Portland--Over the next weeks and months, the City of Portland will once again endure a cycle of gratuitous division and bitter debate as the renaming-Interstate debacle metastasizes along three new axes: Sandy, Grand and 39th.
The Committee that Claims to Own the Chavez-Honoring Franchise in Portland has switched its choice of weaponry from last years’ clubbing and bullying to this year’s shotgun approach, firing blindly down three different streets, hoping to hit something out there on the east side of town.
It remains to be seen whether the bullying and stubbornness that characterized last year’s Assault on Interstate will continue, but so far there is no sign that any lessons have been learned by the Committee and its still-anonymous members.
The absurdly poor timing of the Committee’s filing, just a couple of months before the November election indicates that they remain oblivious to the real-life issues confronting Cesar Chavez’ people in Oregon.
Like last year, there will be a surge of public expressions of anger, resentment and overt bigotry targeted specifically against people of Mexican ancestry.
This will put many Oregonians in a fine mood to support Bill Sizemore’s anti-ESL initiative, which targets the children of Oregon’s largely Mexican agricultural work force, seeks to deny them educational opportunity and to deter others like them from bringing their children to our state.
And we as a City are about to chew over “honoring” Cesar Chavez in the only way that the mysterious Committee-Formerly-Bent-on-Renaming-Interstate-Avenue can accept: a stretch of asphalt and street signs, any direction will do.
Each of these three selections is certain to generate a lot of heat, and heat always costs money. Public heat costs public money.
The City has budgeted money for a consultant and a public process is underway.
A Public Service Moment:
As a public service, and in the interest of saving the City money, I am providing herein some essential resource information that any entity considering ways to honor Cesar Chavez should consider—a list of the ways he has been honored throughout the nation.
That consultant will probably want to charge you five or six thousand dollars for this information (in a nice tidy binder), but you can have it here for free:
1. Library of Congress (America’s Library), Washington, D.C.:
Cesar Chavez
Born: March 31, 1927
Died: April 23, 1993
“Cesar Chavez was a Mexican American labor activist and leader of the United Farm Workers. During the 20th century he was a leading voice for migrant farm workers (people who move from place to place in order to find work). His tireless leadership focused national attention on these laborers' terrible working conditions, which eventually led to improvements.“
Link: http://www.americaslibrary.gov/cgi-bin/page.cgi/aa/chavez
2. Wikipedia: See List of places named after Cesar Chavez:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_places_named_after_C%C3%A9sar_Ch%C3%A1vez
A. Communities named after Cesar Chavez:
Texas
César Chávez (unincorporated area in Hidalgo County)
B. Parks named after Cesar Chavez:
Arizona
César Chávez Square (Phoenix)
César Chávez Park (Laveen)
California
Plaza de César Chávez (San Jose)
Cesar E. Chavez Plaza (Sacramento)
César E. Chávez Waterfront Park (San Diego)
César E. Chávez Park (Delano)
César Chávez Park (Berkeley)
César E. Chávez Park (Modesto, California)
César E. Chávez Elementary School (Norwalk, California)
UCLA César E. Chávez Department of Chicana & Chicano Studies, (Los Angeles, California)
C. Major streets named after Cesar Chavez:
Arizona
César Chávez Street (San Luis) (formerly 1st Street)
Cesar Chavez Avenue (Somerton) (formerly Avenue F)
California
César E. Chávez Avenue (Los Angeles) (formerly Brooklyn Avenue, Macy Street and part of Sunset Boulevard)
César Chávez Street (San Francisco) (formerly Army Street)
Calle César Chávez (Santa Barbara) (formerly South Salsipuedes Street)
