welcome, i'm damian trujillo. we celebrate the regularcy of cesar chavez. his family is here. this is your "comunidad del valle". the day you came into this world i received a priority that i so desperately needed and i hope that one day you can be as proud

of me as i am of you. [ applause ] >> i come here out of respect for one of the heroic figures of our times. cesar chavez. >> i was born in yuma, arizona. i witnessed the injustice by th people. >> to have successful we have to have boycotters to do the work. the bigger the army -- >> farm workers in california have begun an unprecedented strike in the central valley. >> to citizens, they respect the law. >> so do we, especially the bill of rights. >> you see the headlines they are getting. that's costing us real money. >> we don't have to negotiate, we have to dictate terms. >> they will shoot.

>> you're saying the strike is not legal, painting us to look like criminals. >> until everyone makes a plij repledge recommitting themselves to nonviolence. >> they've been coming in bigger numbers since chavez quit eating. how long can a man go without food? >> depends on the man. everything depends on the man. >> one perfect change can't be reversed. can't humiliate someone who has pride and can't oppress someone. i'm not afraid anymore. >> i get the chills every time i see the trailer to the cesar

chavez movie. i'm joined by his family, rudy chavez and rita chavez morina, his sister and also cesar chavez' niece. i get choked up watching the trailer. we'll start with you rita, that's been your reaction in watching the movie? >> so much to say and i can't say it. i enjoy all of it and sad sometimes for me. i cried a lot on it. and because -- >> it seems like it's going to be great. barbara, what was your take? you said it was sad and some parts were funny. >> some parts were a little funny. the end was sad for me because i lived that experience. and i'm not going to say

everything that happened but for me it was a little sad at the ending, i did cry. but all in all it was pretty much on what happened. >> very good. it opens in theaters nationwide this coming friday. so we want to make sure we pack the theaters, right, rudy. and wear your colors and show your pride. talk about your reaction to the movie and why people should see it. >> i thought it was a great movie because it took the time frame between 1962 and 1972 and very factual. it wasn't like hollywood glitz and glamour. it showed the fields and the struggle of not just cesar but all of the foarm workers and their family. the impact on the kids, especially fernando. i was kind of disappointed originally because i thought, oh, man, it's going to be great, like a 12-hour movie, show his whole life. that's probably what it would

take. there was so much he did accomplish. that time frame was depicted well and factual. and that's why we think that, people should go out to the movie and watch it because it gives the opportunity of a younger generation as barbara said to watch the movie, to understand what it took and how his actions and things that he ak accomplished with farm workers helped nationwide. go any one of the three days, opening weekend is how films are judged and we want everybody in the film industry to know that cesar chavez, all of his work still lives by people supporting this movie. >> this was more real than hollywood. >> absolutely, it was we'll have a few segments and entire show dedicated to the memory and legacy of cesar chavez.

his granddaughters and niece are here. there's a lot of events happening in san jose. there's the march happening, commemorative breakfast and we'll talk about these important events. chavez family vision.org. we'll be right back.

we're back on our special cesar chavez show this week. what do you want folks to watch the movie, what do you want them to go home with after watching it? what do you think they should get out of the movie? >> i think they will learn more, people don't know too much about him, what he did. hear about his name and knew exactly what he did but the majority, especially the younger ones, they don't know what, you know. i think to go see the movie they see what he did and -- i know

why celebrate the day every year with breakfast and all of this. you know. >> barbara, this is a busy time for the entire family all over the country. it's tiring for the family but at the same time i would imagine it's not because of the work that it entails and message you're trying to send. talk about that. >> we have quite a few events here in san jose but all over the united states and even in berlin, showed it in berlin like the last month. 600 people watch the movie. diego was explaining why my uncle worked and why he did all of this. the people in berlin embraced the movie and the movie which will be showing on the 26th and it's going to be opening on the 28th. a lot of our cousins are going all over the country speaking and going to the screening. it is a lot of work but we want people to know what kind of man he was and why he fought so hard

for the farm worker strike and boycott and all of the rights and a lot of people don't really know him. this movie will educate them on what he really did and who he was. >> a lot of growers today don't like the name cesar chavez, do you think that might change that perspective once they see why he did it and everything behind it? >> well, that would be idea, but -- >> pretty engrained and here you have this mexicano american trying to change the whole system. they didn't like it because it cut into their profits, but the cutting into the profits gave the working families a semidecent living. some of them i think of the younger generation may understand why it was, but the

