Cesar Chavez Foundation

"For a moment, it appeared as if Downey High School’s photojournalism class was on the chopping block, which would have been a devastating blow" "The backgrounds and demographics of the Downey Legend staff are entirely unlike those of newsrooms nationwide." "But while the number of Latinos in the media industry has remained stagnant, growing just 1% between 2010 and 2019, the city of Downey has spent years quietly implementing journalism infrastructure"

Before he organized farmworkers, Cesar Chavez's activism began by helping working class Latinos register to vote. Cesar fought voter suppression tactics as early as 1952 in the impoverished Eastside San Jose barrio called Sal Si Puedes (Get Out If You Can). Learn more about Cesar's impact on mobilizing people to vote in our latest blog post. #CesarChavezFoundation #SiSePuede

Over the past several months, Manuel Bernal, President of the Cesar Chavez Foundation, has traveled throughout California and the Southwest, meeting with Chavez Foundation staff. Recently, his travel culminated in the Central Valley, where he joined staff from Parlier and Fresno for breakfast. The community gathered in conversation and enjoyed a great morning together. Cesar Chavez once said, "If you really want to make a friend, go to someone's house and eat with him… The people who give you their food give you their heart." Cesar's words remain true today. We appreciate all of our incredible staff who consistently showcase the Si Se Puede spirit and are dedicated to uplifting the lives of Latinos and working families. #CesarChavezFoundation #SiSePuede

"What could be more joyful than working to restore and preserve the sacredness of land, water, and air? For patriotism is not protecting the land of our fathers, but preserving the land for our children." -Cesar Chavez 🎨 by Franky Castle #CesarChavezFoundation #SiSePuede

Today, we remember actress Valerie Harper, born on 22 August 1939. She was best known as an actress for her roles as Rhoda Morgenstern on the popular television show The Mary Tyler Moore Show and its spinoff Rhoda. But, Cesar Chavez and the farm worker movement didn’t have a more loyal and passionate champion in the 1970s, ’80s, and beyond than Valerie Harper. Valerie unselfishly embraced the farm workers’ cause, becoming actively involved and recruiting many of her colleagues and friends in the entertainment industry. She and Cesar maintained a close friendship. 📸 This Associated Press image shows Valerie Harper (left), Cesar Chavez, and actress Louise Fletcher at a UFW fundraiser in 1976 in Los Angeles. #CesarChavezFoundation #SiSePuede

"Latinas in higher education are thriving!" "One Latina in particular, Silvana Vasquez, this year’s valedictorian from San Gorgonio High School in San Bernardino, California" "has made waves recently after being accepted into over 30 universities."

It's World Photography Day! This year's theme is "An Entire Day". Very often, Cesar Chavez's day would begin before anyone else's and end long after everyone's had ended. Cesar envisioned creating a union to protect and serve the farm workers whose poverty and powerlessness he had shared. He worked tirelessly to make his vision a reality. We thank the incredible photographers who captured Cesar's long days and key moments in union history. Today, we share a unique look at Cesar behind the camera. This photo was taken during the fall of 1969 when Cesar toured the east coast of the United States and Canada to grow support for the national boycott of non-union harvested grapes. Follow us as we carry on Cesar's mission of uplifting and transforming the lives of Latinos and working families. 📷 by Bob Fitch Photography Archive, © Stanford University Libraries #CesarChavezFoundation #SiSePuede

This Flashback Friday, we're taking a look back at this week's Vista Howard Gong renaming ceremony, where residents, community members, and Chavez Foundation staff joined to celebrate the life and legacy of affordable housing trailblazer Howard Din Gong. The Chavez Foundation is committed to naming our high-quality, service-enhanced, affordable housing communities after community heroes who often go unrecognized. Howard Din Gong was one of those heroes. Howard was a longtime champion of affordable housing in the Bay Area who worked with non-profit builders and local governments to develop and finance more than 100 projects, which led to the creation of over 6,000 affordable housing units. Howard Gong's impact continues to inspire positive change in the Bay area and beyond. #CesarChavezFoundation #SiSePuede

"Human beings are concerned for one another" "the thing that all of us want when we are concerned for one another is to build and not to destroy." -Cesar Chavez 🎨 by Dayana Cantu #CesarChavezFoundation #SiSePuede

We sadly learned of the passing on Tuesday, Aug. 13, of former Assemblymember and Los Angeles City Councilmember Richard Alatorre, 81, a pioneering activist and political figure in the momentous events that advanced Latino empowerment from the 1960s through the 1990s. Cesar Chavez said California's historic Agricultural Labor Relations Act granting farm workers organizing rights would not have passed in 1975 if not for Alatorre's key role. The Chavez Foundation honored him with our Cesar Chavez Legacy Award in 2023. After early activism that placed Alatorre amidst early battles for Latino enfranchisement, he decided he could bring about more change from the inside and successfully ran for the state Assembly in 1972. He helped form and was the first chair of the Legislative Chicano Caucus. He convinced then-Governor Ronald Reagan to sign the first bilingual services act, opening up state and local public service to Latinos, plus the first bilingual contracts law curbing abuses of Spanish-speaking consumers. Later, Willie Brown asked Alatorre to oversee the epic 1981 reapportionment of California legislative and congressional districts. Using computers for the first time, Richard Alatorre created an unprecedented number of districts where Latinos could get elected. Later, he did the same for Los Angeles as a city council member. On the council, he helped create the city's combined mass transit and bus system, pushed the LAPD to diversify its upper ranks, redefined public safety to include services for kids, and convinced the city to embrace progressive immigration policies.