March 31st marks the birthday of César Chávez, a civil rights, Latino and farm labor leader. César Chávez Day of Service is a federal commemorative holiday. Chávez organized several significant campaigns including forming a union now known as the United Farm Workers, leading a boycott against table grapes to draw attention to the effects of pesticide use on farm workers, and fighting for fair treatment and equal rights for Latinos.
At Commission Shift, these movements inspire us because they align with our values. We believe that oil and gas workers, farmers and ranchers, neighbors of oil and gas development, students of Texas’ public schools, energy consumers, and the many others that are affected by the oil and gas industry in Texas deserve stability, safety, clean air, and clean water. We also value inclusive decision making. To us that means that landowners, mineral owners, and people from all socioeconomic backgrounds, languages, races, ethnicities, and geographies across Texas have a right to inform decisions that affect their lives.
In observance of the day, Commission Shift organizer Jose Corpus wrote and filmed a short video about Chávez and the connections between agriculture labor issues and oil and gas workers. Check it out!
