Cesar Chavez 1927-1993
Cesar M. Willow Room June 2013
Introduction Famous Quotation: "You are never strong enough that you don't need help." Best known for: working for the rights of Mexican Americans.
What I find interesting: I think it's interesting that Cesar Chavez would get hit if he spoke Spanish in school.
3 Key Qualities: 1. Perseverance 2. Took Action 3. Compassion and Empathy
I chose this person because... He has the same first name as me, Cesar, and he is MexicanAmerican like me.
Overcame a Hardship/or the Challenge I read that when Cesar was 10, his family had to sell the store they owned because they couldn't pay the rent. He had to work in the fields as a child in order to help support his family. Therefore he didn't go to high school and only went to school until the end of 8th grade.
I think he must have had a hard childhood because while other kids were going to school he had to work in the fields.
Showed Compassion and Empathy I read that in 1952 he worked for the rights of Mexican Americans and migrant farmworkers to get them paid more money. Migrant farmworkers are people who go from farm to farm and never stay in one farm and don't have a home.
I think Cesar Chavez was a migrant farmworker because he went farm to farm. He wanted to help the farm workers because he knew the work was painful because you bend over all day it hurts your back and use your hands a lot.
Took Action I read that he made a union in 1962 for farm workers. He also made people not to buy grapes because the farmers are not paying the workers enough money.
I think he made the right thing to start a union. I think it was the right thing to stop buying grapes because it caused the workers to win.
Persevered Cesar helped lead strikes the 1965-1967. One strike was when Mexican Americans refused to work because farmers weren't paying them enough money. In 1967, Chavez told people not to buy grapes so farmers would pay farm workers more money.
I think he never gave up because he worked hard to help Mexican Americans. He kept trying to help the workers to get paid more.
Impact: How Things are Different Today I read that he impacted how things are different today by helping farm workers to get paid more money and get treated better. In 1994, President Clinton gave Cesar's wife, Helen, the Presidential Medal of Freedom for all of his hard work.
I think he really helped and cared for farm workers rights and he worked hard to make a change happen.
Demonstrated Bravery I read that he was brave because he stood up to get the farmers to pay more money to the workers. He participated in the 5 year grape strike. He told people not to buy grapes. In 1970, the strike ended and the farmers paid more money.
I think he was successful because he never gave up and he succeeded. He was brave because he stood up and was helping the farm workers.
Learned from Mistakes I read that Cesar joined the military in World War II and he didn't want to be in the military because he wanted to fight with words peacefully.
I think he didn't want to be in the military because he wanted to work peacefully.
Communicated and Shared I read that he communicated and shared to his kids the importance of working for the rights of the Mexican migrant workers.
I think his kids will do a good job because they saw Chavez do it and will want to do it, too.
Cesar Chavez Persevered when Cesar helped lead a strike from 1965 to 1967.
Showed compassion when he worked for migrant farmworkers too.
Took action by starting a union to help the farmworkers.
Made a difference when he helped farmworkers get paid more and get treated better.
Author Talk I’m similar to my Change Maker because he has the same first name as me, Cesar, and we are both Mexican-American.
My Change Maker is connected to Mahatma Gandhi because they both worked for the rights of people who didn't get treated well, by never giving up, working hard, and fighting with words.
I’m a Change Maker when I stand up for someone and say stop when they are hurt or being treated badly.
Bibliography The Life of Cesar Chavez
Cesar Chavez: The Farm Workers' Friend
Cesar Chavez
Cesar Chavez
Glossary A Change Maker is: someone who changes the world by making a difference.
Migrant Worker: a person who moves from town to town to find work.
Strike: to stop a work activity for a good reason.
Union: group of people who join together for a special reason.