César E. Chávez Parkway (San Diego) (formerly Crosby Street)
César Chávez Drive (Oxnard) (newer street planned to commemorate César Chávez)
New Mexico
Avenida César Chávez (Albuquerque) (formerly Stadium Avenue)
Michigan
César Chávez Drive (Flint) (I-475 Service Drive through Downtown)
César E. Chávez Avenue (Pontiac) (M-24 Business)
Minnesota
Cesar Chavez Avenue (Minneapolis) (formerly 2nd Ave N)
César Chávez Street (Saint Paul) (formerly Concord St)
Missouri
Avenida César Chávez (Kansas City) (formerly 23rd St)
Texas
César Chávez Street (Austin) (formerly 1st Street)
César Chávez Border Highway (El Paso) (formerly Border Highway)
Wisconsin
César E. Chávez Drive (Milwaukee) (formerly S. 16th Street)
Utah
500 South in Salt Lake City bears the honorary designation César E. Chávez Boulevard
D. Libraries named after Cesar Chavez:
Arizona
César E. Chávez Regional Branch (Phoenix)
California
Maywood César Chávez Library (Maywood) [1]
César E. Chávez Branch Library (Oakland) [2]
Cesár Chávez Public Library (Salinas) [3]
César Chávez Central Library (Stockton) [4]
Cesar Chavez Library (Perris, California)
E. K-12 Schools named after Cesar Chavez:
Arizona
César Chávez Elementary School (San Luis)
César Chávez Community School (Phoenix, Arizona)
César Chávez High School (Laveen, Arizona)
California
Chávez High School (Delano)
Chávez High School (Santa Ana)
Cesar Chavez High School (Stockton)
César E. Chávez School for Social Change (Santa Cruz)
César Chávez Middle School (San Bernardino)
César Chávez Middle School (Union City)
Cesar Chavez Elementary School (Corona, California)
César Chávez Elementary School (Davis)
César Chávez Elementary School (Oxnard) (formerly Juanita Elementary School)
César Chávez Elementary School (Greenfield, California)
César Chávez Elementary School (Salinas)
César Chávez Elementary School (San Francisco)
César Cházez Elementary School (San Jose, California)
Cesar E. Chavez Academy (East Palo Alto, California)
Cesar Chavez Continuing Center (San Diego, California)
César E. Chávez Branch Library (Oakland, California)
Cesar Chavez High School (Compton, California)
Colorado
Cesar Chavez Academy (Pueblo, Colorado)
Illinois
César E. Chávez Multicultural Academic Center (Chicago)
Maryland
César Chávez Elementary School (Unincorporated Prince George's County - Hyattsville address)
Minnesota
Academia Cesar Chavez Charter School (St. Paul)
Michigan
César Chávez High School (Detroit)
César Chávez Middle School (Detroit)
César Chávez Academy Elementary School (Detroit)
César E. Chávez Elementary School (Detroit)
New Mexico
César E. Chávez Elementary School (Las Cruces)
César Chávez Elementary School (Santa Fe)
Oregon
César Chávez Elementary School (Eugene)
Texas
Chávez High School (Houston)
César Chávez Middle School (La Joya)
César Chávez Middle School (Waco)
César Chávez Elementary School (Dallas)
César Chávez Elementary School (Fort Worth)
César Chávez Elementary School (Little Elm)
César Chávez Elementary School (Pharr)
César Chávez Academy (El Paso)
Washington, D.C.
César Chávez Public Charter Schools for Public Policy
Wisconsin
César Chávez Elementary School (Unincorporated Dane County - Madison address)
F. Post-secondary schools named after Cesar Chavez:
Arizona
César Chávez Building, (Formerly the Econ Building) University of Arizona (Tucson)
California
César Chávez Campus of the Fresno Adult School (Fresno)
César Chávez Building (A building), Santa Ana College (Santa Ana)
César Chávez Student Center, San Francisco State University (San Francisco)
César Chávez Student Center, University of California, Berkeley (Berkeley)
Colorado
César Chávez Cultural Center at the University of Northern Colorado
G. Former places named after Cesar Chavez:
Oregon
Colegio César Chávez
"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_places_named_after_C%C3%A9sar_Ch%C3%A1vez"
Categories: Mexican-American history | Lists of places
Note the cross-indexing of Cesar Chavez with Mexican-American history—sc.
