RAJAN ZED NEWS RELEASE
Nevada Governor Brian Sandoval has issued a proclamation proclaiming March 31, 2013, as a day in honor of civil rights icon Cesar Estrada Chavez, which is his birthday.
Signed by Sandoval and Nevada Secretary of State Ross Miller, this proclamation was received in the mail in Reno yesterday by interfaith leader Rajan Zed, who is chairperson of the Nevada Cesar Chavez Day Committee.
The governor’s proclamation mentions Chavez’s securing historic labor and civil rights concessions for exploited and impoverished farm workers, his march from Delano to Sacramento in California, grape boycott, his belief in social justice through non-violence, three historic fasts, etc.
Both Washoe County Commission and City of Reno have already proclaimed March 31 as Cesar Chavez Day, mentioning “Cesar Chavez adhered to the principles of non-violence practiced by M.K. Gandhi.”
The Nevada Cesar Chavez Day Committee is organizing a community-wide free “Nevada Cesar Chavez Day Multi-faith Service” at 3:30 p.m. Sunday, March 31, at the Joe Crowley Student Union at University of Nevada-Reno (UNR), which is open to all.
Various religious, political, educational and community leaders of the state are expected to participate in this service, which will offer multi-faith prayers, music, dance, reflections and multimedia display honoring Chavez’s legacy. It will also reflect on Chavez’s non-violent movement for social change and efforts at bringing equality-dignity-justice for all Americans, Zed adds.
Zed has urged that Nevada should declare March 31 as state holiday like some other states and that one major street in all major towns of Nevada and UNR and University of Nevada-Las Vegas campuses should be renamed as Avenida Cesar Chavez.
