El Centro Chicano and the Movimiento Estudiantil Chicano de Aztlan (MEChA) kicked off Cesar Chavez Commemoration 2007 yesterday with performances in Stern Dining by Ballet Folklorico and Mariachi Cardenal de Stanford.

The 14th annual commemoration — which will include a speech by Rev. Jesse Jackson — is geared toward bringing attention to global issues like human rights.

“The events for this year’s commemoration are all about a space for creating dialogue and to address situations going on around us,” said co-coordinator Sergio Rosas ‘09. “Student life is really busy and people are always active, and because of that, I think it’s important to take the time to remember that there are issues that still exist out there.”

Other notable events include a discussion on the militarization of the U.S.-Mexico border by Chicano Studies Lecturer Jose Palafox and a service learning project that will bring students to a local farmworking community to discuss labor issues with representatives from California Rural Legal Assistance (CRLA).

The committee hopes the eclectic events will attract a broader audience than in previous years.

“Since the beginning planning stages, the committee and I decided we wanted to broaden the scope of the events in order to reach out to more faculty and students with different interests,” said co-coordinator Martha Alvarez ‘08, in an email to The Daily. “For instance, we wanted not only to talk about the struggle of farm workers, but create discussions about more contemporary social justice issues like the rights of indigenous people and immigrants.”

Rosas said this year’s commemoration would emphasize the immigrant debate.

“We are focusing more on labor and social issues, the issues that Chavez fought for and his legacy for fighting for farm workers rights,” he said. “We hope that its not just what he did for the Latino community that is recognized, but all communities facing the same issues as well.”

In an Apr. 23 address in Kresge Auditorium, Jackson will touch on the legacy Chavez left behind and a number of current societal issues.

Rosas encouraged students to attend the event both to honor Chavez and to learn about the importance of social justice.

“It is about remembering and realizing that people in the past such as Chavez have struggled to bridge the inequality gap among the labor community,” he said. “It is important to remember that there are people who spend their entire lives fighting for others. Having an opportunity to hear a speaker address things like that is something we should all take advantage of.”

Alvarez emphasized the importance of the commemoration as a means to spreading Chavez’s message.

“Since not many students, including Latinos, know much about Chavez,” she said, “I believe it is incredibly important to educate the greater Stanford community about his legacy.”