Cesar Chaves

Red As Subject

Green As Verbs

"He faced strong, often violent, opposition without violence. And he was victorious. Cesar Chavez left our world better than he found it. And his work encourages us still. He was, for his own people, a leader to freedom. Farm workers in the fields wanted to gain respect and support themselves. They looked for hope to this man. Cesar Chavez had faith and worked hard. With gentleness and amazing inner strength, he led a very courageous life."

These are the words of President Bill Clinton of the United States. He was speaking in 1994 about a man named Cesar Chavez. Clinton awarded Chavez the Presidential Medal of Freedom. By that time, Chavez had died. But his example continues to encourage thousands of people. Today’s Spotlight is on Cesar Chavez and his fight for farm worker’s rights.

Cesar Estrada Chavez was born in Arizona in the United States in 1927. When Chavez was 10 years old, his family had to leave their farm and house. They became migrant farm workers in the state of California. There were many families like the Chavez family. Many of these farm workers were from Mexico. In California, they moved from farm to farm. They worked for a short time at each place. Cesar Chavez went to 37 different schools. And at age thirteen he left school completely. Instead, he worked like an adult on a farm, to make money for his family.

At that time, farm workers like Chavez were not treated well. Almost all of them were very poor. The employers who owned the farms did not pay them much money. Adults and children often worked many hours a day in very bad conditions. The workers’ homes had no electricity or running water. Some farm owners even used chemicals on the fields while the workers were there. This was very dangerous for the workers’ health.

Chavez wanted to better conditions for all farm workers. He began to work with more and more people. Chavez found that the way to make a change was to help people to work together. When workers came together as a group they had more power. Chavez said:

"I had a dream that the only reason the employers were so powerful was that we were weak. We could somehow begin to develop some strength among ourselves. Then we could begin to equal that, balancing their power in farming."

Chavez encouraged farm workers to demand rights such as fair pay and education for their children. He also wanted to change some laws. At this time it was illegal for farm workers to join a union. These groups work for better treatment of workers. Chavez fought very hard to form a farm workers union. But this fight was not violent. Chavez only used peaceful methods. Chavez said:

"Non-violence is a very powerful weapon. Most people do not understand the power of non-violence. Those who have been involved see the difference between violence and non-violence. We are deeply committed to a lifetime of non-violence. It is not easy, but it is an effective and very powerful way."

In 1962 Chavez formed the National Farm Workers Association. They did many non-violent actions such as demonstrating and marching. Because of these actions, many people learned about farm workers’ problems. Chavez became famous for his fasting. He would not eat for many days. Once Chavez went for over 30 days without food. This made people see that Chavez and the workers were serious about change.

One of the National Farm Workers Association’s most successful actions was a boycott. This is when people stop using a service or stop buying something. Boycotts often make business owners lose money. A boycott can force a business to make a change. In 1965 Chavez organized a boycott of grapes. Farm workers picked this round sweet fruit. But the workers wanted people to see their bad living conditions. They wanted the farm owners to pay and treat them fairly.

So they began to march and hold up signs. They told people about the poor conditions of the farm workers. They asked people to boycott, or stop buying, grapes. And many people joined them. This forced the farm owners to make a deal with the farm workers. The workers won the right to higher pay and other forms of protection. They also won their right to come together to form a union.

The grape boycott was a big success for Cesar Chavez. But he gave the credit to all the people who worked together. Chavez was encouraged by the farm workers who worked so hard.

My unfamiliar words :

Employers : Majikan

Develop : Mengembangkan

Among : Antara

Equal : Sama

Encourage : Mendorong

Violent : Hebat/ Keras/ Kasar

Union : Persatuan

Violence : Kekerasan

Weapon : Senjata

Involved : Terlibat

Faced : Menghadapi/ Dihadapi

Courageous : Berani

Instead : Sebagai gantinya

Somehow : Entah bagaimana

Summary

Cesar Chaves was an incredible man. He had a hard effort to maintain the justice and hope the better condition for Farm Workers who worked so hard for their life. Cesar Chaves was very strong. He was fought for Farm Workers right without violence. He did it with peaceful way. He was told us that if we wanted to get a well treated from someone or somebody, we have to think wise. Violence is not the better way.

Cesar Chaves was told us to keep in togetherness and constant to help each other if we wanted to make a change. It will prove that we aren’t weak and we had a power. It made Cesar Chaves got the Presidential Medal from United States President : Bill Clinton.  

Cesar Chaves was encouraged many people especially the farm workers to fight for their prosperity. He was motivated the farm workers to ask fairly treatment from their owners. Such as the wage expense case and many more.

In 1962 Chavez formed the National Farm Workers Association. They worked together to express their pretension. Such as doing the peaceful action like demonstrating and marching. After a long time, many people put on their respect to National Farm Workers Association. Because the National Farm Workers Association did their action without violence. Because of these actions, many people learned about farm workers problems. Sometimes, their problems not as pretentious as our approximation.

One of the National Farm Workers Association’s most successful actions was a boycott. This action was organized by Cesar Chaves in 1965. At that time, they did The grape boycott. They did a boycott because they had known that it can make business owners lose money and after that, boycott can force a business to make a change. They ask the other people to did a boycott, too. And many people joined them. It sounds great to make a new condition and make farm workers life more better when the other people realize that farm workers needed kind of good treatment. And the result was appropiate with their expectation. The workers won the right to higher pay and other forms of protection. They also won their right to come together to form a union.

We can learn many lessons from Cesar Chaves. Kind a tryna think positive and work so hard for our life. Don’t lose hope and stay indestructible even we confronted with the worst condition. Be motivated to others and stay humble.

Thankyou very much Cesar Chaves!

-Ra