SAN DIEGO — Many City of San Diego and San Diego County government offices were closed Friday as people across the nation honor the legacy of labor and civil rights leader Cesar Chavez.
Chavez raised awareness of the struggles that farm workers and their families faced.
To honor his legacy, a new mural is going up at San Diego’s historic Chicano Park
"He has to get credit for being the personality that did that," said lead artist, Mario Chacon.
Mario Chacon is the lead artist on the ‘El Cortito’ mural, which memorializes the banning of the use of the short-handled hoe referred to as El Cortito.
The tool, used to clean between crops, caused thousands of farm workers to suffer permanent and disabling back injuries. It was later outlawed in 1975.
"It is a milestone case in the area of social justice, for workers justice," adds Chacon.
One of the attorneys who worked on the case, Maurice “Mo” Jourdane, commissioned Chacon and two other artists, including Ariana Arroyo, to create the mural which will go up in the heart of Barrio Logan.
"My family comes from san Antonio de las minas which is down in Ensenada and are still farm workers out there," said Arroyo.
"There were hundreds of farm workers that were involved in that struggle," added Chacon.
The mural honors Chavez and those who fought alongside with him including, Dolores Huerta, who he co-founded the National Farm Workers Association with, which later became the United Farm Workers labor union.
"I think it's important to memorialize these things, so they don’t happen again," said Chacon.
Linda LeGerrette, co-founder of the Cesar Chavez Service Clubs, a program that provides leadership development in public schools throughout San Diego.
The program inspires students to lead by example, something that Chavez did.
"They learn a lot of things about Cesar Chavez and the issues that he was involved with and cared about," said LeGerrette.
LeGerrette says the day serves as a reminder for people to be a part of something bigger than themselves.
"By remembering Cesar Chavez on this day, gives people and children an opportunity to think about what a difference they can make in their lives," she added.
The new mural is expected to be finished by June. To donate to the project, click here.
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