Helen's Park

Helen's Park. . After Cesar began organizing farmworkers in 1962, Helen looked after their eight children. Over the years, Helen also became a surrogate mother to countless volunteers who journeyed to Delano, and eventually to La Paz, to work for social justice. She often made seats at her table for those who couldn’t go home for the holidays. Helen frequently cooked for weddings, baptisms, and big union events. What Helen did for her family, she did for the movement. , Helen could often be found on Saturday evenings and Sundays gathered with volunteers and visitors, barbecuing and relaxing after a full day or a week of hard work. Even Cesar sometimes lent a hand helping to grill chicken and meat for the group, a significant concession for the strict vegetarian. Communal meals were often served at the small park with the fieldstone grill pit next to the Chavez home. Food brings people together, what else can unite a group? , Walk along the chain link fence to take a closer look at Helen’s park and envision a social gathering taking place here. As a reminder, this property is closed to the public, please observe from the outside., A Life of Legacy , Helen Chavez was a force of quiet strength, but she left a legacy that will echo for generations. Alongside her husband, Cesar, she devoted her life to organizing farmworkers in California and across America. She was an activist fighting for higher wages, better working conditions, and a brighter future – La Causa. Helen managed her union’s finances, prepared meals, marching in picket lines, and was even arrested for her actions, all because she believed in the dignity of American’s farmworkers – men and women she toiled with in the fields. While raising eight children, Helen helped lead a movement.