16th annual César Chávez and Dolores Huerta Commemorative Celebration

Thu, March 26, 2026 at Kellogg Hotel and Conference Center

The César Chávez and Dolores Huerta Commemorative Celebration (CCDH) planning committee at Michigan State University is excited to share information for the 16th annual César Chávez and Dolores Huerta Commemorative Celebration. This year, the program will close National Farmworker Awareness Week at MSU by taking place on Thursday, March 26 at the Kellogg Hotel and Conference Center with doors opening at 5:00 PM. The program begins at 6:00 PM. This year’s theme is The Hands that Feed Us.  With this theme, we aim to celebrate and reflect on the contributions of indigenous traditions to the agricultural sector, economy, and sustainability.

The event will highlight the navigational skills, familial support systems, and resistant capital that farmworkers have relied on to survive and transform oppressive conditions. The legacy of farmworkers is one of familismo, collective action, respect, and resilience—that continues to guide both farmworkers and their descendants in the struggle for justice. The contributions of migrant farmworkers extend far beyond the harvest. They are central to the U.S. agricultural system, economy, and cultural identity, yet their stories are too often excluded from mainstream narratives. Recognizing their role re-centers the history of food and labor in the United States on the hands that make it possible. The event will begin with a farmworker prayer followed by conversations with indigenous leaders and an awards ceremony recognizing local and state leaders.