Golden Globe and Emmy award-winning actor Edward James Olmos will speak to local students at 11:30 a.m. today in the Gannon Vocational Tech Center Gym at Lansing Community College.

The speech, sponsored by the Cesar E. Chavez Commission and Lansing Community College, is free to the public as part of a series of events to celebrate Cesar Chavez.

Chavez founded the first successful farm workers’ union in the U.S.

Olmos, who has appeared in “Miami Vice,” “Selena” and “Stand and Deliver,” will discuss the importance of staying in school and being involved in the community.

Santiago Rios, chairperson of the Capitol Area Cesar E. Chavez commission, said Olmos had strong ties with Chavez.

“He is no stranger to the social justice movement,” he said. “He has brought the Latino face to the big screen in a very positive way.”

The series also features a free performance by the mariachi band Perla de Mexico at 1 p.m. Friday at Riddle Middle School, 221 Huron St. in Lansing.

Olmos will also stop at the Business College Comlex at 9 a.m. today to address the Vistas Nuevas conference.

The seventh Annual Cesar E. Chavez Commemorative Dinner will be held at 5:30 p.m. on Friday in the banquet rooms of the Lansing Center, 333 E. Michigan Avenue in Lansing.

The granddaughter of Chavez, Julie Chavez Rodriquez, will speak at the dinner in addition to Olmos.