Cesar Chavez Youth Leadership Conference

HEAR To Host Annual Cesar Chavez Youth Leadership Conference and Education Fair With the Theme “No Child Left Behind”

Roseville, CA - The Hispanic Empowerment Association of Roseville (HEAR) will sponsor the 3rd Annual Cesar Chavez Youth Leadership Conference and Education Fair for any 6th to 12th graders and their parents. The educational fair will have college recruiters and information designed to empower families to become stronger advocates for their children's education.

The Conference will take place on Saturday, March 20, 2004 from 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM at Sierra College located at 5000 Rocklin Rd. in Rocklin, CA., about 18 miles east of Sacramento – the State Capitol. 1,000 sixth to twelve graders attended last year and 400 parents. The event is free and pre-registration is not required but suggested. Pre-registration is available by downloading conference information at http://www.hear2000.org

The Conference began three years ago in the Roseville City School District by Board Trustee, Rene Aguilera, and kicks off one of many upcoming Cesar Chavez State Holiday Events. Chavez was co-founder and president of the United Farm Workers, leading the union from the 1960s to his death at age 66 in 1993 in which he organized farm workers in several states. In 2000, Governor Gray Davis signed SB 984, asking that school districts give an hour of instruction in all California schools on Chavez's March 31 birthday about the UFW founder's lessons on non-violence, self-sacrifice and social justice. Then, in the afternoon, students are to engage in some form of public service appropriate for their age and grade called the Cesar Chavez Day of Service of Learning.

“The Cesar Chavez Youth Leadership Conference supplements what most school districts do on March 31 – his birthday and acts as a primer for learning,” said, Aguilera, also the conference coordinator, “We ask parents, students, educators and business and community leaders to come out and volunteer their time to teach and learn from each other on both days.”

Dolores Huerta, a member of the UC Board of Regents will give the keynote address. Huerta, who with Chavez founded the United Farm Workers union, is synonymous with the labor movement and has been an activist and lobbyist in a career spanning for more than 48 years, fighting segregation and getting out the vote.

"I'm very excited and very thrilled to be speaking at a Youth Conference in honor of Cesar. Cesar was a teacher to all by his example in taking up the human and civil rights struggle for California’s farm workers. In that great struggle, we saw his great dignity, courage and humanity. In his life, much like mine, there are lessons for us all," Huerta, 73, said.

Other workshops for parents, students, educators and business and community leaders will also include a seminar on student financial aid and scholarships and career information workshops including law, journalism, military, teaching, social welfare, art, music and dance, medicine, law enforcement and pro athletes.

The Conference will feature several notable speakers and presenters from the Placer County and Sacramento area education community and national organizations such as the Sacramento Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, Mexican American Legal Defense Education Fund, American G.I. Forum, La Raza Lawyers Association, League of United Latin American Citizens, United Farm Workers of America, Latina Leadership Network, Labor Council of Latin American Advancement, Hispanic Contractors Association, Society of Hispanic Engineers and the National Council of La Raza.

Media interested in attending should contact Cindy Lopes, BlueMarble Communications, 916-772-5365 or, on the day of event Rene Aguilera, 916-532-5998. For more general information on the Cesar Chavez Youth Leadership Conference and Education Fair, please contact HEAR at 916-782-2040 or go to http://www.hear2000.org