Berkeley Cesar Chavez Celebration

A free day of arts performances, spoken word, speakers and live music at the Berkeley Farmers Market, in honor of Cesar Chavez and the United Farmworkers.


Berkeley, CA-Celebrating the legacy of César Chávez is not mere nostalgia. The issues he devoted his life to are still very much with us. In California and the rest of the United States, no one works harder and is paid more poorly than farmworkers. With the heat induced death last summer of a 17 year old female farmworker and the similar deaths of several other farmworkers in recent years, it is clear that farmworkers are not afforded the level of on-the-job protections that most Americans are. And with other states considering laws like Arizona's anti-immigrant SB 1070, it should be clear to everyone that the situation around immigration is not good. So, for these, and many other reasons, it remains important to commemorate the life and work of César Chávez and highlight the continuing human rights movement.

Performances & Presentations

Nina Serrano - Poet, Translator, Storyteller, Independent Media Producer at KPFA
Makrú - Bay Area Latin-Reggae-Cumbia-Rock
Capoiera UCA - Afro-Brazilian Dance, Music & Culture, led by Mestre Acordeon
AfroCuban Dance & Drum - led by Judith Justiz, Folklórico de Oriente
Cuahtli Mitotiani Mexica - Aztec Dance Group
Arnoldo García - Poet, Program Director of the Immigrant Justice & Rights Program at NNIRR
Efren Ávalos - Farmer with Ávalos Organic Farm, Graduate of ALBA (Agri-Land Based Training)
Nakia Dillard - Poet, Youth Educator with Farm Fresh Choice

Information booths (partial list):
BAHIA (Bay Area Hispano Institute for Advancement)
Just Food (Youth Food Justice Coalition, a project of Ashoka Youth Venture & The
Earth Island Institute)
Farm Fresh Choice (Youth Leadership, Food Equity)
National Network for Immigrant & Refugee Rights
California Pesticide Reform