Capitol Words a project of the Sunlight Foundation

Rep. Silvestre Reyes

Today, I proudly stand and join with millions of Americans in remembering the life and legacy of one of our greatest civil rights pioneers in our Latino community, Cesar Chavez.

An advocate for social justice, Cesar Chavez dedicated his life to giving voice to those who couldn't speak for themselves. Cesar Chavez advocated for strong health care for communities. He advocated for good-paying jobs from which people could lead the kinds of lives that our country cherishes and honors.

Cesar Chavez was a Navy veteran who, perhaps, during World War II was disappointed in the way that segregation existed in the armed services; but it gave him the passion to go out and do the kind of work that today we celebrate: a legacy that was adopted by President Obama from the words of Cesar Chavez, who always thought, ``Si, se puede.'' Yes, we can.

So, today, I proudly stand here and remind us that we have so much to be grateful for from those who have advocated in our respective communities--Cesar Chavez, Martin Luther King, and so many others.