4. Selected examples:
PHOENIX, ARIZONA:
1. Located next to a lake in beautiful Cesar Chavez Park, Cesar Chavez Library is a Regional Library serving the communities of Laveen and South Mountain. This Library includes many exciting features, including a computer training lab, a first five years area, an inviting children's story room, a spacious community meeting room, 57 Internet computers, a 1,000 square foot state of the art teen space, and a 150,000 volume collection including newspapers and magazines, books, DVDs and CDs. The building is inspired by both its functional requirements and its special park setting near a lake with views of South Mountain.
Directions: Cesar Chavez is located on Baseline Road just west of 35th Avenue next to Cesar Chavez Park. Please see the Valley Metro website for public transportation routes serving the Cesar Chavez Branch Library.
Facilities:
Size: 25,000 square feet
Opened: January 2007
Total Staff: 25.5 FTE
Total Items in Collection: 111,635
Total # of Public PCs with Internet: 57
LINK: http://www.phoenixpubliclibrary.org/branchinfo.jsp?bid=BCC
The American Institute of Architects on the Cesar Chavez Library:
The Cesar Chavez Library is integrated into a park made of mounded earth adjacent to a large constructed lake—a remnant from mid-20th century water attitudes. Unlike climates that will have rain every week, the desert is a unique circumstance that requires special consideration of water as well as energy conservation. The limitations imposed by the site, and these values, developed the innovations to be discussed in later measures.
This project was chosen as an AIA Committee on the Environment Top Ten Green Project for 2008.
Environmental Aspects: The desert environment presented several challenges that created opportunities for green building strategies. Extensive overhangs protect the building from solar heat gain and glare. Window walls provide daylighting and views to the outdoors. Roof-top rainwater collection provides water for irrigation, and low-flow fixtures indoors limit potable water use. To lessen cooling needs, the building was built into the site and bermed with excavated earth. Owned and occupied by City of Phoenix. Typically occupied by 26 people, 40 hours per person per week; and 6,400 visitors per week, 1 hour per visitor per week
http://www.aiatopten.org/hpb/overview.cfm?ProjectID=1060
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA:
Maywood Cesar Chavez Library:
The library was established in February 1921 and was called Maywood Free Public Library. In September, 1993, the city council rededicated the library in honor of César Chávez.
http://www.colapublib.org/libs/maywood/
County of Los Angeles Public Library:
The following collection of resources honor the legacy and name of Cesar E. Chavez. They paint a portrait of his life’s work within the California labor movement, his humanitarian/non-violent philosophies and unique distinction as one of the world’s most respected civil rights advocates.
Community Service Week
Library Events
Biography
Chronology
Prayer of the Farm Workers' Struggle
United Farm Workers Flag
Quiz
Reading Lists
Websites
César Chávez Curriculum Materials (PDF)
Table of Contents
Grandpa's Short Handled Hoe Story
The Pledge of Allegiance Story
Coloring Pages & Activites
Grandpa's Short Handled Hoe Play
De Colores Song
Remembering César E. Chávez Story
Short Handled Hoe Activity
César Chávez Facts
http://www.colapublib.org/chavez/
From the County of Los Angeles Public Library Cesar Chavez Collection:
1. At an age when most boys and girls play at school, César worked with his family picking celery, oranges, lettuce, grapes and other fruits and vegetables.
1. Mientras los niños jugaban en las escuelas, César trabajaba con su familia recogiendo apio, naranjas, lechugas, uvas y otras frutas y vegetales.
2. It was hard work. Many said, Sal si puedes (Leave if you can.)
2. El trabajo era muy duro. Muchos decían, Sal si puedes.
3. César saw how families got sick after working in the fields.
3. César vió como las familias se enfermaban trabajando en los campos.
4. Pesticides were sprayed on the plants to stop bugs.
4. Los pesticidas fueron rociados en las plantas para matar a los insectos.
5. César wanted the bugs to be stopped another way.
5. César quiso que los insectos fueran matados de diferente manera.
6. Many owners said, No! Sal si puedes. (Leave if you can.)
6. Muchos granjeros dijeron, No! Sal si puedes.
7. César asked the workers to leave the fields. He asked the families not to buy lettuce and grapes.
7. César pidió a los trabajadores salirse de los campos. El pidió a las familias no comprar lechugas y uvas.
8. Workers marched peacefully with signs and flags, sang and talked. They chanted ¡Sí se puede! Yes we can!
8. Los trabajadores marcharon pacíficamente con letreros y banderas, cantaban y hablaban. Gritaban, ¡Si se puede! ¡Si se puede!
