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Page 6 Wednesday, November 29-1989 The Daily Collegian Face to face with Chavez Labor leader shows students passion, sincerity during tour a For 23 years I have wanted my students to have an opportunity to have a dialogue with Caesar. -Sudarshan Kapoor *■ Story and photography by Thor Swift t is the kind of thing that just doesn't hityou until you leave; you met United Farm Workers president Caesar Chavez, one of thoes rare people you only read about in history books and newspapers. But, the surprising thing is that he isjust a regular person. ■Eleven students from Sudarshan Kapoor"s Gandhi and non-violence class took the three hour trip to La Paz. a 200 acre farm where the UFW is headquartered and many ofthe union workers, including Chavez, live. The trip;-for Kapoor. was the realization of a 23- year dream to bring a class, especially the Gandhi class^to meet the world renowned labor leader and be able to speak with him on a personal level. At flrst, Kapoor did have some difficulty in arranging the visit because of Chavez" busy schedulcbutoncetheappolntmentwassettled - and the students arrived. Chavez and UFW vice president Dolores Huerta canceled meetings and put callers on hold so they could speak with the students. People may dispute or mistrust the intentions of the UFW. but you can do nothing but be in awe ofChave£ai*J*aofhonestyand sincerity. As we sat In his office cluttered with books, many about Chavez and the movement he started, he spoke to the students and asked them questions on a personal level, not with the patronizing attitude that nearly all people of great power have. He went so far as to serve the students lunch while the cook, who was going to serve the food, stood Idly by. The class was shown many Items ofthe farm, which Is a group ofbulldlngs built In the early 1900s as a tuburculosls sanitarium, ranging from the state ofthe art addressing and printing facilities, computer data bases to store member Information to the humble housing of Chavez and the other UFW workers who live at La Paz. Kapoor, who is usually very softspoken, lights up with excitement when discussing Chavez. "He receives no salary (all UFW employees including Chavez get food, room and board and a small stipend for their efforts), he lives very humbly.. .1 consider Caeser one ofthe most important spokespersons for non-violence of all times," Kapoor says at twice his normal speech speed and volume. "Just like Dr. King tried to bringJusUce to the blacks in this country or Gandhi tried to bring justice to India, Caeser tries to bring Justice to the farmworkers who are a very oppressed group." Chavez and the UFW are most visible for the four-year-old California table grape boycott which Is not only one of the unions most Important eiTorts, but only a part of what they do. The union. Chavez admits. Is an economic organization, but unlike other unions that stop at economic advancement of their workers, the UFW has an ideology beyond mere economics. They s%tve to educate the farmworkers on issues beyond their economic rights. One new approach is the setting up a legal counsel group that not only assists the farmworkers with legal problems, but trains some ofthe children to become lawyers themselves. Along with the Idealism ofthe UFW. another thing that sets them apart from more traditional unions Is the leadership. Chavez Is commlted to non-violence and to teaching non-violent methods through his example. He has gone on hunger fasts, and lives a very spartan life to keep himself In contact with the people he represents. The students on the tour noticed this and seemed to be Impressed. "He seemed very common and accessable, he never acted like he was above us In anyway," said student Bev Rosenol. "His hands are like the hands of a laborer." said student Lisa Flores. "He looked like he was out working in his garden and preparing the food weateaHday." Someone who makes this much of an Impression and has a very clearly defined Ideology Is bound to make some political and See CHAVEZ, page 7
Object Description
Title | 1989_11 The Daily Collegian November 1989 |
Alternative Title | Daily Collegian (California State University, Fresno) |
Publisher | Associated Students of Fresno State, Fresno, Calif. |
Publication Date | 1989 |
Description | Daily (except weedends) during the school year. Microfilm. Palo Alto, Calif.: BMI Library Microfilms, 1986- microfilm reels; 35 mm. Vol.1, no.1 (Feb 8, 1922)- |
Subject | California State University, Fresno -- Periodicals. |
Contributors | Associated Students of Fresno State. |
Coverage | Vol.1 no.1 (Feb 8, 1922)- to present |
Format | Microfilm reels, 35 mm. |
Technical Information | Scanned at 600 dpi; TIFF; Microfilm ScanPro 2000 "E-image data" |
