Cesar Chavez march

Flew down to Albuquerque on the train Friday night after work, for yesterday's annual procession in honor of Cesar Chavez. An action I needed to take part in, out of respect for my new home in the South Valley. The march began at Sanchez Farms: where, in the truest sense of "demonstration", people are right now joining as various collaborative groups to plant seeds in the earth, and grow food to share. The broad column of people wound up Isleta Boulevard, happily slowing traffic, bringing the neighbors out onto their porches, provoking honks and waves from passing cars and trucks. It headed for the National Hispanic Cultural Center just across the Rio Grande (whose cautious cottonwoods still hold their breaths of green hidden in their waiting bark-muscles). La danza Azteca led the way: we are, after all, following with awareness in the steps of our history here. Then came various community and youth organizers, workers groups, Wobblies. A man on a truckbed tried to lead us in a list of chants. His success was limited by the size of the march (I'd guess around 150 people), and by the fact that, a few rows back, a woman with her own microphone (supported by a guy walking with a generator on his shoulder) was leading chants of her own. One line attempted by both instigators, but at different times, was: "This is what Democracy looks like!" Our mismatched, juxtaposed chanting struck me as annoying, but then as funny, and then as perfect: this IS what Democracy looks like, right? People many and diverse and lively, speaking in their own different voices, all at once and all together. The cacophony became fun at that point, and I walked for a moment celebrating the chaos. But then, even better, the man in the truck invited the woman in back to come up and take his microphone, and lead the chants. Her stronger and more rhythmic voice united the group, almost completely, for the last half mile or so across the Bridge bridge and into the Cultural Center parking lot.

At the Center, a man passed round a petition which I want to share: a request for a national holiday - a PAID holiday, for the workers - on Cesar Chavez' birthday. Here's the link - very quick to sign!
http://www.ufwaction.org/campaign/chavezholiday?
qp_source=web