On March 31, thousands of people gathered in Delano, California to join United Farm Workers to rally and march to celebrate Cesar Chavez Day. I traveled with other delegates to the Sacramento Central Labor Council. It had been over 50 years since I made the 100-mile march with Chavez through the Coachella and Imperial Valleys to the Mexico border in 1969.
Pictured (L to R): CARA co-vice president/PFP State Central Committee member C.T. Weber; Betty Yee, former California State Controller and candidate for state governor; Joe Chacon, former SEIU 1000 District Labor Council president; CARA co-VP/Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance (APALA) representative Keith Umemoto.
This 2025 march was more festive, but it was less than five miles. After speeches by labor leaders and California Attorney General, Rob Bonta, who pledged legal support for California's immigrant community, the marchers set off for the United Farm Workers of America AFL-CIO Forty Acres for more speeches from the various unions and organizations.
– written by C.T. Weber
.