Language | eng |
Description
Title | November 29, 1989, Page 6 |
Alternative Title | Daily Collegian (California State University, Fresno) |
Publisher | Associated Students of Fresno State, Fresno, Calif. |
Publication Date | 1989 |
Description | Daily (except weedends) during the school year. Microfilm. Palo Alto, Calif.: BMI Library Microfilms, 1986- microfilm reels; 35 mm. Vol.1, no.1 (Feb 8, 1922)- |
Subject | California State University, Fresno -- Periodicals. |
Contributors | Associated Students of Fresno State. |
Coverage | Vol.1 no.1 (Feb 8, 1922)- to present |
Format | Microfilm reels, 35 mm. |
Technical Information | Scanned at 600 dpi; TIFF; Microfilm ScanPro 2000 "E-image data" |
Language | eng |
Full-Text-Search | Page 6 Wednesday, November 29-1989 The Daily Collegian Face to face with Chavez Labor leader shows students passion, sincerity during tour a For 23 years I have wanted my students to have an opportunity to have a dialogue with Caesar. -Sudarshan Kapoor *■ Story and photography by Thor Swift t is the kind of thing that just doesn't hityou until you leave; you met United Farm Workers president Caesar Chavez, one of thoes rare people you only read about in history books and newspapers. But, the surprising thing is that he isjust a regular person. ■Eleven students from Sudarshan Kapoor"s Gandhi and non-violence class took the three hour trip to La Paz. a 200 acre farm where the UFW is headquartered and many ofthe union workers, including Chavez, live. The trip;-for Kapoor. was the realization of a 23- year dream to bring a class, especially the Gandhi class^to meet the world renowned labor leader and be able to speak with him on a personal level. At flrst, Kapoor did have some difficulty in arranging the visit because of Chavez" busy schedulcbutoncetheappolntmentwassettled - and the students arrived. Chavez and UFW vice president Dolores Huerta canceled meetings and put callers on hold so they could speak with the students. People may dispute or mistrust the intentions of the UFW. but you can do nothing but be in awe ofChave£ai*J*aofhonestyand sincerity. As we sat In his office cluttered with books, many about Chavez and the movement he started, he spoke to the students and asked them questions on a personal level, not with the patronizing attitude that nearly all people of great power have. He went so far as to serve the students lunch while the cook, who was going to serve the food, stood Idly by. The class was shown many Items ofthe farm, which Is a group ofbulldlngs built In the early 1900s as a tuburculosls sanitarium, ranging from the state ofthe art addressing and printing facilities, computer data bases to store member Information to the humble housing of Chavez and the other UFW workers who live at La Paz. Kapoor, who is usually very softspoken, lights up with excitement when discussing Chavez. "He receives no salary (all UFW employees including Chavez get food, room and board and a small stipend for their efforts), he lives very humbly.. .1 consider Caeser one ofthe most important spokespersons for non-violence of all times," Kapoor says at twice his normal speech speed and volume. "Just like Dr. King tried to bringJusUce to the blacks in this country or Gandhi tried to bring justice to India, Caeser tries to bring Justice to the farmworkers who are a very oppressed group." Chavez and the UFW are most visible for the four-year-old California table grape boycott which Is not only one of the unions most Important eiTorts, but only a part of what they do. The union. Chavez admits. Is an economic organization, but unlike other unions that stop at economic advancement of their workers, the UFW has an ideology beyond mere economics. They s%tve to educate the farmworkers on issues beyond their economic rights. One new approach is the setting up a legal counsel group that not only assists the farmworkers with legal problems, but trains some ofthe children to become lawyers themselves. Along with the Idealism ofthe UFW. another thing that sets them apart from more traditional unions Is the leadership. Chavez Is commlted to non-violence and to teaching non-violent methods through his example. He has gone on hunger fasts, and lives a very spartan life to keep himself In contact with the people he represents. The students on the tour noticed this and seemed to be Impressed. "He seemed very common and accessable, he never acted like he was above us In anyway," said student Bev Rosenol. "His hands are like the hands of a laborer." said student Lisa Flores. "He looked like he was out working in his garden and preparing the food weateaHday." Someone who makes this much of an Impression and has a very clearly defined Ideology Is bound to make some political and See CHAVEZ, page 7 |