César’s Peaceful Valley

Under a golden sky…in the middle of a peaceful valley…in a small farm town named Delano…lays a peaceful field lined with beautiful, perfect rows of grape vines. The purple mountains that surround this valley…the valley where César E. Chávez’ dreams and ideals were planted…are so lovely, that if one looks up at them carefully…one can almost see bushels of grapes formed in the mountains’ beautiful slopes.

Cars and trucks meander by…bringing the harvested crop to neighborhood supermarkets all over America. Because of César E. Chávez’ determination through unionization, social justice for farm workers, and safe food/health and environmental issues, people can eat without fear of contamination from pesticides and poisons that used to coat the grapes that the farm workers of America harvested.

Every time I eat fresh fruit or enjoy a lovely green salad, I remember the sacrifice that the beloved founder of the United Farm Workers’ Union made ~ so that his people…the tired worn out farmers of America…could finally rest peacefully, knowing that a new day was dawning for the hope of a healthy environment in which to work.

Though my home is in America now…and I have become a U.S. citizen; I emigrated from Thailand eight years ago…having been a rice farmer the majority of my youth. I attend community college now at Chaffey College where I have had to begin from the “bottom”, so to speak. Whenever I get discouraged, I remember how hard César Chávez fought to uphold his values and to promote individual and collective progress for the betterment of society through education.

The orange and brown grapes in the center of the “mountains” and in the shadow of the bright rust sun…represent the solid rock of teamwork, cooperation, collaboration, and service to others – that César Chávez’ life’s work instilled in those who followed him. As I have learned about Chávez’ principles and ideals through my teachers, who have taken the time to study this great man’s life – and the contributions that he has made to help make our country and world a better place to live…I have grown in my own level of self-confidence…now believing that I, too, can make a positive difference in my family, my community, and for my new country.