Skyline College honored the legacy of Cesar Chavez on the Day of Action held on campus on Wednesday, March 23. The Latino community was supported heavily in this event, and cherished for their hard work and how far they have come.

The event featured a March to Action by local high school students from Westmoor and South San Francisco High School. The event also included local community organizations and campus resources that support the Latino community in the Bay Area, such as the Latin American Student Organization (LASO) and Puente.

To top off the event, there were tacos and horchata being served to the students that gathered signatures from the multiple clubs and organizations involved in the event.

“We’re just trying to show that people have the power to still change these conditions,” Guardado of LASO said. “Because you can boycott these companies that are giving low wages and poor working conditions.”

The day of action honoring Cesar Chavez also featured a guest speaker, first-generation Mexican American, and former College of San Mateo student, Hector Camacho. From the San Mateo County Board of Education, he shared a few words regarding the opportunity and struggle of his family in coming to the United States 60 years ago.

Camacho gave an inspiring speech to the students and faculty, regarding his long journey to success.

“No one was going to push me into that office, it was going to be me that pushed myself into that office,” Camacho said. “I had to learn that asking questions was never going to hurt me, it was only going to help me.”

He went on to explain that nothing is given to anyone for free, and that in order for a person to make something of them self, the person has to push themselves.

“Being the hardest worker in the room is what really got me to the table,” Camacho said in regards to being a part of the San Mateo Board of Education.

Many families struggle financially nowadays, with the head of some households working two or three jobs to maintain their living standards.

“People want to know what are the issues facing first generation students because decisions are being made by folks that don’t necessarily look like what this community looks like,” Camacho said.

It is not easy coming to the United States from a different country, with a different culture and language, but Camacho stated from his experience, “Higher education gets you in the door and gets people listening.”