Speaker to address affirmative action at GVSU's Cesar Chavez Day

An affirmative action expert will lead a silent march then give a keynote speech at Grand Valley State University in honor of Cesar Chavez.

Jose J. Soto, vice president for affirmative action/equity/diversity at Southeast Community College in Lincoln, Nebraska, will give a presentation, "If Not Affirmative Action, What?" at 12:30 p.m. on Thursday, March 31, in the Kirkhof Center, Grand River Room, at the Allendale Campus.

Sotos address follows a campus march, which will begin at 11:50 a.m. at Zumberge Library and continue to the Kirkhof Center.

Chavez would have turned 78 on March 31. The civil rights activist died in 1993. He founded the first successful farm workers' union and later served as president of the United Farm Workers of America AFL-CIO.

Soto planned, developed, and implemented a comprehensive AA/EEO/Diversity program at the Nebraska college. He is a certified affirmative action professional from the American Association for Affirmative Action, trained mediator and administrative hearing officer. He earned a bachelors degree from the Inter-American University of Puerto Rico - San German and a law degree from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln College of Law.

Chavez Week events are sponsored by the Latino Student Union, Office of Multicultural Affairs and other campus departments. For more information, call the OMA at 616-331-2177.

Other events include a panel discussion on immigration: April 1, noon-1:30 p.m. in Kirkhof Center, room 204; and a food drive for local migrant families.

Media note: photo of Soto is available by calling GVSU News and Information Services Office Michele Coffill 616-331-2221