Home / Quotes / Quote by Cesar Chavez

Quote by Cesar Chavez

“I think one of the great, great problems...is confusing people to the point where they become immobile. In fact, the more things people can find out for themselves, the more vigor the organization is going to have.”

Quote by Cesar Chavez

Author

Cesar Chavez was a prominent civil rights activist who dedicated his life to advocating for the rights of farm workers in the United States. Born on March 31, 1927, in Yuma, Arizona, Chavez grew up in a migrant farmworker family and experienced firsthand the hardships faced by agricultural laborers. He co-founded the National Farm Workers Association (NFWA) in 1962, which later became the United Farm Workers (UFW). Through nonviolent protest, boycotts, and strikes, Chavez fought for fair wages, better working conditions, and improved living standards for farm workers. His efforts led to significant changes in the agricultural industry and inspired countless others to join the fight for social justice. more

You May Also Like

“If they had $2.00 for food, they had to give $1.00 to the union. Otherwise, they would never get out of the trap of poverty. They would never have a union because they couldn't afford to sacrifice a little bit more on top of their misery.”

Ifs Giving Littles Bits Poverty Sacrifice Little Bit Unions Misery Traps

Book:The Words of César Chávez

Source: The Words of César Chávez

“Money is not going to organize the disadvantaged, the powerless, or the poor. We need other weapons. That's why the War on Poverty is such a miserable failure. You put out a big pot of money and all you do is fight over it. Then you run out of money and you run out of troops.”

Needs War Bigs Running Fighting Poor Poverty Weapons Miserable Over It Pot Troops Organize Powerless Disadvantaged War On Poverty

Book:The Words of César Chávez

Source: The Words of César Chávez

“Organizing is an educational process. The best educational process in the union is the picket line and the boycott. You learn about life.”

Process Lines Unions Educational Boycott Best Education

Author:Cesar Chavez

“"The life of the union depends upon more people getting to share the limelight, because with the limelight also comes responsibility and with the responsibility comes a little sharing of the load." "There isn't enough money to organize poor people. There never is enough money to organize anyone. If you put it on the basis of money, you're not going to succeed."”

People Ifs Littles Enough Poor Responsibility Share Depends Succeed Bases Unions Load Organize Poor People Limelight

Author:Cesar Chavez

“We are organizers at heart. Most of us in the movement take great pride in being able to put things together.”

Heart Able Together Movement Pride Organizer

Author:Cesar Chavez

“We're going to pray a lot and picket a lot.”

Author:Cesar Chavez

“I've always maintained that it isn't the form that's going to make the difference. It isn't the rule or the procedure or the ideology, but it's human beings that will make it.”

Humans Action Form Differences Human Beings Ideology Procedures

Author:Cesar Chavez

“In the final analysis it doesn't really matter what the political system is...We don't need perfect political systems; we need perfect participation.”

Needs Matter Action Political Perfect Finals Immigration Analysis Participation Political Systems Political Participation

Author:Cesar Chavez

“It is not good enough to know why we are oppressed and by whom. We must join the struggle for what is right and just. Jesus does not promise that it will be an easy way to live life and His own life certainly points in a hard direction; but it does promise that we will be "satisfied" (not stuffed; but satisfied). He promises that by giving life we will find life - full, meaningful life as God meant it.”

Knows Way Giving Doe Hard Enough Action Jesus Easy Struggle Promise Meaningful Satisfied Live Life Good Enough Oppressed Meaningful Life Way To Live Not Good Enough Easy Way

Book:An Organizer's Tale: Speeches

Source: An Organizer's Tale: Speeches

“Jesus' life and words are a challenge at the same time that they are Good News. They are a challenge to those of us who are poor and oppressed. By His life He is calling us to give ourselves to others, to sacrifice for those who suffer, to share our lives with our brothers and sisters who are also oppressed. He is calling us to "hunger and thirst after justice" in the same way that we hunger and thirst after food and water: that is, by putting our yearning into practice.”