In celebration of Cesar Chavez Day, the Chicano Federation and San Diego Loyal Soccer Club honored the legendary labor leader with a mural and gardening project in Southwest San Diego.
The artwork and succulent garden at the Delta Apartments in the Shelltown neighborhood carry Chavez’s message of community, said Veronica Macedo, the Chicano Federation’s Director of Development and Community Relations, “He was a person that did everything for his community, so we wanted to come into the community and do something for this neighborhood,” Macedo said.
Chavez, along with Dolores Huerta, founded the United Farm Workers Union in the early 1960s.
Joining the Chicano Federation were members of the San Diego Loyal, the city’s professional soccer team. Longtime U.S. soccer star Landon Donovan, who is the Loyal manager, participated in the event.
Donovan said partnering with the Chicano Federation for this event was a no-brainer.
“We want to connect to this community in a real way,” he said “We want to be committed to this community just like the Chicano Federation and ultimately we want to build camaraderie and you do that by donating your time.”
Donovan said the two organizations share the values that Chavez stood for: “to go out and promote values of equality and respect for all people.”
