S5E28 Dr. Michael Jimenez - The Integral Faith of Cesar Chavez

Ken welcomes back historian and author Michael Jimenez, the History Department Chair at Vanguard University in Southern California. He has published several articles focussing on the iconic United Farm Workers Union organizer from the Civil Rights era in the 1960s and 70s. He believes that Cesar Chavez should be considered the Latinex Martin Luther King. Like King, Chavez’s life and work are rooted in his deep and abiding Christian faith. Jimenez joins with his friend and colleague, Dr. Robert Chao Romero (UCLA professor and former guest on the podcast) in advancing the story of Christians who have influenced social change - confronting injustice and opening the door for equal access, better working conditions, increased wages, and advancing human dignity. Ken and Mike discuss the influences on Chavez’s life including MLK, Thomas Merton, Dorothy Day, Ralph Abernathy, Coretta Scott King, and Robert F. Kennedy. When Chavez’s fast almost ended his life, RFK made a personal visit as he campaigned for President in the 1968 election. They shared communion. It ended Cesar’s fast, but just one month later, an assassin took Kennedy’s life the very night he celebrated his California victory. Michael shares his take on the Black Panther Party and the more recent Black Lives Matter movement. Michael is a thoughtful scholar and committed Christian. SHOW NOTES

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