The Legislature has moved one step closer to commemorating the legacy of a man who fought for the rights of migrant farm workers.
A bill introduced by state Sen. Samuel "Buzz" Thomas, D-Detroit, proposes March 31 to be known as Cesar Chavez day in the state of Michigan.
The bill was unanimously passed by the six-member state Senate Committee on Local, Urban and State Affairs on Thursday. The bill now sits on the Senate floor.
"This won't cause the state anything but the enduring strength it will provide for the Latino community is immeasurable," Thomas said. "It's a great step in promoting and supporting the fastest growing segment of the population. We have a great Latino heritage, there story needs to be told, this is a great first step."
The committee meeting was well-attended by Chavez supporters throughout the state. People voiced their opinion to the committee on why the bill must be supported.
"It's not just a Latino issue," said Santiago Rios, chairperson for the Capitol Area Cesar E. Chavez Commission. "Chavez believed in some fundamental societal principles. By giving him this day, they are honoring not just the man, but the principles he fought for."
Rios, whose parents were migrant farm workers, now is a Lansing attorney.
Recognizing Chavez would honor agriculture, the state's second largest industry, said Juan Marinez, of the MSU cooperative extension service, in the College of Agriculture.
"There is a misconception Chavez was only for Latinos," Marinez said. "If you look at the ethnic makeup of farm laborers in this country, it's made up of whites, African Americans, Asians and Mexicans, it's not ethnic specific."
Chavez was born in 1927 on a small farm in Yuma, Ariz. He began working the farms at age 10 and never exceeded seventh grade. In 1962 Chavez founded the National Farm Workers Association.
Lupe Ramos-Montigny, a seventh grade social studies teacher in Grand Rapids and former migrant worker, said the physical labor of her past taught her a lot in life.
"Being a farm worker taught me the importance of education and hardwork," Ramos-Montigny said. "No matter what you do, whether it's harvesting tomatoes or working on a Ph.D., you have to do the best you can."
