by David KaplanWednesday, March 31st 2021
First Lady Dr. Jill Biden encouraged farmworkers to get vaccinated at the Cesar Chavez Day event in Delano, Calif. KBAK/KBFX
DELANO, Calif. (KBAK/KBFX) — Paul Chavez, son of farmworker union right’s activist, Cesar Chavez kicked off the Cesar Chavez Day celebration at the historic 40 acres site in Delano.
“What better way to honor his legacy and to keep it alive, than by vaccinating farmworkers who have been so disproportionally suffered at the hands of this pandemic and do it here at the historic 40 acres,” Chavez, said.
On the day remembering Cesar Chavez’s birthday, Governor Gavin Newsom shared, like Chavez, you don’t have to be an elected official, to make a difference.
“I wanna’ just thank all the volunteers,” Governor Newsom, said. “One of the things that I identify with Cesar Chavez, perhaps disproportionately was that Cesar Chavez Day was not commemorating and does not commemorate the life of a former Governor.”
First Lady, Dr. Jill, said her husband, President Joe Biden, requested a metal bust of Chavez’s head from the Cesar E. Chavez foundation, to put in his oval office, which he did on his inauguration day. She thanked the volunteers for vaccinating 250 farmworkers, Wednesday.
“We are grateful, for all that you’re doing, to answer your call to service, volunteering your time to vaccinate your community, right here at 40 acres,” Dr. Jill Biden, said.
However there were protestors, protesting when the first lady’s motorcade went by, saying we don’t need vaccines.
“I think this is just a political stunt. We have not proven everything within the masses with the vaccine, so we cannot pretty much say it’s effective or ineffective,” Jorge Martinez, a protester, said.
After the First Lady’s speech, she joined a roundtable discussion with local farmworkers, and said we need to encourage others to get vaccinated.
“We’re going to have it for everybody by May 1st and so everybody should, you know,” First Lady Biden, said. “It’s great that you have events like today.”
First Lady Biden finished her day at 40 Acres, by going to the vaccine site and talking to those volunteering and those getting vaccinated.
Biden said with the UFW’s work, the work of the people there at the vaccination site and the work the U.S. House of Representatives has already done by passing the bipartisan Farm Workforce Modernization Act, they will get quicker citizenship for undocumented farmworkers. She ended by saying “Si se puede”, yes we can.