Si se puede, maybe

Lansing not doing well on its second try to name a street after Cesar Chavez

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An effort to name a segment of Grand River Avenue in Old Town after the Cesar Chavez appears to be stuck for the moment.

Dueling Facebook pages give some clues as to why. But nearly everyone polled said they wanted to find some way to honor the late founder of the United Farm Workers’ union — if not a street, then perhaps a public gathering place in Old Town, or even the new Lansing City Market.

The Lansing for Cesar E. Chavez Committee set out nearly a year ago to re-name a 2.8 mile stretch of Grand River Avenue between Oakland Avenue and Pine Street for the activist. But the Old Town Commercial Association opposes the street name change.

The OTCA executive committee and the Chavez committee met June 16 to seek a compromise but the OTCA would not budge.

“We’re waiting now to hear back from the Chavez committee,” said Brittney Hoszkiw, executive director of the OTCA. The committee is scheduled to meet again June 27.

“I just don’t know what to expect,” Elva Reyes, the Chavez spokeswoman, said of her board.

FourthWard Councilwoman Jessica Yorko tried in May to bridge the developingcrack between the two groups by hosting a gathering at Perspective 2 inOld Town.

“Lansing’shistory is starting to repeat itself,” she said sadly, referring whenin 1995 citizens voted to rescind the Chavez name for Grand Avenue onlya year after the Council had approved it.

“Itwas devastating,” said Reyes. “It left a black cloud over ourcommunity. First we were feeling embraced, then we were rejected.”

Now15 years later, the Latino group hoped the climate would be better, somembers began talking with business owners along Grand River Avenue.Then in December, Lansing City Council passed a new ordinancesimplifying the process. A group or person can change a street name byfiling an application and paying for postage to notify the affected.The application would go to the city’s Memorial Review Board. But ifthe body does not act within 90 days, the application goes to Council.Council holds a public hearing and then make a decision.

“TheMemorial Review Board has not had a quorum for a couple of years,” CityClerk Chris Swope said. Some say the board has not had a quorum becausethere have been no nominations. Though, at Monday’s Council meeting,Maria Starr was a new appointee.

TheChavez proposal could be referred to Council at its first meeting inJuly. Council must hold a public hearing within 60 days. After that,Council may make a decision.

FirstWard Councilman Eric Hewitt, who represents Old Town, did not return aphone call seeking comment. But Yorko (after the street crosses theGrand River, it enters into the Fourth Ward) expressed concern for bothsides. Her preference would be for the street to have both names, aswas the case during a transition between Logan Street and MartinLuther King Jr. Boulevard.

But the two sides are not listening to one another, so there is an assumption of disrespect, she said.

Summer Schriner, 31, proprietor of Grace, said the Old Town store owners felt blindsided.

“Businessesare hanging on by the skin of their teeth,” she said, noting theexpense of reprinting business cards, stationery and other materials.

RegardingYorko’s street signs with both names, Schriner said she thought OldTown could do better. She liked the idea of renaming the parking areanow called Lot 56 in which various festivals take place.

“We can find something positive,” Schriner said.

IfFacebook is a barometer, Chavez Avenue is in trouble. On June 21, 700people “liked” the Michigan for Preserving Grand River Avenue pagecompared with 160 for Lansing Citizens in Favor of a Cesar ChavezAvenue in Old Town. On the other hand, Reyes says she has nearly 500letters or signatures of support for the street name change.

Butthere is another idea.

Buried in the discussion pages of the PreservingGrand River Avenue site is a comment from Liz Homer, former curator ofthe Turner Dodge House. She took part in the nationwide grape andlettuce boycotts led by Chavez in the 1960s.

“Asan activist volunteer weekly going around to markets checking andreporting on the origin of their grapes and lettuce for the boycottcommittee, somehow I think Chavez should be remembered for that — forhis fight on behalf of agricultural farm workers.

“TheLansing City Market fits in with what he stood for…(Imagine) a memorialset up in a way to remind all those entering, including the schoolchildren, of this history and the deeds of Chavez and the farm workersinvolved in bringing the agricultural products to them.”

Marketmanager John Hooper said he had not heard of the idea but would be opento a discussion, particularly the naming of the outdoor pavilionbetween the market and the river.

In his letter of support for the street name change, Pablo’s Panaderia owner Pablo Maldonado referred to Chavez’ history.

“Americanstoday continue to eat healthier fruits and vegetables because of hisefforts to reduce the use of high level toxic pesticides in our foodsources, that I use daily in my restaurant,” Maldonado wrote.

Theissue is a sensitive one, particularly when an Arizona “copycat”immigration law is before the Michigan legislature that wouldparticularly affect Latino migrant farm workers. Reyes had already beento see House Speaker Andy Dillon seeking his opposition.

“Wewant everyone to know this is so much bigger than the street,” Reyessaid. “It would be an acknowledgement we worked here, lived here and wedied here.”

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