March 29, 1997, San Antonio had the very first annual Cesar Chavez March. Saturday, March 27, 2021 San Antonio will proudly celebrate the 25th Anniversary of the Cesar E. Chavez March for Justice at 7pm via Facebook. Organized by Cesar E. Chavez Legacy & Education Foundation (CECLEF), an organization led by Ernest Martinez, son of Jaime P. Martinez who founded CECELF, this is still a grassroots march belonging to the community. Beginning with less than 100 people in its first year, we’ve seen this event grow with powerful people walking the streets side-by-side con la gente such as: Dolores Huerta, Richard Chavez, brother of Cesar Chavez, Paul Chavez, son of Cesar Chavez, and Andres Chavez, grandson of Cesar Chavez.
Impacted by Covid-19, CECLEF had to pivot, and rearrange in order to keep everyone safe, while still honoring the legacy, thus shifting from an actual march to a televised event. This unique educational event will continue to uplift the spirit of La Causa, honoring the Farm Worker, the definition of today’s Essential Worker. We will be able to see people, places, and events, which shaped this march into what it is today. Video footage of the controversial Street Battle will also be available for your viewing pleasure. Performances by El Tallercito de Son, Campanas de America, and Little Joe y La Famila will fill our hearts with la musica of our corazons. Poet Eddie Vega will grace us with palabras de fuego.
Ernest Martinez hopes that everyone comes with unity for one common purpose…one common goal, to lend their voice for social justice. And so, I leave you with the Unity Clap and Martinez’s favorite quote, “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.” Adelante.
