:00 p.m. Reserved tables
for 10 are $600 purchased on or before March 28 and $725.00 thereafter.
Individual tickets purchased on or before March 28 are $65 per person;
thereafter or at the door, $75 per person; children under 12 are
$ 25.00 each; seniors 65+ or students (with student i.d.) purchased
on or before March 28 are $35 per person; purchased March 28 or
thereafter, $40 per person.
Tickets
may be purchased online or by calling
Andrew Barbano at (775) 882-8255. The website has major
sponsorship information as well as history
and photos dating back to 1986 when Chávez visited Reno.
As always,
Laborers Union Local 169 is the
major sponsor of
the celebration.
_____
1. AB 301, sponsored by
Assemblyman (now Senator) Ruben Kihuen, D-Las Vegas, and
18 others.
UNR
students
honor César Chávez on March 29, 2012
César
Chávez and Dr. King still lead us
By Andrew Barbano / Reno Gazette-Journal
Guest Editorial / 3-31-2011
Dr. Martin Luther
King, Jr., and César Chávez still guide
us.
Last week came what historian Guy Louis Rocha called the
biggest demonstration ever at the state capital, about 1,500 people.
It was comprised largely of college students from all over Nevada.
Many of the latter day freedom riders rode in on buses, texting
and tweeting lawmakers all the way.
Last Monday, the UNR Latino Student Advisory Board hosted a
César Chávez commemoration on campus.
Student leader Carla Castedo Testa, a senior psychology major
who organized the event, said "we want to honor César
Chávez and his contributions to civil rights. Chávez
was someone who, through his non-violent actions, left a legacy
of leadership, activism and unity.
"When everyone seemed to be against his cause and his desire
to achieve workers' rights, he never gave up and, for that, we are
all grateful. This is one of the qualities that keeps inspiring
our generation to improve. By helping others and by accomplishing
a higher level of education that will allow us to better serve our
community, we hope to keep his legacy going strong," Castedo
said
.
Ms. Castedo and some her colleagues will attend the annual César
Chávez celebration on march 31 at Reno's Circus Circus on
the legendary labor leader's 84th birthday. The Nevada Legislature
has a Latino Caucus for the first time and a majority has confirmed.
Members of the Chávez family will attend, as usual.
The Thursday event will install new members of the Nevada Labor
Hall of Fame. Local entertainers César Perez and Ángel
Rodriguez will perform.
Both Chávez events
pave the way to national unity
day on April 4, the 43rd anniversary of the assassination of Dr.
King who traveled to Memphis, Tenn., supporting striking union
garbage workers.
"On April 4, church leaders, civil rights activists and community
members of all stripes will hold events around the country to say,
as Dr. King did, that 'injustice anywhere is a threat to justice
everywhere,'" stated national NAACP
President Benjamin Jealous.
"In recent months, we have witnessed attempts in North Carolina
to amend state policy to accelerate the resegregation of its public
schools, a widespread assault on voting rights — including
an effort in Florida that would take up to 300,000 voters off the
rolls, continued attacks on the rights of women and immigrants in
addition to the well-publicized offensive on the rights of organized
labor," Jealous added.
The local April 4 gathering will take place on the campus of Carson
City's Western Nevada College at 4:30 p.m. For more information,
contact last year's César Chávez union organizer of
the year Liz Sorenson at Communications
Workers of Amerca Local 9413/AFL-CIO in Sparks at 775-322-9413.
The fight for justice never ends. The Texas board of education has
tried to eliminate Chávez and Supreme Court Justice Thurgood
Marshall from history books. The governor of Maine recently
ordered Chávez's name removed from a meeting room at the
state labor department.
Be well. Raise hell.
Andrew Barbano is editor of NevadaLabor.com
and chairs the Nevada César Chávez Committee.
A
walk with the giants
The César
Chávez Nevada Labor Hall of Fame Awards
Barbwire by Barbano / Expanded from the 4-3-2011 Daily Sparks Tribune
César
Chávez, Dr. King & the kids are alright
Barbwire by Barbano / Expanded from the 3-27-2011 Daily Sparks Tribune
19
DE Marzo, 2012
