Kids Change the World By Celebrating Cesar Chavez Everyday

Cesar Chavez Day 2015 was celebrated throughout the country with marches, rallies, and days of service (check at the United Farm Workers feed on facebook to be inspired)! As I reflect on what Cesar Chavez means to me, I’m realizing that as much as I’m grateful for his hard work and dedication in fighting for the rights of farm workers, it’s important that his message is spread to children. They are our future and it’s important to use holidays as reminders to redirect their attention to what is important. Children need to learn their American history and most importantly learn about the civil rights leaders that have sacrificed their lives and paved the way for others to live better lives.

To honor Cesar Chavez Day, I spent time volunteering at local schools in Seattle. I had the opportunity to share C Is for Change with students and it was a great to see the kids excited to learn about such a prominent hero in American history! This was the first time that many of them had even been introduced to the story of Cesar Chavez and they were intrigued by his dedication along with the vivid handcrafted pictures of the United Farm Workers movement in the book.

Cesar Chavez has impacted my life tremendously because each day he inspires me to be a voice for the voiceless. Through C Is for Change, I have been able to bridge a gap between the courageous story of Chavez and the upcoming generation of change makers. If it weren’t for Chavez, I wouldn’t have been inspired to write the book and partner with the National Chavez Center to help bring equality and justice to fruition. Chavez is a hero to many individuals young and old, but many of us have never had the opportunity to speak with him. If I had this opportunity, I would thank him for his service to our country and seek his advice on confronting racism in America. This is an issue that unfortunately still exists today even though we’ve come so far through the civil rights movement lead by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. I feel that Chavez would give outstanding words of wisdom derived from his leadership in the United Farm Workers movement. He was a civil rights activist for Latinos and farm workers of all races.

When I think about what Chavez would say regarding C Is for Change if he was alive today, I think about the quote from Magdaleno Leno Rose-Avila, founding director of the Cesar Chavez Foundation who said, “The children were always precious to Cesar,” adding “Arlene with this book is building a foundation of hope… allowing youth to dream a better world and giving them an example of a man whose legacy continues to help us work to make our dreams a reality.” I hope that if Chavez was here with us that he could see my thirst for social justice and my passion for promoting his story to the next generation.

Although, Chavez is no longer with us, many Latinos in Hollywood, politics, and the community are the current Latino civil rights activists. People like Eva Longoria, America Ferrera, Mario Lopez, Carlos Santana, Arturo Rodriguez, president of the United Farm Workers are able to guide the conversation of providing equal rights to people of color. Also, there are a number of Latino news networks like Univision and journalists such as Juan Castillo at NBC News who continue to lead this conversation through multiple media platforms. I had the opportunity to speak with Juan a week ago about C Is for Change, what I hope children will gain from reading the book and my background on why I wrote it. To read the full article, visit this link: http://www.nbcnews.com/news/latino/c-change-author-wants-next-generation-know-cesar-chavez-n332776.

Si Se Puede!!!

I am available for school visits please contact me through twitter @globlcivilrghts
C Is for Change is available in Amazon click here

 

Kids Change the World by Inspiring Others to Fight for Change

In honor of Cesar Chavez Day, next Tuesday, March 31st, I want to share why I wrote
 C Is for Change – The Story of Cesar Chavez, OnePerson Can Change Many Lives. The book actually started out as a poem that I was inspired to write for my first grade class in Inglewood, CA. The kids had to perform during a Cesar Chavez Day assembly, so I created a poem for them to memorize and recite in front of their entire student body. Later on, the poem progressed into a colorful acrostic-style picture book that I released last March.

The idea came to me when I was at my school’s book fair and read through an alphabet book called “J is for Jump”. It included fun facts in the margins for each letter of the alphabet and at that moment, I knew that I wanted to turn the poem into a book like that. While writing the book, I made an effort to ensure that children would gain an understanding of civil rights hero, Cesar Chavez and be inspired by his quoted remarks to make changes in their communities. I designed the 3 in 1 reading level picture book so that it can grow with a child, making it ideal for all families. As the child grows, they will gain a new understanding of Chavez that they wouldn’t have understood when they were younger. However the book can solely be read at specific reading levels so children don’t necessarily have to read previous levels to understand the book. 

Through my research, I have found that many children are not exposed to Cesar Chavez in their schools. All American civil rights leaders are important heroes in our country and it’s important for kids to see that these heroes are diverse in race, gender, class and age. Chavez played such a vital role in the United Farm Workers movement that resulted in better working conditions and higher wages for farm workers. We all know that if it weren’t for farmer workers tending to farmland, we would be without food.

The pictures in the book depict Chavez’s life and the United Farm Workers movement and were created in a paper cutout fashion. I looked at a variety of real pictures captured during Chavez’s era and designed images out of recycled and craft store bought paper to reflect these old photos. The clothing that you see worn by people in the book was made out of cut up clothing from both my family’s and my own closet along with clothing that I purchased at the goodwill store.

The legacy of Chavez continues to inspire me each day, so much that I’ve begun writing another book about him. This time around, the book will contain more content and follow a more traditional chapter book. I truly admire individuals that make their dreams a reality and would be open to writing books about other civil rights activists. I’m a strong believer that by teaching kids about American heroes, they will have the opportunity to dream big and fight for positive change in our world.

To purchase C Is for Change click here

Press Release for C Is for Change's 1 year anniversary

C Is for Change Author Celebrates Cesar Chavez Day on March 31st and Book’s One Year Anniversary

Arlene AR Williams Promotes Cesar Chavez’s Vision of Social Justice

Seattle, WA – March 16, 2015 – Commit to a day of service, this Cesar Chavez day, to honor the life and legacy of civil rights leader Cesar Chavez's work for farm workers’ rights.

