state, but for all of the united states of america. >> like martin luther king and mahatma gandhi before him, cesar chavez was a champion of non-violent actions. he participated in picket lines, went on hunger strikes and led an historic march, a 340 mile trek from linda know to sacramento. >> they don't like working for a day's wage but they will walk over 300 miles for free. [ laughter ] even pilgrims ain't allowed in the street without a permit. >> >> we'll use the sidewalk. it's open to the public. >> chavez did not lead alone. his wife helen played a pivotal role in his success not simply by raising his eight children but by standing on the front lines with him and being arrested before him. >> she wasn't afraid of the work. that was woman who did what needed to be done. at the same time, her commitment to the cause was not about supporting cesar's pet project. she, as i said, had been working in the fields herself since she was seven years old. so she was standing up for her dignity, for her mother's dignity, for her sister's dignity. >> reporter: delores huerta remains a champion for laborers and at 84 years old she still heads up a community organization foundation bearing her name. >> this is a woman, delores huerta was loud and proud before feminism was coined? >> we move forward together or not at all. >> reporter: with chavez at the helm, the farm workers movement forced growers to give in, signing a contract that included higher wages, safer work conditions, and medical plans. but what was perhaps most historic about chavez and his struggle was the way in which he enlisted the american public in his cause -- a cause which became their cause. >> we are leaving it up to the country. we're telling them that these problems exist and telling them what we think ought to be done to remedy them and since we don't have any political power, leaving it up to them and their conscience to make the decision. >> reporter: across the country, $14 million americans participated in a national boycott. americans who had never seen a farm or considered the people who worked on one. millions of them heard chavez's call and refused to buy table grapes in solidarity with the workers. but the fight goes on. while farm working remains one of the most dangerous jobs in america, the average worker makes $12,000 to $15,000 a year. less than one in ten receive employer-provided by health care and 53% of farm workers are undocumented. that question, what happens to the undocumented, will determine in large part what ultimately happens to the men and women who harvest america's food. >> today there's no way that conditions are going to be better if an immigration reform doesn't happen and -- but that's not an issue just to farm workers, you know? that's an issue of $11 million workers here. it's not just an issue of them, it's an issue of everyone consuming and receiving the fruits of their labor. >> reporter: cesar chavez empower it had disenfranchised, bringing them out of the shadows and into the national spotlight. and while he undeniably led those workers, he also led the country to care about the lives of people they had never met and never would. >> i didn't say it was going to be easy, but if you take care of your side, i take care of mine, we'll be fine. >> cesar's message was about showing up and showing the people the power they had to save themselves. >> great report there from alex and true story, my mother, a daughter of the statet eat grapes for ten years because she was so inspierd by chavez and the movement he did. that's dedication. "cesar chavez" opens in theaters nationwide today. after the break, the affordable care act hits another big milestone but the latest enrollment count may not be the only number that matters. jonathan capehart joins me next to discuss. don't go anywhere. we'll close it out well here on "now." (knochello? hey, i notice your car is not in the driveway. yeah. it's in the shop. it's going to cost me an arm and a leg. that's hilarious. sorry. you shoulda taken it to midas. get some of that midas touch. they tell you what stuff needs fixing, and what stuff can wait. next time i'm going to midas. high-five! arg! i did not see that coming. trust the midas touch. for brakes, tires, oil, everything. (whistling) [ mala body at rest tends to stay at rest... while a body in motion tends to stay in motion. staying active can actually ease arthritis symptoms. but if you have arthritis, staying