Hundreds of members of the San Antonio community marched in the annual César Chávez March for Justice on March 21, beginning at the intersection of Guadalupe and Brazos streets and ending at Hemisfair Park. The march commemorates the civil rights leader.
“This is not just a plight for the farmworkers of yesteryear, but even today. So today’s the day that we gather as a community,” Ernest J. Martinez, chairman of the César Chávez Legacy and Educational Foundation, said. “It’s an opportunity to lend our voices. It’s a way to bring people together.”
San Antonio College students marched alongside other Alamo Colleges students and organizations, carrying a banner.
“I’m here today because SAC was at risk of losing this march due to recent administration changes. This is the first time it’s student-led,” said Josiah Rodriguez, president of First Gen, a club for first-generation college students at SAC. “I want to continue the legacy of SAC and spread awareness. This is a march for justice, and this is a march for connecting with your culture and feeling represented.”
San Antonio College Interim President Francisco Solis attended to show support for students.
“So much of tomorrow rests on the shoulders of our students and their ability to advocate not only for themselves but for their community,” Solis said. “I think that’s what they’re doing here today, and that’s why I’m here to support them.”
The march began with a reading of the “Prayer of the Farm Workers’ Struggle,” recited by Marisol P. Bazaldúa, a leader of the event, reminding participants why they were marching. At 10 a.m., they set out for Hemisfair Park, walking behind local grand marshal, retired U.S. Air Force Col. Gil Coronado, who rode in a red Chevrolet Impala.
Marchers held signs, shouted chants, strummed guitars and sang songs, matching this year’s theme of bringing forth song and celebration.
“These are our students. Many of them are Mexican, and it’s not going to go away just because you want it to go away. Our culture will never go away,” Rodriguez said. “We have to keep showing up if we want to keep being remembered.”
Students at SAC are already working to ensure this march continues in San Antonio’s future.
“The future of this march is in the hands of the next generation of leadership, like those who are lending their voices and doing the work,” Martinez said. “I hope that there will always be a march. We’ll always continue. I hope to see more young people getting more involved, taking on the cost and supporting the spirit.”
