Statement by Senator Obama Calling for National Holiday in Honor of Chavez's Birthday

Chicago, IL - Senator Barack Obama today released the following statement to commemorate Cesar Chavez's birthday and express his support for a national holiday to honor Chavez's success in "making America a stronger, more just, and more prosperous nation."

"Today is Cesar Chavez's birthday, and his life and legacy are important for us all to remember. From his beginnings as a farmworker picking lettuce and beets in the American Southwest, Cesar Chavez rose to help found the United Farm Workers, providing hundreds of thousands of people with better working conditions and the chance to live a better life. He proved what I have long believed - that together, ordinary people can do extraordinary things. When some said he could not organize farmworkers and take on the growers, he said, "Sí Se Puede" - "Yes We Can." It's a philosophy of hope and aspiration that inspires us today."

"Chavez left a legacy as an educator, environmentalist, and a civil rights leader. And his cause lives on. As farmworkers and laborers across America continue to struggle for fair treatment and fair wages, we find strength in what Cesar Chavez accomplished so many years ago. And we should honor him for what he's taught us about making America a stronger, more just, and more prosperous nation. That's why I support the call to make Cesar Chavez's birthday a national holiday. It's time to recognize the contributions of this American icon to the ongoing efforts to perfect our union."