Sombreros, fake mustaches and binge-drinking are three things that come to mind on “Chico Chavez.” Unfortunately, few think about the work that Cesar Chavez did for workers’ rights, civil rights and farming.

Movimiento Estudiantil Chicano de Aztlán de Chico State will be hosting during the week of Cesar Chavez Day to help educate students on the significance of Chavez’s impact. This will be the fourth consecutive year M.E.Ch.A has been holding these events.

“He opened the doors for Mexicans, Latinos and other minorities,” said Carlos Torres, a PR representative for M.E.Ch.A. “He’s someone big who deserves respect and we just want the Chico community to know he should be respected and not appropriate his culture.”

Each event is designed to involve students and teach them through different mediums. One Tuesday event is an art gallery, in which the community submitted a maximum of two art pieces inspired by Chavez. The mediums range from paintings on canvas to photos and drawings. Each piece of artwork is an artists’ inspiration from Chavez. The pieces range from the replication of the eagle symbol, a portrait of Chavez to interpretation of labor or unity. Each art pieces are on display from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. in Trinity Commons.

Organizations that are involved with Chavez week along with M.E.Ch.A include: multicultural fraternities and sororities, KCSC Radio, La Raza Student Union, Latinas in Action, Leaders Educating for the Advancement of Dreamers, Black Student Union, Office of Diversity and Filipino American Student Organization.

The goal of Chavez week is to not only help educate students on who he was, but to stop culturally appropriating his holiday.

“We don’t expect people to know. We just want cultural appropriation to stop,” Torres said.

Julia Maldonado can be reached at [email protected] or @theorion_arts on Twitter.