SAN DIEGO — It is Hispanic Heritage month, and CBS 8 is highlighting the people and organizations in our community that are making a difference.
One of those organizations is the Cesar Chavez Service Clubs, which have been helping build leaders of the future for over twenty years.
As the name suggests, the service clubs are named after the civil rights leader, Cesar Chavez.
The program was created by two freedom rights workers in the year 2000 and it has since become one of the fastest-growing youth leadership clubs in San Diego.
“This really is part of the Cesar Chavez legacy," said co-founder, Linda LeGerrette.
The Cesar Chavez Service Clubs have been helping students thrive for over two decades.
These clubs provide leadership development programs in public and private schools across San Diego County.
It can now be found at more than a dozen San Diego Unified schools, Chula Vista Elementary School District and Sweetwater Union High School District
“What that tells us is that what we're doing matters," said LeGerrette.
The idea behind the service clubs began when LeGerrette who's also the executive director, wanted to expand on what she learned during her time as a volunteer with the United Farm Workers – a labor union led by Cesar Chavez and Dolores Huerta, whom LeGerrette worked closely with.
“We wanted to take what we learned in La Paz and take it to young people and teach them not just about the farmworkers. But how important it is for people to understand who they are be proud of who they are," she continued.
The United Domestic Workers Union is one of three national unions in labor history founded, organized, and directed by people of color.
The service clubs teach students values that Cesar Chavez embodied in his life and work.
“He was such an inspiring person that he really did make most people feel like they could do anything. That’s a talent," added LeGerrette.
Club members, known as ‘Chavistas,’ learn how to lead by example.
“Having a club like this gives us the opportunity to speak up and self-advocate and advocate for others about the matters that we care about," said club member, Karla Morales.
Currently, hundreds of club members participate in community service projects and civic engagements such as school board meetings, feeding the hungry, and even caring for the environment.
Karla Morales, who’s been a part of the club since middle school, says the program has transformed her life. She wants to continue to stay involved after graduating high school next year.
“The Chavez clubs see something in us that many others do not see. They see someone who can do more than just be a kid," said the high school senior.
The clubs are available for students in elementary, middle, and high school. Many continue to stay involved throughout college.
“We have about 72% of our students are Hispanic. I love what we do. And I love watching our kids grow and be who they are. I love it mostly because so many times in this country or in the city, I should say a lot of people look at kids of color. People from other places in the world, who go to public school, aren't very bright. And I'm here to tell you they are brilliant kids with minds that are just as creative as anybody you've ever known in your life," added LeGerrette.
Over $1 million In scholarships and financial aid have been secured by nearly 80 Chavista High School graduates for college over the last two years.