Many Bakersfield College students were sad to find out that CSUB would get Cesar Chavez Day off, but BC would not.

“Union wise, BC gets the same amount of days off. It is a matter of what days the union members choose, so it is not like Cal State is getting an extra day off,” said Rosa Garza, Chicano Studies professor and adviser of M.E.Ch.A. at BC.

Cesar Chavez was best known for organizing agricultural workers and labor workers in California.

He co-created the United Farm Workers union along with Dolores Huerta in the struggle for equal rights not only for Mexicans but for everyone who suffered injustices.

They fought to improve the conditions of farm workers with demands for clean water for the workers to drink, clean restrooms for them to use, higher wages, and to cease the use of toxic pesticides that harmed workers.

“It means a lot, especially for myself. I have worked in the fields, and it takes a lot to work out there and I appreciate what he did because you can tell the difference,” said Miguel Perez, 21, a physical education major.

In honor of the late labor leader, M.E.Ch.A. held a memorial March 31 in BC’s Fireside Room.

Guest speakers included Mayor Harvey Hall, the daughter of Dolores Huerta, Lori Deleon, Michael Rubio, supervisor for the 5th District, Corney Rodriguez; Cesar Chavez’s granddaughter Nicole Chavez, and Dr. Jess Nieto, professor at BC.

Hall was happy to accept M.E.Ch.A.’s invitation and to read a proclamation that officially declared March 31 Cesar Chavez Day in the city of Bakersfield.

“It is always fun for me to come to BC and to participate with students. I am happy to be here today,” Hall said.

Although Cesar Chavez Day is a holiday in Bakersfield, Gov. Schwarzenegger wants to get rid of two of the 11 California state holidays to help the budget crisis.

“He put the idea out to the towns, to the board of supervisors, asking them to make a decision as to which of the two of the 11 state holidays we have would they vote to get rid of, and unfortunately the two that came out majority were Martin Luther King’s birthday and Cesar Chavez Holiday,” said Deleon.

Deleon encouraged students to get on the Internet and send an e-mail to the governor to keep Cesar Chavez Holiday.

The choir from Our Lady of Guadalupe sang as everyone present made their way out on campus between the Humanities and Business buildings. There, M.E.Ch.A. planted a sequoia tree in honor of Cesar Chavez.

“The sequoia represents prosperity and peace, and what it signifies is what Chavez, through his campaigns would show nonviolence,” said Jesse Ibarra, president of M.E.Ch.A.

Nonviolence is our strength.”

The BC Mariachi group performed as roughly 100 people gathered to watch the sequoia be planted.

“We hope that the tree adds diversity to campus, showing that BC is a great place to come to nourish your mind and get educated,” said Ibarra.