Hundreds march in Salinas for Cesar Chavez Day.

SALINAS -- Activists, farm workers, and residents of East Salinas celebrated the legacy of civil rights leader Cesar Chavez April 2 with an event that was equal parts activism and family entertainment.

Hundreds of people, many holding small United Farm Workers flags or picket signs with slogans like "Immigrants Make America Great," assembled at the parking lot of Cesar Chavez Park early Sunday afternoon.

To the side of the parking lot were vendors of tacos, aguas frescas, Salvadoran pupusas, and at least a half-dozen paleteros prepared for a tide of tired and hungry demonstrators later. Juan Orayana promised his son he could get ice cream after the march ended.

"It's bueno to see everyone united," Orayana said as the march was about to begin. "Even when we're worried about things like tougher immigration (laws), it won't stop us from coming out to do something good together."

The march began formally with the beating of drums both from the Alisal High School marching band and barefoot men wearing Aztec headdresses. Marchers chanted, "Si se puede!," the UFW motto coined by Chavez and UFW co-founder Dolores Huerta, and "Trump, escucha, estamos en la lucha!"(Trump, listen, we're all in the fight).

Dominic Dursa held up one side of an Indivisible Salinas banner as he marched. "The youth and the older activists are growing closer," Dursa says. "The issues we face, from immigration to education to the environment, are interconnected in Salinas. Collaboration will be key."

Demonstrators marched for about two miles along East Market Street then East Alisal Street then returned to Cesar Chavez Park and sat on the grass surrounding the basketball court or stood on the blacktop by the a stage set for a series of speakers. Employees of produce companies like Dole Berry Company and Monterey Mushroom briefly shared their feelings about their roles in one of California's largest industries and their resentment for immigration policies proposed by President Donald Trump.

U.S. Rep. Jimmy Panetta, D-Carmel Valley, spoke with a Spanish-language translator by his side.

"I invited Trump to come visit the fertile Salinas Valley," Panetta told the crowd. "Then he would see how important immigrants are."

Off the stage, Panetta was quickly surrounded by people hungry for handshakes with the congressman.

County Supervisor Luis Alejo, who represents District 1 which covers a large part of the city of Salinas, spoke to the crowd in Spanish about the significance of Chavez's legacy locally.

"Many of our families were involved in the farmworker movement," Alejo said. "For the next generation to be able to continue that work for equality, whether as elected officials or activists, honors his spirit."