In 1966, a legendary group of farm workers led by Cesar Chavez marched 280 miles for labor rights through the fields of California’s Central Valley. Their actions captivated the world and inspired generations of social movements. In 2022, farm workers repeated the march to advocate for voting rights. And this year, the United States Congress is considering creating a National Park that follows this epic journey.
We thought, why not follow the route ourselves? Starting on June 1, 2023, Guatemalan-American writer and academic J. Nathan Matias , and Global Voices’ executive director Ivan Sigal , are cycling in the footsteps of the California Farm Workers—raising funds for the Central California Environmental Justice Network and Rising Voices , Global Voices’ endangered/Indigenous language program.
Along the way, we will learn and engage with the region’s history, enjoy food from the country’s most productive farmlands, and meet people who are shaping the future of the Central Valley. We also hope to find new ways to see and think about our shared environmental possibilities, given the Central Valley’s essential role as food and oil producer for the world.
Our cycling route will take us 550 miles from Bakersfield to Sacramento and then to Oakland, on the Pacific coast, following the route of United Farm Workers’ historic march. The two organizations for which we’re raising funds support future leaders in the Central Valley and beyond: The Central California Environmental Justice Network supports grassroots leadership in rural communities of color to promote environmental health education, community organizing, and […]
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