The César E. Chávez Celebration at California State University, Fresno will feature a film, a conference on literacy instruction and high-stakes testing, a presentation by Humane Borders and the traditional garlanding of the late farm labor leader’s statue in the Peace Garden on campus.

Details of specific events are being finalized by the Chávez Celebration Committee, but will culminate in the garlanding ceremony. at noontime March 30. The Rev. Robin Hoover of Humane Borders will give a talk on Wednesday, March 29, in the Alice Peters Auditorium of the Peters Business Building.

Among activities planned are a film, “Al Otro Lado,” by Cineculture and the conference Friday, March 24, and Saturday, March 25. The conference is sponsored by the California Coalition for Authentic Reform in Education, a grassroots organization of educators, parents, students and citizens working together to promote high-quality teaching and learning in all classrooms.

The March 24 conference session is from 2 to 9 p.m., and the March 25 session begins at 9 a.m. and concludes at 2 p.m. Both are free and will be held in McLane Hall Room 121.

The Chávez celebration at Fresno State is being organized by a campuswide committee of faculty, staff, students and community members under the direction of the Division of Student Affairs, which meets at noon Tuesdays in University Student Union Room 311.

The Fresno State observance sponsors are Gamma Zeta Alpha, Associated Students, University Migrant Services, Trabajadores de la Raza, Cineculture, Teatro T.O.R.T.I.L.L.A., Danzantes De Aztlan, MEChA, Central Valley Cultural Heritage Institute, United Students, Migrant Student Alliance, Chicano and Latin-American Studies Department, Dr. Denise Blum, Dr. Laura A. Alamillo and Dr. Su Kapoor.

The university will be closed on Friday, March 31, the state holiday honoring Chávez’s birth date.

Additional updates will be forthcoming at www.FresnoStateNews.com.

Links:

United Farm Workers: http://www.ufw.org/

CalCARE: http://www.calcare.org/

Chávez Conference On Critical Perspectives In Literacy Instruction and High Stakes: http://www.calcare.org/conference/index.html

Humane Borders: http://www.humaneborders.org/index.htmlt