César Chávez was the organizer of the Chicano Movement in the United States and founder of the 美国农场工人联合会. Every year the 威尼斯人娱乐城 Division of Diversity and Inclusion invites a leader to give the César Chávez Lecture. The presentation is designed to honor the accomplishments of Chávez and to inspire others to continue the legacy of his tireless, nonviolent leadership in ways they feel passionate so that more people can live with dignity and experience equal civil rights.
4月8日的发言人是拉丁美洲进步劳工委员会全国主席亚尼拉·梅里诺（Yanira美利奴），该委员会代表着美国和波多黎各各地约200万拉丁裔工会会员的利益。 In the spirit of César Chávez, Merino participated virtually and spoke about the many ways we are all fighting for a better life in the same country – the United States of America.
“You are never strong enough that you don’t need help,” Merino quoted from Chávez.
Chávez successfully used nonviolent tactics to organize farm workers against unfair labor practices and unhealthy working conditions that continue today as farm workers are exposed to harmful pesticides, dangerous equipment, hazardous “housing” and unfair wages. As a veteran labor and immigration rights leader and advocate, Merino fights in much the same way as Chávez.
美利诺出生于政治暴力和内战时期的萨尔瓦多。 Merino shared her family’s struggle in the 1970s when they fled El Salvador for the United States. 正是在这段时间里，美利诺对为萨尔瓦多的工人和那些逃往美国的人寻求正义产生了热情。 Merino’s family experienced separation, deportation and flight back to the United States as undocumented immigrants. 美利诺分享了她的恐惧感受，无证生活，类似于今天许多人所经历的恐惧。
作为一个没有合法身份的人，梅里诺在洛杉矶做过很多工作，她亲身体验了生活在被驱逐的恐惧中，但对更好的未来充满希望的感觉。 坚持不懈是美利奴坚持在正义和平等道路上的动力。 她工作的地方工作条件不好。 But like Chávez, Merino learned the importance of working together. 她和同事们受到鼓舞成立了一个工会。 Despite being fired twice and working for a company that divided its employees, the union organized with Merino’s leadership. 六个月后，他们签订了合同，并保持了团结。 Merino recommended today’s youth look at history and learn about the labor movement, unions and how the middle class was created.
“Embrace our past,” she said. “Embrace our contributions. Embrace where we are going together.”
根据美利奴的说法，工会在中产阶级的建设中发挥着重要作用。 工会为工资和福利游说。 赚更多钱的能力使人们有机会存钱、买房、送孩子上学。
当你是唯一的时候，其他人怎么能说出来，克服障碍？ 美利诺说，向前迈进，就像查韦斯一直说的那样，要知道你是在为其他人说话。
Merino’s advice for those who want to see change is to get involved, remember change doesn’t happen overnight and it’s not easy. 她说要在社区之间建立桥梁，寻找相似之处，制定有利于所有人的政策，与年轻一代合作，让他们明白前进取决于每个人，与教会合作，与民选官员合作，与那些与你长相和想法相似的人合作。
“This is not only my fight, it’s our fight,” Merino said. “At the end of the day, we’re all fighting for democracy and this nation. When we connect as people, as workers…we achieve this.”
讲座由密苏里州堪萨斯城首席发言人、城市通讯办公室主任克里斯·埃尔南德斯主持。 威尼斯人娱乐城学生Daphne Posadas介绍了美利奴和埃尔南德斯。