On March 31st, Cesar Chavez Day and Chavez's birthday, Arlene AR Williams, author of C Is for Change – The Story of Cesar Chavez, One Person Can Change Many Lives, celebrates the day by spreading his vision of social justice to children at local schools and partnering with the National Chavez Center in Keene, CA. Williams, also a local teacher, is simultaneously celebrating the one year anniversary of C is For Change, a multiple reading level picture book biography of Cesar Chavez.

The book was inspired by the legacy of Cesar Chavez, prominent civil rights activist in the Latino community, who courageously fought for the rights of farm workers by leading the non-violent United Farm Workers movement. Since the release of C Is for Change, Williams met with leadership of the United Farm Workers to join in their effort to promote Chavez’s vision of justice for farm workers. More recently, she visited several schools throughout Washington state, using C Is for Change to educate children on the struggle of the American farm worker during the past 60 years. The visits encouraged them to be part of social change for farm workers and in their communities.

“It is important to mark time with children, to celebrate and create traditions and use holidays as reminders to redirect their attention to what is important.  I love reading C Is for Change to youth of all ages to help them learn American history and remember an amazing civil rights hero,” said author and illustrator Arlene AR Williams. “Sharing Chavez’s passion with the next generation is imperative. One of my favorite Cesar Chavez quotations in the book is, ‘Once social change begins it cannot be reversed.’”

President Barack Obama proclaimed March 31st as Cesar Chavez Day in the United States to reflect on the work that Chavez did and continue his legacy through community and educational programs that promote change. Williams continues this work by leading social awareness campaigns at schools, using C Is for Change as a tool to engage students in fun educational activities.

As an author, Williams’ goal is to teach children about the history of Cesar Chavez so they can be inspired by him to create change in their own communities. She emphasizes that the national conversation on fair wages and immigration should be approachable to youth. The bilingual English and Spanish book includes three reading levels, making it suitable for children of all ages. The first letter of each word in the primary text is an acrostic poem that spells out Cesar Chavez’s name and includes accompanying facts and quotations from Chavez.

To honor the legacy of Cesar Chavez, the book can be purchased on Amazon.com, and a portion of the book’s proceeds will benefit local Latino service organizations, as well as the Cesar Chavez Foundation and the United Farm Workers of America.

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About C is for Change

C is for Change – The Story of Cesar Chavez, One Person Can Change Many Lives is a multiple reading level children’s picture-book biography of Cesar Chavez and the struggle of the American farm worker during the past 60 years as seen through poetry/prose, facts and Chavez’s own words. Themes of the book include social justice, leadership, non-violence, equality, Latino history and multicultural unity. The facts and Chavez’s quotations tell the story of his struggle and legacy, making his inspiring words accessible to a new generation of young readers. For more information, visit kidschangetheworld.blogspot.com and facebook.com/CisforChange.

 

Media Contact

Ariana Johnson

Publicist

globalcivilrights@gmail.com

(703)963-6980

Kids Change the World by reading C Is for Change

Another sneak peek of a C Is for Change illustration...

The letters of the poem form Cesar Chavez's name.

Here are S and H

S is for Si Se Puede!..

H is for the health of farm workers and American consumers...

 

Kids Change the World by asking their parents to go on Amazon and buy them C Is for Change

Available NOW

Kids Change the World by reading C Is for Change

A liitle preview of a couple of the illustrations from C Is for Change...

The Cover of C Is for Change



 

 

Kids Change the World by Sharing Their Joy With Others

C Is for Change is about to hit the virtual bookshelves of Amazon.

My current mission is to get the word out about C Is for Change

Here is a copy of the press release and am joyfully sharing with others...
(please share with your networks)

C is for Change-The Story of Cesar Chavez, One Person Can Change Many Lives

A children’s picture book that will inspire a generation of leaders and activists

 

Seattle, WA, March 21, 2014 - This week, in conjunction with Cesar Chavez’s birthday (3/31) and the opening of the major motion picture Cesar Chavez—History Is Made One Step at a Time (3/28), local teacher and author, Arlene AR Williams, released her second children’s picture book, C Is for Change.

Cesar Chavez, a monumental figure in Latino heritage, led the United Farm Workers movement as they non-violently fought for the rights of farm workers. In her biography of Chavez, Williams highlights his impact on our nation’s history, through mixed media artwork, bilingual multiple reading level design, and supplemental resources. Chavez’s struggle inspires readers with themes of leadership, non-violence, equality, and social justice and appeals to many audiences, young and old.

“C Is for Change is a labor of love,” said author and illustrator Arlene AR Williams. “This book started as a poem for my first grade class to perform at the Cesar Chavez Day celebration in 2001. It has grown into a beautiful children’s picture book, which I know will be a resource for parents and educators to share with future generations.”

C Is for Change is a versatile 3-in-1 book that appeals to multiple ages and reading levels. The bilingual (English/Spanish) primary text is children’s poetry for all reading levels, and the accompanying facts and quotations allow more advanced readers to delve deeper into the exciting story. It is the only trade picture book to use substantive quotations of Chavez to help make his inspirational words more accessible to young readers. Intriguing resource pages provide readers the opportunity to explore historical content and experience the life of this civil-rights hero.

Magdaleno Leno Rose-Avila, founding director of the Cesar Chavez Foundation remembered, “The children were always precious to Cesar,” and said, “Arlene with this book is building a foundation of hope… allowing youth to dream a better world and giving them an example of a man whose legacy continues to help us work to make our dreams a reality.”

More information about the book and author can be found at kidschangetheworld.blogspot.com and facebook.com/CisforChange.com. The book is now available on Amazon.com, and a portion of the book’s proceeds will benefit local Latino service organizations, the Cesar Chavez Foundation, and the United Farm Workers of America.