characters like john mallco vich, he was just irate and even when they had to make a change, they didn't like it. and i think that it's awfully difficult for them as you said, hard to change leopard's stripes. >> we lost him more than two decades ago. you you still miss him? >> especially this time of the year with all of the events, you know, just -- it's kind of bitter sweet because we miss him. we're sad he's gone but we're happy we able to continue his legacy. there's so many family members as barbara said that are actually making an effort to continue the legacy through speaking engagements and the

cesar chavez foundation and a lot of different other organizations, farm worker support committees still throughout the entire united states. families and supporters are still there and it's great to see the legacy moving forward. we've all waited for this film for 21 years and now that it's here, it's great but it's just another stepping stone towards completing and fulfilling his legacy. >> is part of that do you think making cesar chavez day a national holiday not just a state holiday. >> i hope so. everyone else has a holiday but not him. i thnk he deserves it. i have to say myself, but, we're looking forward to see what we can to about it. >> there's still an effort to make him a saint. >> still going to. there's one thing i told the priest the other day, what are you going to name him?

because his name -- oh, that's a good question. yes, i want to know whether it's going to be? he says, that's a good question. every year we go through the same. >> sure, there again, a lot of events talking about. we'll talk about those in the next segment, but there is the web address for more information. we'll talk about why the po box -- remind me after the messages.

we're back with cesar chavez' family, the big breakfast is coming up on the 31st. >> march 31st, we still have tickets available, go to the website, the center for employment training. they are taking the tickets for us. get on there and you can order your tickets, which we -- we

would love to have everybody come in because we're having special people there. those events, it has the feel, now that it's cet, has the feel of the old days when you would hold banquets. you get the feel from the events there -- >> usually the same people come but we do have a lot of new people also. >> the march is coming up and you have a golf tournament in the summertime. >> the march is on saturday, march 29th at 10:00, we'll meet at the mexican heritage plaza and we'll walk through the neighborhood. also part of the san jose city -- historical walk and we like to do that and remind everybody and let everybody know we're still here. then the golf tournament will be

on august 26th -- i'm sorry, 23rd of this year. we're expecting all of the good golfers like yourself to come out and all of the bad golfers like me to come back also. >> we have a p.o. box there for a reason. tell us about that. >> we're having a special screening as barbara mentioned and it's an invitation only and very limited seating. what we want to do because the people that will be invited are people getting the word out for the movie. they have their facebook and websites and huge databases that they have. we're inviting folks to send in your request and we will select randomly some tickets and also on that day, if you want to hang out, if there's any seats and we're going to come out and let you come in, but we want you to send it to our p.o. box, 2346, san jose, california, 95109. we want you to put on there your

name, your organization, your e-mail, and a telephone number. and the number of people that you're committed to contacting so that you can promote the movie opening weekend. >> and this is the premiere is over at the -- >> tech museum starting around 6:30. come and stand in line and you may get selected. >> all right, rita, any final thoughts, we'll bring in the new generation, cesar has a granddaughter and grand niece. >> i wish we have a good success in all of the things we're doing, especially the movie. the movies are going -- everybody is calling what -- buy your tickets ahead of time. i don't know you can but you should do that if you want to have a seat. i don't know. i can't tell about the seat but i hope you do and there's three days you can see the movie.

i hope they go and see it. it's a good movie. >> barbara, what do you hope -- that they go home with after watching that movie. >> that they go home knowing that he was committed to his cause. he sacrificed quite a bit, his family and he had -- his faith was very strong also. if they can get educated on that and know that it takes a lot of hard work to commit yourself to a cause. so if they get idea as well, that would be great. >> and i saw two paragraphs about ceasar so it's in the history books now so hopefully more to come. let's show that information one more time on the chavez family -- any final thoughts? >> i think we really want people to take away from the movie, also not just learning about cesar but understanding that nonviolence is the way to accomplish things. and we know that's true because of gandhi and chavez and many

others, there's too much violence now in the streets. in the bay area we always hear shootings in oakland and san jose and san francisco, places where you think you're safe, you're not safe because of violence. we like people to be more nonviolent and care more about the people they live in and protect themselves and their neighbors. >> that's the chavez way. get some rest before the big tidal wave behind you again. >> thanks for having us. >> up next, new generation, the grand niece and granddaughter of cesar chavez. [ angelic music plays ] ♪ toaster strudel! best morning ever! [ hans ] warm, flaky, gooey. toaster strudel! ♪ [ male announcer ] don't wait for awesome...

totino's pizza rolls gets you there in just 60 seconds. ♪ any represent the next generation, natalie, cesar's grand niece. welcome to the show.

