Cesar Chavez Day of Service and Learning, a holiday on March 31 in seven states (AZ, CA, CO, MI, NM, TX, UT) and dozens of cities and counties throughout the nation, provides students, teachers, business and community members with the unique opportunity to learn about Cesar and advance his values and principles by participating in volunteer, educational and cultural activities in their communities. The projects include school beautification, initiatives to improve the environment, literacy campaigns, community empowerment projects, and youth development programs. This holiday was established in 2000 to honor the legacy of the Hispanic American whose dedication to civil rights and farm labor issues helped to forever change the lives and working conditions of migrant farmworkers. It is in observance of this holiday that we ensure his legacy will inspire others to action, continuing his fight. Chávez launched the United Farm Workers union in 1962, an organization originally called the National Farm Workers Association. In 1968, Chávez led a nationwide boycott of California table grapes in an effort to force growers to recognize unions, raise wages, and improve working conditions. The boycott lasted five years, and an estimated 17 million American citizens stopped buying grapes, causing industry profits to greatly decline.