Back in November 1992 I was attending a 3-day seminar on "Undoing Racism." On the second day one of my African American friends who was also participating arrived in a suit and tie. During a break I asked him why he was so dressed up. He said it was to honor the opening day of the movie
Malcolm X. That simple act of solidarity struck me so deeply that I remember it vividly over 20 years later.
And so I want to join all the folks who are finding ways to honor another great American hero today.
Si Se Puede
Go see the movie as soon as you can, everyone. I saw it last night in Santa Cruz, and various people who worked with Cesar gave their impressions afterwards. Bob Fitch (the photographer; it's his image on the Chavez postage stamp) pointed out that the movie had to compress the action (one fast, not many, one boycott, not many, one jerk not many, etc) but gave the impression that he thought it was overall as accurate as you could expect. Susan Drake, who met Cesar in 1962 and worked with the UFW for a long time (she was his secretary for a few years in the early 1970s and wrote about their 31-year, sometimes combative friendship in Fields of Courage) stressed that he was in person more charismatic than the movie could show; that seemed to be a consensus view. But everyone found it moving and inspirational and I strongly recommend it.
ReplyDelete