 |
| Picture by: George Anastassatos |
Various
religions came together in community-wide “Nevada Cesar Chavez Day Multi-faith
Service” at University of Nevada-Reno (UNR) to honor civil rights icon Cesar
Estrada Chavez on his birthday March 31.
Organized
by “Nevada Cesar Chavez Day Committee” in collaboration with Universal Society
of Hinduism and UNR Interfaith Students Club, this Service included Roman
Catholic, Protestant Christian, Mormon, Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist and Jewish
prayers.
Rajan
Zed, distinguished religious statesman and Chairperson of “Nevada Cesar Chavez Day Committee”, speaking on the
occasion, urged that Nevada should declare March 31 as state holiday like some
other states and one major street in all major towns of Nevada and UNR and
University of Nevada-Las Vegas campuses should be renamed as Avenida Cesar
Chavez.
One
of the purposes of this Service was to reflect on Chavez’s non-violent movement
for social change and efforts at bringing equality-dignity-justice for all
Americans, Zed states.
Nevada
Governor Brian E. Sandoval issued a proclamation proclaiming March 31, 2013 as
a day in honor of Chavez. It mentioned Chavez’s securing historic labor and
civil rights concessions for exploited and impoverished farm workers, his march
from Delano to Sacramento in California, grape boycott, his belief in social
justice through non-violence, three historic fasts, etc.
Both
Washoe County Commission and City of Reno also proclaimed March 31, 2013 as
Cesar Chavez Day, mentioning “…Cesar Chavez adhered to the principles of
non-violence practiced by M.K. Gandhi...”
Opening
with recitation of Gayatri Mantra, considered most sacred mantra of Hinduism,
by Rajan Zed; faith leaders who spoke at the Service included Pastor of Reno
First Congregational Church Reverend Rich Smith, Deacon at Saint Therese Church
of the Little Flower Rigoberto Ruano Mireles, Northern Nevada Muslim Community
President Dr. Sherif A. Elfass, Assistant Priest of Reno Buddhist Center
Matthew Fisher and Jewish scholar Dr. John N. Louie.
Service,
hosted by UNR Interfaith Club, also included Danza Azteca Aztlan performance
directed by Anastacio Duran, Mahatma Gandhi’s favorite bhajan “Vaishnav jan to…”
by Thakur Chakrapani Singh with Pete Fairley and Tanya Singh, Latter-day Saints
Students Choir headed by Jessica Patchin, Spanish song by Miss Washoe County
Chelsea Ann Mihaylo and Spanish poem by Professor Jeannette M. Nagel.
Others
who addressed the gathering included UNR Vice Provost Dr. Fred B. Holman; Washoe
County School District Superintendent Pedro Martinez; Nevada Assemblywoman
Peggy Pierce; Cesar Chavez’s nephew Ramon A. Chavez; and Zona Allgire-Avila,
who was arrested in Cesar Chavez protest movement. Committee treasurer Victoria
A. Sanderson read various proclamations and messages of US Senate Majority
Leader Harry Reid, Nevada Governor, Nevada Secretary of State, Nevada Attorney
General, Nevada senators and assembly-members, Washoe County and City of Reno.
Committee secretary Daniel R. Sanchez presented a multi-media display about Chavez.
Committee
also gave community service awards to Mihaylo and Damonte Ranch High School
student Priscilla Vidales on the occasion.
No comments:
Post a Comment