First Regular Session
Seventy-fifth General Assembly
STATE OF COLORADO
ENGROSSED
LLS NO. R25-0961.01 Jessica Chapman x4636 HR25-1004
House Committees
HOUSE RESOLUTION 25-1004
C
ONCERNING RECOGNITION OF "CÉSAR CHÁVEZ DAY" AND101
HONORING DOLORES HUERTA.102
WHEREAS, Césario Estrada Chávez was born on March 31, 1927,1
on a small farm near Yuma, Arizona, and was raised by migrant farm2
workers; and3
WHEREAS, During the Great Depression, César Chávez's family,4
like many other families, became migrant workers. They joined hundreds5
of thousands of workers who followed crops to Southern California; and6
WHEREAS, César Chávez left school after eighth grade to labor7
in the fields and vineyards of the Southwest to help support his family;8
and9
WHEREAS, In 1944, at the age of 17, César Chávez joined the10
U.S. Navy and served his country until receiving an honorable discharge11
in 1946; and12
WHEREAS, After experiencing years of discrimination and unfair13
working conditions, César Chávez dedicated his life to improving the14 HOUSE
Final Reading
March 31, 2025
HOUSE SPONSORSHIP
Espenoza and Garcia Sander, Duran, Bacon, Barron, Bird, Boesenecker, Brown,
Camacho, Carter, Clifford, English, Froelich, Gonzalez R., Hamrick, Jackson, Joseph, Lieder,
Lindsay, Lindstedt, Lukens, Marshall, Martinez, Mauro, McCluskie, McCormick, Paschal,
Phillips, Ricks, Rutinel, Rydin, Sirota, Smith, Stewart K., Stewart R., Story, Valdez,
Woodrow
Shading denotes HOUSE amendment. Double underlining denotes SENATE amendment.
Capital letters or bold & italic numbers indicate new material to be added to existing law.
Dashes through the words or numbers indicate deletions from existing law. plight of farm workers; and1
WHEREAS, César Chávez and fellow activist Dolores Huerta2
formed the National Farm Workers Association in 1962, which later3
became the United Farm Workers of America (UFW), to help farm4
workers win equal rights and fair treatment; and5
WHEREAS, Dolores Huerta, who was born in Dawson, New6
Mexico, in 1930, became a focused activist, organizer, and feminist and7
brought forward a unique voice on behalf of women to ensure economic8
justice for all workers; and9
WHEREAS, In 1965, Chávez and Huerta organized a strike of10
California grape workers to demand higher wages and urged Americans11
to boycott table grapes as a show of support; and12
WHEREAS, César Chávez believed in the principles of13
nonviolence practiced by Mahatma Gandhi and Dr. Martin Luther King,14
Jr., and used tactics such as boycotts, marches, strikes, and fasts to gain15
millions of supporters and new members for farm labor unions across the16
United States; and17
WHEREAS, By 1970, Chávez and the UFW had persuaded grape18
growers to accept union contracts and had successfully organized almost19
the entire industry; and20
WHEREAS, During a fast by Chávez in 1972, Dolores Huerta21
coined the phrase "¡Sí se puede!", which in English means "Yes, it can be22
done!", reflecting a conviction that workers can successfully organize and23
secure rights; and24
WHEREAS, The work of César Chávez was informed by his25
devout Catholic faith, and he favored images of Our Lady of Guadalupe26
at marches and demonstrations; and27
WHEREAS, In 1975, Chávez and Huerta and the UFW's efforts28
resulted in the California "Agricultural Labor Relations Act", a29
groundbreaking law protecting the right of farm workers to unionize; and30
WHEREAS, Chávez tirelessly devoted himself to making people31
aware of the struggles of farm workers and their need for better pay and32
safer working conditions; and33
1004
-2- WHEREAS, César Chávez, Dolores Huerta, and the UFW1
achieved the following:2
! The first collective bargaining agreement between farm3
workers and growers in the continental United States;4
! The first union contracts requiring rest periods, clean5
drinking water, hand washing facilities, and clothing6
protective against pesticide exposure;7
! The first ban on pesticide spraying while workers were in8
the fields and the first ban on DDT and other dangerous9
pesticides;10
! The first and only performing pension plan for retired farm11
workers;12
! The first union contracts regulating safety and sanitary13
conditions in farm labor camps and banning discrimination14
in employment and sexual harassment of female workers;15
! Abolition of the use of "el cortito", the infamous16
short-handled hoe that disabled generations of farm17
workers; and18
! Extension of state coverage for unemployment, disability,19
and workers' compensation to farm workers; and20
WHEREAS, On April 23, 1993, César Chávez died peacefully in21
his sleep in San Luis, Arizona; and22
WHEREAS, In 1994, President Bill Clinton posthumously23
awarded César Chávez the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest24
civilian honor in the United States; and25
WHEREAS, César Chávez influenced and inspired millions of26
Americans to seek social justice and civil rights for the poor and27
disenfranchised in our society; and28
WHEREAS, It is important to continue César Chávez and Dolores29
Huerta's legacies of advocating for the rights of agricultural workers,30
including efforts currently underway; now, therefore,31
1004
-3- Be It Resolved by the House of Representatives of the Seventy-fifth1
General Assembly of the State of Colorado:2
That we, the members of the House of Representatives, honor3
March 31, 2025, as "César Chávez Day" in recognition of both César4
Chávez and Dolores Huerta, two inspiring leaders who have improved the5
working conditions, safety, and dignity of so many.6
Be It Further Resolved, That copies of this Resolution be sent to7
former State Senator Rob Hernandez, who, with State Representative8
Frana Mace, was the prime sponsor on Senate Joint Resolution 99-043,9
"Recognizing César Chávez"; former State Representative Fran Coleman;10
former State Senator Polly Baca; former State Senator Abel Tapia; each11
member of Colorado's congressional delegation; Dolores Huerta of the12
Dolores Huerta Foundation; the César Chávez Peace and Justice13
Committee of Denver, c/o Dr. Ramón Del Castillo, co-founder of the14
committee and retired professor and chair of the Chicana and Chicano15
Studies Department at Metropolitan State University of Denver;16
Woodbury Library in Denver; the members of the Pueblo City Council;17
César Chávez Academy in Pueblo; Denver Mayor Mike Johnston; and the18
members of the Denver City Council.19
1004
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