César Chávez Day, 2016

Vol. 81

Monday,

No. 64

April 4, 2016

Part VI

The President

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Proclamation 9410--C[eacute]sar Ch[aacute]vez Day, 2016

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Title 3--
The President

Proclamation 9410 of March 30, 2016

C[eacute]sar Ch[aacute]vez Day, 2016

By the President of the United States of America

A Proclamation

As a child of migrant workers who struggled just to get
by, C[eacute]sar Ch[aacute]vez knew the importance of
having an economy that works for everyone and devoted
his life to ensuring our Nation upheld the values upon
which it was founded. On his birthday, we celebrate a
man who reminded us--above all else--that we all share
a common humanity, each of us having our own value and
contributing to the same destiny, and we carry forward
his legacy by echoing his peaceful and eloquent calls
for a more just and equal society.

C[eacute]sar Ch[aacute]vez demonstrated that true
courage is revealed when the outlook is darkest, the
resistance is strongest, and we still find it within
ourselves to stand up for what we believe in. In the
face of extraordinary adversity and opposition, he
stood up for the inherent dignity of every person, no
matter their race, color, creed, or sexual orientation,
and for the idea that when workers are treated fairly,
we give meaning to our founding ideals. Guided by his
faith in his convictions, he fasted, marched, and
rallied millions to ``La Causa'' to expand opportunity
and demand a voice for workers everywhere. Together
with Dolores Huerta, he founded the United Farm
Workers, and through boycotts and protests, he ushered
in a new era of respect for America's laborers and farm
workers.

Today, we honor C[eacute]sar Ch[aacute]vez by
continuing to fight for what he believed in, including
a living wage for workers and their right to unionize
and provide for their family. Workers should have a
safe workplace and the comfort of knowing that if they
work hard, they can feed their family, earn decent
benefits, and gain the skills they need to move up and
get ahead. We will also keep up our efforts to reform
our Nation's broken immigration system so more people
can contribute to our country's success. And as we
strive for well-deserved policies for America's
workers, like a higher minimum wage and paid leave, we
are reminded that the movement C[eacute]sar
Ch[aacute]vez led was sustained by a generation of
organizers who spoke out and fought for a better,
fairer America--and it is now upon us to do the same in
our time.

Our Nation's progress has always been driven by the
belief that extraordinary things happen when we come
together around a common cause, and through decades of
organizing and serving others, C[eacute]sar
Ch[aacute]vez embodied this ideal. On C[eacute]sar
Ch[aacute]vez Day, let us unite to reach for the
America he knew was possible--one in which hard work is
rewarded, prosperity is shared, and equal opportunity
is the right of all our people.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the
United States of America, by virtue of the authority
vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the
United States, do hereby proclaim March 31, 2016, as
C[eacute]sar Ch[aacute]vez Day. I call upon all
Americans to observe this day with appropriate service,
community, and education programs to honor C[eacute]sar
Ch[aacute]vez's enduring legacy.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this
thirtieth day of March, in the year of our Lord two
thousand sixteen, and of the Independence of the United
States of America the two hundred and fortieth.