In light of the horrific news reports of César Chávez’s sexual assaults of minors and women‚ I introduced legislation to rename March 31 holiday to “Farmworker Day.” I thought this would be an uphill battle given the Democratic supermajority in Sacramento.
To my pleasant surprise‚ the Speaker‚ a Democrat from Salinas‚ announced a similar proposal the following day.
Farmworkers are the backbone of our everyday lives. They ensure food safety by harvesting within tight windows‚ often working through the night under floodlights. Without them‚ perishable food would rot‚ leading to severe shortages and skyrocketing prices.
The fight for dignity in the fields was never about just one person – it is about the millions of workers who toil‚ sacrifice and aspire for a better life.
Assembly Bill 2156 honors the collective legacy of the farmworkers who feed us – the state‚ the nation and the world.
