As leaders of the Forward Party Hispanic & Latino Committee we are committed to advancing inclusive and solutions-oriented politics to solve our nation’s biggest challenges. Today’s commemoration of national civil rights leader Cesar Chavez presents us an opportunity to remember how much he accomplished and reaffirm our commitment to advancing change for the better of our country.
In today’s polarized political climate, bipartisan collaboration can feel like a relic of the past. Nowhere is this more evident than in the ongoing debate over our broken immigration system. For decades, both parties have acknowledged the need for action, yet partisan gridlock has repeatedly stalled progress. Politicians use immigration as a campaign issue rather than a policy priority, and instead of working toward meaningful reform, they allow the debate to become a cycle of obstruction.
Cesar Chavez’s legacy offers a powerful counterpoint—proof that when leaders put solutions ahead of partisan divisions, real progress is possible. Chavez’s advocacy for farmworkers’ rights was not bound by party lines but by the urgent need for fair treatment and legal protections. His support for the 1986 Immigration Reform and Control Act (IRCA)—a bipartisan effort spearheaded by Republican Senator Alan K. Simpson and Democratic Representative Romano L. Mazzoli, and signed into law by President Ronald Reagan—helped secure a pathway to legal residency for millions of undocumented workers. Chavez knew that to achieve real change, it was necessary to negotiate, compromise, and collaborate with anyone dedicated to finding solutions.
Chavez also knew that local grassroots action could drive national progress. His efforts were instrumental in the passage of California’s Agricultural Labor Relations Act of 1975, the first law in U.S. history to grant farmworkers collective bargaining rights. Achieved with bipartisan backing, this legislation became a model for future labor protections across the country. These actions underscores an essential truth: systemic change starts from the ground up.
Chavez once said,
“We cannot seek achievement for ourselves and forget about progress and prosperity for our community… Our ambitions must be broad enough to include the aspirations and needs of others, for their sakes and for our own.”
His words serve as a reminder that any type of reform should not be a tool for political gain, but rather a commitment to shared progress—one that acknowledges the aspirations and struggles of those affected by our broken system.
Yet today we find ourselves facing a different reality—partisan gridlock at all levels of government. Immigration reform remains a political weapon rather than a policy priority, as both legacy parties use it to rally their bases instead of working toward a lasting solution. This endless cycle of inaction continues to harm the very people our leaders claim they want to help.
A new movement, a new kind of political party, is the positive change our country needs. By moving beyond the entrenched partisan divide and prioritizing collaborative solutions it can disrupt the cycle of polarization. This movement could reignite the spirit of collaboration that leaders like Cesar Chavez championed.
The challenges our country faces today demand cooperation, not obstruction. Chavez’s life and work remind us that real progress happens when leaders have the courage to engage with their community, work toward collaborative and effective solutions, and treat everyone with respect and dignity. If we hope to solve issues, we must embrace these lessons and forge a new path forward—together.
*Forward Voices is a series where we highlight the opinions of members of the Forward Community. While we ensure our authors and their arguments align with Forward’s values, the views expressed are those of the author, not necessarily the organization as a whole. Forward is a place where people are free to share their opinions to have open and fearless dialogue.
