By Jen DeMelo, KaBOOM! project manager
The phrase "sí se puede" keeps coming to mind when I think of the upcoming program honoring universal rights leader Cesar E. Chavez. This phrase, which means “yes, it can be done,” motivated many who worked alongside Chavez for equality and continues to drive people today in many ways. This phrase is also very powerful to me, as it has guided me through my involvement in the 10 community playgrounds and skateparks that are being built to celebrate the legacy of Chavez.
As a project manager who has worked for KaBOOM! for almost two years, I have experienced a range of 28 projects in 20 states, but I had never led a program of this magnitude. The concept originated with Maria Shriver. She wanted to create 10 places for children to be children, places of play from San Diego to Sacramento that would celebrate and honor the legacy of Chavez while educating children and adults about his important work.
This partnership is a collaboration of California Volunteers, Youth Service California, and the Cesar E. Chavez Foundation, and incpororates a service-learning curriculum; an educational sign in each park; community gardens; murals and other side projects that depict Chavez and his core values. One playground is being built just blocks from Chavez’s family home in San Jose, another in San Francisco is being built on Cesar Chavez Avenue and the playground in Mecca involves the creators of a documentary that was filmed about the life of Chavez and based in the community!
From the moment I embarked on this project, I have been repeatedly touched by the stories I have heard from the family and friends of Chavez. From what I have learned about Chavez and the passion that guided his life, I have no doubt that he would be extremely pleased to know that these playgrounds will serve as community gathering places where more than 100,000 children will play and learn with their families.
In the last months, I gathered as much information as I could about Chavez. I spoke to various people about their connections to him, about the struggles they faced and Chavez’s affect on them. I read, watched videos and went on road trips to visit locations throughout the San Francisco Bay area to view different Chavez-themed murals. I have been inspired. As each project kicked off at 10 different sites, with different teams led by different KaBOOM! project managers, I kept thinking, “sí se puede!” It has become my new motto.
Chavez lived his life following the guidance of 10 core values: service to others, sacrifice, a preference to help the most needy, determination, non-violence, acceptance, respect for life and the environment, community, knowledge, and innovation. I wonder how learning about these core values will impact the kids throughout the state, and what heroes will develop on these playgrounds as the kids negotiate acceptance and choose non-violent actions when someone cuts in front of them on the way to the slide. How many kids will innovate and prove their knowledge on these playgrounds? How might the leaders-in-training remember reading the timeline of Chavez’s life as they play imaginary games of being a doctor or teacher or other such servant to those in need? I wonder how many kids will pretend to be a farmer, or reenact the community leader marching the 250 miles to the capital. I wonder if they will look differently at the grapes given to them for a snack.