(AP) Granddaughter of Cesar Chavez to Run

[Judi Lynn]

(AP) Granddaughter of Cesar Chavez to Run
Mar 28 2006

LOS ANGELES

A granddaughter of Cesar Chavez said Monday she is running for a seat in the California Assembly, becoming the first member of the late United Farm Workers leader's family to seek public office.

Christine Chavez, who has taken leave from her post as the union's political director, planned to formally announce her candidacy Tuesday.

"When I approached the subject I mainly told the matriarch of our family, my grandmother Helen Chavez. She was at first shocked but of course she's very excited. You know, we've always been sort of advocates on the other side of the political spectrum," Chavez said.

The 45th District covers an area east, north and northwest of downtown. Six candidates have filed to run for the seat in the June 6 election, according to the secretary of state's office.
(snip/...)

http://www.townhall.com/news/ap/online/headlines/D8GK9AP85.html

[whatelseisnew]

1. k&r

[katinmn]

2. Very timely!

:)

[Judi Lynn]

3. Christine Chavez - Democrat for Assembly - 45th District

Dear Friends,

Long before it became popular by other Democrats, I challenged Governor Schwarzenegger on issues important to working families.

I'm proud to say that while we haven't won every fight, we did defeat the Governor's emergency regulations weakening the right to a guaranteed lunch break during the work day.

If elected to the Assembly, I will continue to fight the Governor's "broken promises."


This I promise,

Christine Chavez

http://www.actionimpact.org/index.asp



Photo of her grandfather sitting with Robert Kennedy: http://ufw.org/_board.php?b_code=res_gal

[Judi Lynn]

4. Here's a site with info. concerning her grandfather.

~snip~
In 1942, when César was in eighth grade, his father was in a car accident and César quit school in order to work in the fields with his brother and sister. César did not want his mother to have to work. Working in the fields was very difficult. The growers demanded that farm workers use the short-handled hoe, so that workers could be close to the ground while thinning the plants; this hoe caused severe back pain. Often there was no clean water to drink or bathrooms for the farm workers to use and they had to work around dangerous pesticides. César worked long hours and felt that the growers treated farm workers without dignity as if they were not human beings and he knew this was not right.
(snip)

In the 1990s, César recovered from his fast and continued to boycott of grapes. In 1992, he received an honorary Doctorate Degree from Arizona State University and attended graduation ceremonies. He was very proud of the honor because he believed that education is very important, and his dream was that all children should have the opportunity to get a quality education.
(snip)




Photo Courtesy of United Farm Workers
A crop duster is spraying a field in Delano with pesticides,
while farm workers are working in the field in 1969


http://chavez.cde.ca.gov/ModelCurriculum/Teachers/Lessons/Resources/Biographies/Biographical_Sketch_4thGrd.aspx



César Chávez

[Judi Lynn]

5. First of Cesar Chavez Family to Run for Public Office

First of Cesar Chavez Family to Run for Public Office

By:
Published: Mar 28, 2006 at 07:17

Christine Chavez, granddaughter of labor and civil rights leader Cesar Chavez, makes her official announcement today to run for the 45th Assembly District, representing from East Los Angeles to Hollywood. Christine Chavez is the first of the Cesar Chavez family to run for public office and represents a new crop of Latino leaders and a new generation from the Chavez legacy ready to be put to the political test.

"From a grandfather's legacy to a granddaughter's commitment, hard-working families and their children need a different kind of lawmaker that comes from a lifetime of public service, environmental justice and civil rights," said candidate Christine Chavez (D-Los Angeles) for the 45th Assembly District. "I want to organize our neighborhoods to fight for the things people need. No child should be denied the textbooks they need and no one student should find the doors to a community college closed to them. No worker should be paid less than a living wage and no child should be without health insurance. No community or neighborhood or class of people should face the threat of pollution, and no polluter should go unpunished. And no people shall be denied any of the rights granted to others. There are no exceptions."

Born in Delano California, Christine, now 34, was surrounded by the farm worker movement. For the last eight years, she has served as the United Farm Workers (UFW) Southern California Political Director. Her responsibilities included raising public awareness to protect the civil rights of farm workers and the larger immigrant community. Over the last eight years, she has also helped elect candidates, pass legislation and oversee public outreach activities.

"Creating change comes from all levels of public life," added Chavez. "As my grandfather would say: 'Being of service is not enough. You must become a servant of the people.' And in the service of others, it is both spiritual and one of the highest forms of leadership that must carry the greatest measure of discipline, ethics, and responsibility."
(snip)

The 45th Assembly District includes the communities of Angelino Heights, Atwater Village, Chinatown, City Terrace, Cypress Park, East Hollywood, East L.A., Echo Park, El Serreno, Elysian Valley, Hermon, Highland Park, Glassell Park, Hollywood, Lincoln Heights, Little Armenia, Montecito Heights, Mt. Washington, Filipinotown, Silver Lake, Thaitown, and University Hills.
(snip/)

http://www.yubanet.com/artman/publish/article_33531.shtml

[AlphaCentauri]

6. Great!!!