9. César helped the workers win many changes. ¡Sí se puede! (Yes we can!)
9. César ayudó a los trabajadores a ganar algunos cambios. ¡Sí se puede!
10. Before César E. Chávez died, he still asked for changes to help the workers.
10. Antes que César E. Chávez muriera, él continuaba pidiendo los cambios para ayudar a los trabajadores.
11. His family continues to ask that field workers gain deserved respect and work in a safe environment. ¡Sí se puede! (Yes we can!)
11. La familia continúa pidiendo que los trabajadores del campo reciben el respeto merecido, y trabajan en un ambiente seguro. ¡Sí se puede!
12. César helped all of us.
12. César ayudó a todos nosotros.
http://www.colapublib.org/chavez/facts.htm
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OAKLAND:
The Cesar E. Chavez Branch Library, formerly The Latin American Library Branch, was founded in 1966. It was one of the first public libraries in the United States to offer services and materials in Spanish. The branch opened at its current site in the Fruitvale Transit Village in February 2004. The Cesar E. Chavez Branch is fully bilingual offering information services and collections in Spanish and English.
Chavez branch has approximately 56,000 books, compact disks, videos, DVD's, audio books, audiocassettes, and magazines and newspapers for all ages. Our Spanish language collection is the largest of the system, with 11,500 circulating Spanish items. Also, of popular interest is our Chicano reference and circulating collection. Chavez also has a small Vietnamese collection with 750 items. Finally, Chavez offers a popular Children's section and a growing teen collection.
http://www.oaklandlibrary.org/Branches/CCB/index.htm#programs
http://www.oaklandlibrary.org/Branches/CCB/index.htm
======================
Stockton-San Joaquin County Public Library:
Welcome to Stockton-San Joaquin County Public Library homepage. Through this site you will find a vast array of information available at and through your public library.
You may access to the Library's on-line catalog of materials as well as to information about the Chavez Central Library, the twelve branch libraries, the Mobile Library and literacy services. You can also use databases, lists of bestsellers, or web guides on specific topics. Links include connections to a variety of Web sites that offer information about Stockton and other San Joaquin County resources, services and events.
The Library also offers access to many reference materials in electronic format - dictionaries, encyclopedias, directories - and to specialized subscription services such as full-text newspapers and magazines, biography resources, etc. The Internet For Kids and Teen Links selections are links to sites especially selected to meet the interests and needs of young people.
Libraries have always been regarded as repositories of knowledge. More recently, libraries have taken a more active role as disseminators of knowledge. The Web site is a tool that helps you reach and access your information needs no matter where you are. To that end, Library cardholders can access from home many of the licensed subscriptions that could be seen previously only in the Library.
A fifth grade student in Stockton once described his library as an "imagination station" that lets him journey near and far to places real or fantastic. We hope that these pages will provide a friendly and helpful guide to another exciting journey of intellectual exploration, whether for information, for education, or for just plain fun. Enjoy!
The Cesar Chavez Central Library maintains large, fully cataloged collections of books, periodicals, music CDs, DVDs, books on tape, books on CD, cassettes and videos in Spanish, Chinese, and Vietnamese and is building book collections in Hmong, Khmer, Lao, and Philippine languages. The Central Library also has a large, cataloged collection of Japanese books.
The Central Children's Section supports book collections in all of the above languages. All nine branch libraries in the system and the Bookmobile have Spanish language collections of varying sizes; the largest are maintained at the Maya Angelou Southeast Library/Biblioteca, the Fair Oaks Branch Library and the Tracy Branch Library. The M. K. Troke Library also has collections of Chinese and Vietnamese language books. The Library catalog has a PowerSearch feature with a language option that focuses a search to materials in any of the above languages.
http://www.stockton.lib.ca.us/chavez/
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Sean Cruz writes Blogolitical Sean:
www.blogoliticalsean.blogspot.com
Sunday, September 7, 2008
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