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We draw our strength from the very despair in which we have been forced to live. We shall endure.

Cesar Chavez

I am convinced that the truest act of courage, the strongest act of manliness, is to sacrifice ourselves for others in a totally nonviolent struggle for justice. To be a man is to suffer for others. God help us to be men!
CESAR CHAVEZ

Act Courage God Man Myself Ourselves Sacrifice Suffering True
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
Dr. King challenged us to work for a greater humanity. I only hope that we are worthy of his challenge.
CESAR CHAVEZ

Challenge Greatness Hope Humanity Myself Worth
The love for justice that is in us is not only the best part of our being but it is also the most true to our nature.
CESAR CHAVEZ

Justice Love Nature Ourselves True
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
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
Our struggle is not easy. Those who oppose our cause are rich and powerful and they have many allies in high places. We are poor. Our allies are few. But we have something the rich do not own. We have our bodies and spirits and the justice of our cause as our weapons.
CESAR CHAVEZ

Body Justice Ourselves Poor Powerful Rich Spirit Struggle Weapon
When we are really honest with ourselves we must admit our lives are all that really belong to us. So it is how we use our lives that determines the kind of men we are.
CESAR CHAVEZ

Determination Honesty Kind Live Men Ourselves
Only when we have become nonviolent towards all life will we have learned to live well with others.
CESAR CHAVEZ

Learning Life Live Violence
In some cases non-violence requires more militancy than violence.
CESAR CHAVEZ

Deep Violence
When you sacrifice, you force others to sacrifice. It’s an extremely powerful weapon.
CESAR CHAVEZ

Powerful Sacrifice Weapon Yourself
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.
CESAR CHAVEZ

Need Perfection Politics
You know, if people are not pacifists, it’s not their fault. It’s because society puts them in that spot. You’ve got to change it. You don’t just change a man – you’ve got to change his environment as you do it.
CESAR CHAVEZ

Change Deep Man People Yourself
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
If you are interested in preventing animal suffering, the first thing you should give up is eggs and milk, because the animals who produce those foods lead the most unhappy lives. You would do better to eat meat and stop eating eggs and dairy products.
CESAR CHAVEZ

Animal Food Happiness Live Suffering Yourself
Those who are willing to sacrifice and be of service have very little difficulty with people. They know what they are all about. People can’t help but want to be near them. They help them; they work with them. That’s what love is all about. It starts with your heart and radiates out.
CESAR CHAVEZ

Help Love People Sacrifice Start Willing
Never, never is it possible to reach someone if you become angry or bitter only love and gentleness can do it. Maybe not this time but maybe the next or the hundredth time.
CESAR CHAVEZ

Angry Love Possible Time
If you really want to make a friend, go to someone’s house and eat with him… the people who give you their food give you their heart.
CESAR CHAVEZ

Eat Food Friendship Heart Home Yourself
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
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
If we are full of hatred, we can’t really do our work. Hatred saps all that strength and energy we need to plan.
CESAR CHAVEZ

Hate Planning Strength
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
Because we have suffered, and we are not afraid to suffer in order to survive, we are ready to give up everything – even our lives – in our struggle for justice.
CESAR CHAVEZ

Give Up Justice Struggle Suffering Survive
Nonviolence is really tough. You don’t practice nonviolence at conferences; you practice it on picket-lines.
CESAR CHAVEZ

Battle Practice 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
Self dedication is a spiritual experience.
CESAR CHAVEZ

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

Hurt Oppression Violence

We draw our strength from the very despair in which we have been forced to live. We shall endure.

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We draw our strength from the very despair in which we have been forced to live. We shall endure.

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Popular Authors

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