On March 31st several states, including California, celebrate Cesar Chavez‘s birthday to honor his hard work and accomplishments as a dedicated civil rights activist. Because we live in a state where the majority of our population are immigrants or of immigrant descent, many families suffer when their family members get deported, among other obstacles they undergo daily as an illegal immigrant. People are left without their siblings, aunts, uncles, or cousins. Many times American born children are left without parents when they get deported for being here illegally. Families have to struggle to obtain bank accounts or purchase things such as houses or cars.
The biggest struggle they undergo is that of finding work that doesn’t put them under extreme conditions. Yet more often than not they have no choice but to work in the fields all year long under the blazing hot sun and the freezing cold winter. Although these people do come to America illegally, they do it with a purpose. They come to find a better future for themselves and their children, yet they are not given the opportunity to better themselves and are taken advantage of.
In Fresno, there are many people who are immigrants or have a relative that has come to America illegally. Yet immigration status should not be an excuse to be mistreated. Chavez advocated for the rights of Latino Americans and influenced the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986.
Today, years after his death, Latino American immigrants still struggle yet there is renewed hope due to recent stir in our country’s immigration policy. Obama is proposing immigration reform that can be put into action as soon as possible.
Chavez influenced Obama so much that he used his “Si se puede” slogan, translated to “Yes we can,” during his campaign. President Obama has also proposed to make Cesar Chavez Day a national holiday. Although that has not yet been accomplished, the fight continues to ensure the same rights that Chavez fought for. With this ongoing effort by many, Cesar Chavez Day is celebrated.
In 2006, over 25 youth began participating in weekly after-school writing workshops where they congregated in the hallway of a two-story building in West Fresno and learned the essentials of creating media and telling their stories. The group evolved over the next five years and is now proudly recognized as The kNOw Youth Media.
Through our program, we create opportunities for our youth participants, who in turn create long-term positive change in their communities. Our approach weaves youth development and youth media innovation to produce our biannual youth publication, multimedia projects, and community forums.
The kNOw began as a project of New America Media, which was the country’s first and largest national collaboration and advocate of 2000 ethnic news organizations. In 2018 The kNOw became a project of Youth Leadership Institute.
