Thread: Citizenship workshop set for Chavez festival

Citizenship workshop set for Chavez festival
By Greg Mellen, Staff Writer
Posted: 03/18/2012 07:37:23 PM PDT
Updated: 03/18/2012 07:39:43 PM PDT

LONG BEACH - Helping people apply for citizenship will be among new events celebrating Cesar E. Chavez later this month.

The 11th annual Cesar E. Chavez Festival and Community Resource Fair, hosted by Centro CHA, will take place from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. March 31 at Cesar Chavez Park, 401 Golden Ave.

Jessica Quintana, Centro CHA's executive director, said the citizenship workshop is an important part of not only celebrating the legacy of the late labor and civil rights leader, but advancing his message of inclusion for the Hispanic population.

"We want to help our permanent Latino residents," Quintana said. "That way they'll become voters and weigh in and become civically involved."

The celebration commemorates the birthday of Chavez, who would have turned 85 this year.

In addition to the citizenship workshop, the event will feature an array of activities and entertainment, including ballet folklorico and music performances, readings by the winners of a student poetry contest, a children's play area and hot dogs.

Also available will be a number of informational tables with literature on recreation, public safety and job and educational assistance.

The citizenship workshop will be conducted inside the Jenny Oropeza Community Center at Cesar E. Chavez Park.

This is the fourth year Centro CHA and grassroots groups have staged the event since former City Councilwoman Bonnie Lowenthal left for state office.

Under Lowenthal, whose office played host to the holiday and staged it on the Monday nearest Chavez's birthday, it was an invitation-only event and featured noted speakers.

Since then it has been a free community celebration open to all.

"It is an event where we're able to inform residents about important issues that affect their lives," Quintana said.

Once again the festival will include a poetry contest with scholarships ranging from $500 to $1,000. The contest is open to graduating high school seniors and college students who attend school and reside in Long Beach. The poems must be one page or less and winners must be present at the Chavez Day celebration, where they will be able to read their poems to the public. The deadline is March 23 at 6 p.m.

Poems must by sent by email to brenda@centrocha.org or hand-delivered to 1900 Atlantic Ave., second floor.

More information is available by calling Centro CHA 562-570-4722.

greg.mellen@presstelegram.com

Citizenship workshop set for Chavez festival - Press-Telegram

Most of the illegals I knew had no desire to become citizens. They said they got more by being illegal. Many had plans of moving back to their own countries after saving or sending lots of money back home.

Jessica, please remind the attendees that Chavez disliked illegals and, in fact, called in La Migra on many occasions. He felt they undermined the pay scale for his union workers.