On what many consider a day off from classes and a welcome opportunity after spring break to party, Chico State is offering opportunities to celebrate the upcoming holiday, Cesar Chavez Day, with more cultural awareness and education.

Although the holiday celebrates the civil rights leader Chavez, whose nonviolent tactics on behalf of better pay and safer working conditions for farm workers inspired generations, celebrations in Chico often play into its stereotype as a “drinking holiday.” Police often brace for increases in crime such as public intoxication and vandalism. Groups such as M.E.C.ha worry that cultural appropriation of the holiday will overshadow its cultural significance.

But, this year efforts on campus to use this day for awareness, education and leadership are strong at Chico State.

A lecture on the legacy left by Cesar Chavez Wednesday will take place at 1 p.m. in the CCLC. This discussion is designed to talk about the importance of Chavez’s accomplishments and how this still affects the community and national conversation today.

In addition, a movie screening will be held Thursday at 8 p.m. in the Sutter Courtyard for a better understanding of the historical significance of the man and the holiday.

On April 1, while classes are canceled, Cats in the Community begins at 9 a.m. Volunteers are invited to meet in Sutter Courtyard and participate as a way to give back to the community.

With this focus on campus before the three-day weekend, Wildcats have a chance to celebrate this day not for what it has come to represent among college students as a chance to party, but a time to remember an important historical figure and the legacy he left that still deserves to be recognized today.

To see all events and contacts or more ways to get involved, please visit this page to contact members of faculty.

Natalie Hanson can be reached at [email protected] or @NatalieH_Orion on Twitter.