i remember doing an interview with you probably around the time that they called off the great boycott, they said we don't have to boycott grapes anymore, we're going to now eat grapes once again. you told me in the interview, it's still on for me, i'm not eating grapes. >> i haven't eaten a grape. >> it is over. it is over. >> tell me why. >> i haven't eaten grapes, it's a personal preference. it went just seeing what my grandfather went through and my grandmother went through and my family went through, my mom, her brothers and sisters, the rest of the family. it's very hard to just put that little grape in -- i can't do it. i still haven't eaten a grape. one day i might change. >> i wish i had your will. >> so natalie, when you're maybe at the supermarket, do you go -- do you find out once they know

who you are, let me touch her, talk to her? >> yes, there's questions. i don't go out and advertise it all the time and everything, but when people do -- i'm happy to share the story and because that's how the word gets passed on and how other people learn about him. i think it's so important to keep his legacy going. so i'm so happy to share what i grew up. my dad was one of his security guards, we were right in there. so -- >> your thoughts on what rita, your grandma rita, and rudy and barbara said about the fact that we need to educate the next generation because the kids nowa days probably don't know who cesar was. >> i have three myself, 15, 12 and 9. it's so important. they are at the perfect age where they'll see the movie and the message will just -- it will have a huge impact on them i

think. they can talk to their friends about it. but i think, with his death, the cause did not die. it's still very much alive. and i think it's so important for the younger generations to learn about what he did and his cause, the movement, and nonviolence and just to keep it going with all future generations. >> you've been doing that for a long time. you've been traveling -- speaking at the phoenix event where they draw 1,000 people. >> 1,000 people. >> for the breakfast we have here -- i take we take you for granted in san jose. >> then i just spoke at my god son's fifth great classroom. so i also was in -- right here in downtown san jose speaking at his classroom. and i spoke to a group of about three fifth graders and felt like my grandfather, has been elevated almost out of the reach of some of these children. they feel like there's no way

possible to be the next cesar chavez, we're hoping what the movie will do and what we would like people to know, you can be the next cesar chavez, it's about the process in which you reach your end goal. the process by which my grandfather went was he looked towards leaders that had already gone through certain circumstances such as gandhi and martin luther king. he took on nonviolence and went from there. letting these children know that you can be the next cesar chavez is one of the most important things that we want to pass onto the next generation, to the children like natalie's children. my god children, your children. let them know that cesar chavez is not an unattainable goal. he was an ordinary man who did extraordinary things. it's important for people to realize they could be the next cesar chavez and we want to

encourage that. >> what a great message. they have premiers all over the country. you just got back from los angeles. your sister went to the white house where the president watched a premier of the movie. your reaction to the amount of fanfare it's gotten from organizations and the without and what not, your reaction to the people who want to see it. >> we're thrilled. we're very excited. we're excited to have full hollywood production full length motion picture on my grandfather who again i just said was an ordinary man who did extraordinary things. we hope people will learn from his process. we know that movies have a very strong bearing on people. i remember going to see gandhi when i was young and i might have been too young to see some of the things but my mom said we're going to see gandhi. >> you went to india, didn't you? >> we went to see gandhi and

that started my lifelong infat waigs with gandhi and how important he was, how important a role he played in my grandfather's house. my grandfather was very strong in his faith. gandhi was strong in his faith. but he still made sure that he followed the teachings of gandhi. even though they came from different backgrounds he still made sure to take that nonviolence on and keep going with it. when i made the trip to india, it was amazing. you can literally walk in the steps that gandhi had walked in. it's something that influenced me greatly from when i was younger and it just stayed with me so -- >> you were a little -- when he was around. but did you ever imagine at that age we would be celebrating a motion picture in the name of cesar? >> never, just growing up it was

just cesar. he was an ordinary man. you're around him and he's giving you love and hugs. he never came off like this larger than life figure, which i thought after when he passed actually at his funeral, when thousands upon thousands of people are there, then you realize, wow, look at the impact this man had. never would i have guessed this would happen. >> well, we're going to show you the website for the foundation, the united farm workers foundation, logon, they have a lot of great activities happening throughout the country. they are still educating and providing the health education and what not for farm workers. any final thoughts? >> we want everyone to go out and see the movie and to take, you know as many people as you can with you, especially people from all generations, all walks of life. we're hoping to really see that

cross generational pool, like my parents took us to see gandhi. we didn't necessarily want to go because we didn't know what we were missing. hopefully we'll have parents, grandparents and god parents taking their younger -- the younger generation to go see the movie. then letting them know what their experience was. it seems like everybody has an experience with cesar chavez. he touched a lot of people's lives. >> he's still doing that. thank you so much for the work you continue to do. >> thank you for having us. >> thank you so much. >> again, drop us a note for next week's "comunidad del valle" on show topics. there's my e-mail address and follow me on twitter. my handle at news damian and pick up the newspaper and support the bilinguals across the bay area.

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