Cesar Chavez Day celebrates legacy of United Farm Workers founder —PHOTOS

When University of Nevada, Las Vegas alum Greg Loza heard his fraternity brothers would be volunteering at Cesar Chavez Day, he made the more than four-hour trip from Los Angeles to join them Saturday in Las Vegas.

The first-generation Mexican American not only wanted to donate his time to the event, but he also wanted to show his support for an issue close to his heart.

Mexican-American Cesar Chavez, a farm worker, labor leader and civil rights activist who co-founded the National Farm Workers Association (which later became the United Farm Workers union) in 1962, according to the United Farm Workers of America website, www.ufw.org.

During the first strike against California grape growers, Chavez was dedicated to using nonviolent methods and used boycotts, marches and hunger strikes to secure raises and improve conditions for farm workers in California, Texas, Arizona and Florida.

Loza said his grandfather started working in the fields in California from February to November for two decades starting when he was 20. Loza’s mother also worked in the fields for nearly three years when she first arrived in the United States at age 18.

“My grandfather was able to receive his citizenship through the job and my mom was able to come here legally,” he said. “My mom didn’t have an education, and she always told me and my sister that we have greater opportunities than she did and wanted us to do better.”

Loza added, “Young people don’t always know about the opportunities they have and being here we’re able to remind people that you can be successful.”

Like Loza, Mexican-American Ignacio Gomez also traveled from Los Angeles to Las Vegas’ Gary Reese Freedom Park on North Mojave Road for the third annual Cesar Chavez Day Celebration, sponsored by the city of Las Vegas.

In 2004, he designed, sculpted and painted the César E. Chavez Memorial for the city of San Fernando, which consists of a 6-foot-tall bronze statue of Chavez, a fountain in the shape of the United Farm Workers eagle symbol and 10 silhouette figures representing the March to Sacramento in 1968, and 100-foot-long mural of Chavez’s life.

Gomez also designed a headstone for Chavez in La Paz, Calif., as well as a 6-foot-tall statue of Chavez alongside 10 farm workers in Riverside, Calif., in 2013.

“To me, Cesar Chavez was like a giant facing a wall of resistance, but he had perseverance and knew the cause was important,” Gomez told the crowd at the event Saturday morning.

Gomez added that he’s trying to raise funds to build a Cesar Chavez statue in Washington, D.C.

“Many people back east don’t know who he is, and I’m trying to make sure everyone knows who Cesar Chavez is,” Gomez said. “One person can make a big difference.”

Music, cultural performances, vendors and food were abundant at the celebration.

Event founder Selena Torres was busy ensuring everything was running smoothly.

“It’s important we educate young students about Latinos who are making a positive impact in the community,” she said. “We also want to continue to honor Latinos in our own community.”

Torres’ mother, Tillie, is in charge of educational components for the event as she’s a teacher at Valley High School.

“Cesar Chavez is an American hero who created the boycott and the idea that money talks,” she said. “People began looking at where they were spending their money and he changed the way Americans consume.”

Tillie added that it’s important that Hispanic youth are aware of notable Latino leaders such as Chavez.

“The youth of today need to know that there are people like them doing great things,” she said. “Sometimes kids don’t see the value of education, and we want to show them successful people who are just like them so they’re motivated to be successful.”

Contact reporter Ann Friedman at afriedman@reviewjournal.com or 702-380-4588. Follow @AnnFriedmanRJ on Twitter.