Alan Llavore | Office of Marketing and Communications | (909) 537-5007 | allavore@csusb.edu
The Santos Manuel Student Union South at Cal State San Bernardino was the venue for the 2025 César E. Chávez Memorial Breakfast, when the contributions of the late civil rights and labor leader were celebrated through the theme, is “Telling Our Stories — Our Way, Our Voice: Latino Representation in the Arts, Media, and Education.”
The sold-out event on March 29 featured the Inaugural Hispanic Coalition of Small Business (HCSB) Lifetime Achievement Award, which was given to Pepe Serna, one of the longest working actors in Hollywood.
Included in his remarks welcoming guests, CSUSB President Tomás D. Morales pointed out that the nation’s current political climate is “trying to downplay or erase the celebration of our multi-faceted and diverse student body. This particularly impacts our students of color and those from marginalized groups. So it’s important that we gather and we celebrate the incredible work of Cesár Chávez, the incredible work of other leaders. But we must also take up that struggle as well.”
As the political rhetoric, which includes singling out immigrants, escalates, Morales urged the audience to stand firm on their values. “We’re going to double-down here. Some of my colleagues are changing the name of DEI (diversity, equity and inclusion) … they’re eliminating ethnic studies and Latino studies. No, we’re going to double-down here,” he said as the audience applauded. “We’re not going to shy away from that. These are the values that we have here at Cal State San Bernardino.”
The day’s honoree, Serna, was also the Padrino de Honor for the LEAD Summit XIII and an activist, artist and motivational speaker, was born on July 23, 1944, in Corpus Christi, Texas. With a career spanning more than five decades, he has appeared in more than 100 films and 300 television shows. He is perhaps best known for his role as Angel Fernandez in the iconic film “Scarface” (1983), where his character met a gruesome end in a memorable scene. His documentary, “Pepe Serna: Life is Art,” and his book of the same title, highlights his contributions to Hollywood and the representation of Latino actors in the industry. This documentary is available on streaming platforms, including Amazon Prime and Apple TV+.
Also recognized were Bel Hernandez Castillo, founder and CEO of Latin Heat Media, and Enrique Castillo, producer, co-director and writer, who were the Padrinos de Honor for the event.
In addition, Richard Montañez, the focus of the movie “Flamin’ Hot” and creator of Flamin’ Hot Cheetos; actor and director Richard Yinguez; and singer and composer Little Willie G. were special guests at the breakfast, which also marked the return of the Jesse Valenzuela Scholarship.
A replay of the livestream can be viewed at “Cesar Chavez Breakfast (XIII Annual)” on YouTube.
The annual breakfast honors, remembers and celebrates César Chávez, the late civil rights and labor movement icon, who is best remembered for his contributions to agriculture labor laws and social justice reform, and for founding the United Farmworkers of America in 1962.
The César E. Chávez Memorial Breakfast serves as a platform for community members, advocates and leaders to come together in solidarity, reflecting on the progress made and the work that lies ahead in the fight for farmworker rights and social justice. The event also inspires attendees to engage in advocacy and take action on broader issues impacting communities today.
Former California Gov. Gray Davis signed legislation in 2002 making Chávez’s birthday a state holiday — this year, the holiday falls on Monday, March 31 — to promote service to the communities of California in honor of the late labor leader’s life and work.
