KEENE, Calif. (KERO) — The Roots of Strength Garden in Yuma, Arizona represents the birthplace of Cesar Chavez. On March 31, 2023, Kern County celebrates the birthday and legacy of the civil and labor rights icon, and many people continue to remember the impact he made on their lives.
Although he was born out of state, Chavez made his mark in Kern County, founding the National Farm Workers Association, the organization that would become United Farm Workers, in Delano. William Mask remembers growing up in Madera and watching the farmworkers' movement on the evening news.
"There were a lot of movements in the 70s, which is why we oftentimes refer to it as the Turbulent Decade," said Mask. "That was the one that captivated me, because it was at home."
Mask says people in his hometown predominantly work in agriculture, and says he used to work on a farm as a kid, too. As he grew up, Mask says Chavez' work inspired him.
"And then when I got to school and in college, I knew what I wanted to do. I knew what I wanted to teach. It was already predetermined," said Mask. "The movement had its effect on me."
Mask is now a professor of history at Madera Community College, where he says he strives to highlight the importance of teaching everyone's history.
Miranda Hernandez, a park ranger working at the Cesar E. Chavez National Monument, says that when she was growing up in Los Angeles, she didn't know the complete history of the farmworkers' movement.
"I just knew what it meant, and I knew that somebody like me with the last name of Hernandez who wasn't white, he stood up for that and he said we can do things just as well as anyone else, and we deserve that," said Hernandez.
Hernandez goes on to say that Cesar Chavez Day is a time to recognize Chavez as part of a larger movement.
"Just knowing that much inspired me to have faith and confidence in myself," said Hernandez.
Perhaps among the people most impacted by Chavez and his legacy is his son, Paul.
"He was also the person that I decided in my life to follow," says Paul Chavez. "He was my hero."
Paul says he didn't go to baseball games with his dad. Instead, they attended picket lines and civil rights protests. Although his father traveled frequently for the movement, Chavez says his father always made time for family.
"We learned to share him very early, but it was later on that I began to work with him and I would travel with him, and when I would talk to people that told me how he impacted their lives, I began to appreciate his life and his work," said Chavez.
Chavez says he hopes people will continue his father's legacy through community service to include the hopes and aspirations of others to make our communities better.
At the Cesar E. Chavez National Monument, Mask says visitors can write cards to share how Chavez impacted their lives, continuing his legacy.
"His profound effect," said Mask, "we're still remembering it years later. We must continue to share his stories."
