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When you have people together who believe in something very strongly – whether it’s religion or politics or unions – things happen.

Cesar Chavez

If you’re not frightened that you might fail, you’ll never do the job. If you’re frightened, you’ll work like crazy.
CESAR CHAVEZ

Crazy Failure Job Yourself
We’ll organize workers in this movement as long as we’re willing to sacrifice. The moment we stop sacrificing, we stop organizing.
CESAR CHAVEZ

Moments Sacrifice Stop Willing
Organizing is an educational process. The best educational process in the union is the picket line and the boycott. You learn about life.
CESAR CHAVEZ

Education Learning Life Unity Yourself
Our language is the reflection of ourselves.
CESAR CHAVEZ

Language Ourselves Reflection
True wealth is not measured in money or status or power. It is measured in the legacy we leave behind for those we love and those we inspire.
CESAR CHAVEZ

Inspirational Love Money Power True Wealth
It is possible to become discouraged about the injustice we see everywhere. But God did not promise us that the world would be humane and just. He gives us the gift of life and allows us to choose the way we will use our limited time on earth. It is an awesome opportunity.
CESAR CHAVEZ

Courage Gift God Human Justice Life Limitation Opportunity Possible Promise Time World
I became a vegetarian after realizing that animals feel afraid, cold, hungry and unhappy like we do. I feel very deeply about vegetarianism and the animal kingdom.
CESAR CHAVEZ

Animal Fear Feeling Happiness Myself
In some cases non-violence requires more militancy than violence.
CESAR CHAVEZ

Deep Violence
Violence just hurts those who are already hurt. Instead of exposing the brutality of the oppressor, it justifies it.
CESAR CHAVEZ

Hurt Oppression Violence
A symbol is an important thing. That is why we chose an Aztec eagle. It gives pride. When people see it they know it means dignity.
CESAR CHAVEZ

Choice Important People Pride See
Real education should consist of drawing the goodness and the best out of our own students. What better books can there be than the book of humanity?
CESAR CHAVEZ

Best Book Education Goodness Humanity Reality
I am an organizer, not a union leader. A good organizer has to work hard and long. There are no shortcuts. You just keep talking to people, working with them, sharing, exchanging and they come along.
CESAR CHAVEZ

Leadership Myself People Talk
We must understand that the highest form of freedom carries with it the greatest measure of discipline.
CESAR CHAVEZ

Discipline Freedom Greatness Understand
What is at stake is human dignity. If a man is not accorded respect he cannot respect himself and if he does not respect himself, he cannot demand it.
CESAR CHAVEZ

Dignity Himself Human Respect
Concentration is inspiration. You must be completely overtaken by your work and your subject. Only then do all your influences and experience come up to the surface.
CESAR CHAVEZ

Experience Inspirational Yourself
What I do shows people what kind of person I am.
CESAR CHAVEZ

Kind Myself People
Students must have initiative; they should not be mere imitators. They must learn to think and act for themselves – and be free.
CESAR CHAVEZ

Freedom Learning Student Thinking
When a man or woman, young, or old, takes a place on the picket line for even a day or two, he will never be the same again.
CESAR CHAVEZ

Himself Man Place Woman
The people who give you their food give you their heart.
CESAR CHAVEZ

Food Heart People Yourself
Our language is the reflection of ourselves. A language is an exact reflection of the character and growth of its speakers.
CESAR CHAVEZ

Character Growth Language Ourselves Reflection
Every time we sit at a table at night or in the morning to enjoy the fruits and grain and vegetables from our good earth, remember that they come from the work of men and women and children who have been exploited for generations.
CESAR CHAVEZ

Children Enjoyment Man Morning Night Oppression Time Women
The only ones who make things change are fanatics. If you’re not a fanatic around here, you can’t cut it.
CESAR CHAVEZ

Change Mad Oneself
The end of all knowledge must be the building up of character.
CESAR CHAVEZ

Character End Knowledge
There is no such thing as defeat in non-violence.
CESAR CHAVEZ

Defeat Violence
History will judge societies and governments – and their institutions – not by how big they are or how well they serve the rich and the powerful, but by how effectively they respond to the needs of the poor and the helpless.
CESAR CHAVEZ

History Judgement Need Powerful Rich
It takes a lot of punishment to be able to do anything to change the social order.
CESAR CHAVEZ

Change Punishment
When the man who feeds the world by toiling in the fields is himself deprived of the basic rights of feeding, sheltering, and caring for his own family, the whole community of man is sick.
CESAR CHAVEZ

Community Family Himself Man Sick World

When you have people together who believe in something very strongly – whether it’s religion or politics or unions – things happen.

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When you have people together who believe in something very strongly – whether it’s religion or politics or unions – things happen.

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