Cesar Chavez march

A marcher carries a small image of César Chávez while taking part in the 20th Annual Cesar Chavez Day; about 1,000 marchers paraded along Barelas streets advocating for social and economic change for minorities and farm workers. (Roberto E. Rosales/Albuquerque Journal)

Karina Burciaga, 19, came here from Mexico at 7, and is studying political science and sociology in college so she can achieve her dream of becoming a state legislator.

Karina’s mother, Elena Burciaga, came here as a single mom, and as she watched Karina and her other daughter, Carla, begin to achieve their dreams, Elena began to nurture and pursue her own of becoming a nurse.

Mother and daughters took part in the 20th annual César Chávez Day march on Saturday, which among other issues, advocated for immigration reform and for passage of the Dream Act, which would provide undocumented youth a six-year earned path to citizenship.

About 1,000 marchers sang, chanted and carried placards on a route along Fourth Street and returning to the National Hispanic Cultural Center by Eighth Street, calling for immigration reform and improved social and economic conditions for farm workers and minorities. Their rallying call was “Sí! Se Puede!, or Yes! We Can!

Sponsored by the Recuerdo a César Chávez Committee and others, the event commemorated the birth of the late César Chávez, a civil rights leader who advocated non-violent change for farm workers, Latinos and other minorities. Dolores Huerta, co founder of United Farm Workers, was guest of honor and keynote speaker at the Saturday festival.

In an interview, Karina Burciaga said the time is now for comprehensive immigration reform, as she stood with her mother linking hands in front of a banner that read “Keep my Family Together.”

Karina said she came here with her mother and sister from Chihuahua, Mexico. She has learned English, graduated from high school and is now attending college as she prepares for a career in politics.

“My mom had hopes and dreams for me and my sister when we came here, but now that she’s seen us trying to accomplish our dreams as we grew up, she’s beginning to try to accomplish her own dreams,” Karina said.

Five years ago when her grandfather died, Karina returned with her mom to attend the funeral. Though Karina felt like she had returned home, she still felt strangely disordered, not really Mexican and not really American, “but somewhere in between,” she said.

Elena Burciaga, who operates her own cleaning service, said her dream is to continue studying to become a nurse.

“I know if I work hard enough,” she said, “my dream will come true.”

Ysaura Bernal-Enriquez and her husband, Eduardo Hernandez Chavez, prepare to march during the 20th Annual César Chávez Day March and Festival at the National Hispanic Cultural Center. Eduardo brought a small flag that the late César Chávez himself signed when he spoke in Albuquerque. (Roberto E. Rosales/Albuquerque Journal)

— This article appeared on page B8 of the Albuquerque Journal