César Chávez’s grandson will be the keynote speaker in a new event added by Coachella city officials to celebrate the legacy of the labor activist in advance of the holiday.
The free “Coachella Chavez Day” event will be held Wednesday from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at the Coachella Library Park, according to Coachella’s public information officer Risseth Lora.
“I was honored to have been approached by the city to share my grandfather’s legacy and the Foundation’s current endeavors toward serving our target communities,” said executive director of the National Chavez Center and grandson of the civil rights leader Andres Chavez in a statement. “My mission is to continue acknowledging and addressing the needs of our people.”
Lora said that Andres, having been raised in the farmworker movement, has continued to represent the Cesar Chavez Foundation and the movement at various public events across the nation.
His speech will help represent a younger generation and the wave of immigrants who came in after the labor movement, connecting how “the past is influencing the future for Latinos and working families,” Mayor Pro Tem Neftali Galarza said in a statement.
In addition to Andres’ speech, the evening will feature free food, live entertainment, opening and closing remarks from city officials, and additional remarks from activist Clementina Olloque, according to Lora.
Mariachi Coachella will start off the event with Ballet Folklorico Sangre Obreara and will conclude it with Ballet Alma Folklorika Metztli.
“Cesar’s cause is engrained in the fabric of this city,” said Mayor Steven Hernandez in a statement. “The very foundation of our community is based on the education, activism and fundamentals of the United Farm Workers, which we will continue to uphold and carry forward for future generations.”
More information about the event can be found at coachellachavezday.com.
