César E. Chávez Celebration
Kickoff Luncheon, UC San Diego

A month long gala of diverse activities will kickoff April 1 in celebration of César Chávez, the Navy veteran, farm worker, champion of human rights, and advocate for non-violent solutions, dignity, and educational and economic opportunity for all. Chávez would have been 81 on March 31. The April 1 event will honor Alberto Ochoa and Eva Bustos Melendez for furthering César Chávez ideals in their communities. Ochoa is chair of the Department for Policy Studies in Language and Cross Cultural Education at San Diego State University. Melendez is fundraiser, event planner, and community liaison for the Latino Journalists of California, San Diego Chapter of the California Chicano News Media Association. Also recognized at the kickoff luncheon will be Gracia Molina de Pick, an activist in the international feminist movement and life-long proponent of education reform – especially for Latinos and Chicanos – for her recent $125,000 challenge gift that will support UC San Diego’s Chicano/a~Latino/a Arts and Humanities minor program in the Division of Arts and Humanities.

Each year UC San Diego celebrates the legacy of César Chávez, one of the principal figures of the Chicano Movement. This year’s activities include a performance by Chicana actors, introduction of a new book on Chicana theatre, poetry readings, documentary films, Mexican dance, an evening with legendary L.A. activist and teacher Sal Castro, a town hall meeting on the status of Chicanos/as and Latinos/as at UC San Diego, and more.

The media is invited to attend. All events are free and open to the public.

Pat JaCoby, (858) 534-7404, pjacoby@ucsd.edu
Jan Jennings, (858) 822-1684, or jnjennings@ucsd.edu