As Cesar E. Chavez day approaches (Mar. 31st for those who don’t know) it is appropriate to not just recognize the farm labor activist, civil rights leader and justice crusader but also to learn lessons from his long and impactful life. You might think there’s no obvious connection between the Mexican American icon’s work and your own professional pursuits but sit back and learn compadre…there’s more to take away than you may think. Almost 13 years after his death, Cesar E. Chavez continues to teach lessons that can be applied to any ‘LLERO’s daily life.
6- Never stop learning
Whether you get a formal education, take a class, attend a workshop or simply read books, your capacity for learning is never over. Chavez himself only attended school until the 8th grade, the year he left school to work full time as a migrant farm worker. This didn’t cut short his education. He continued to constantly read, talk to people and learn from the world around him. His UFW office was said to be lined wall-to-wall with books. No matter how or where, a willingness to learn — a new skill, a program or even a new language — can mean the difference between staying static in your profession or growing in it and beyond.
5- Avoid the trap/Be willing to sacrifice
For 10 years Chavez worked as an organizer with a Latino civil rights group, The Community Service Organization, running voter registration drives and fighting racial discrimination. When the group would not take up farm worker rights as a cause, he left. Chavez abandoned his first steady job and check to co-found the National Farmers Workers Association (later the United Farm Workers of America) in 1962. “The trap most people get themselves into – [by] tying themselves to a job for security,” Chavez once said. Whether you want to start a business or switch careers, a willingness to sacrifice is essential to the equation.
4- Find and work with allies
Chavez took issues that were specific to one group of people — migrant farm workers — and made them into human rights issues everyone could relate to. That public understanding and support is what made his grape boycotts and marches successful. Chavez forged relationships with everyone from students, religious leaders, working class and people from all ethnic and racial backgrounds. Your biggest supporter may be the last person you might have a conversation with. Taking the time to find the right allies is pivotal in any situation — professional or personal.
3- Dare to be different/Be Unpopular
Going along with the crowd is easy. Standing up for your beliefs, even when they’re unpopular, is much more difficult. Using non-violent methods of protest such as demonstrations, fasts, and boycotts, did not win Chavez much support at first. But he stuck to his principals and ultimately found success with them. He even supported causes that his fellow laborers did not agree with such as speaking out against the Vietnam War, supporting gay rights and the need for immigration reform. Being different may not win you many fans but it will set you apart from everyone else.
2- Patience is a virtue
Itching for that promotion? Dying to take on a new project that will highlight your true talents? Be patient grasshopper. As Chavez demonstrated the fruits of your labor will be all the sweeter. In 1965 Chavez and the NFWA started a grape boycott to support higher wages for grape pickers. The strike lasted five years and gained national support.
1- ¡Si se puede!
The greatest legacy Chavez left was his sheer belief that anything, no matter what it was, can be accomplished. The single phrase was a rallying cry for the farm labor movement and later for Latinos everywhere. Whether you’re chasing a dream or angling for a better opportunity, nothing is impossible — so long as you’re mindful of the above lessons!
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