By Associated Press - Saturday, March 29, 2014

CHICAGO (AP) - Gov. Pat Quinn is honoring the life of Cesar Chavez, the activist whose personal story is the subject of a new film.

Quinn on Friday encouraged Illinois residents to learn about Chavez and the causes he championed. The Chicago Democrat also declared Monday Cesar Chavez day in Illinois.

Chavez was a cotton picker and U.S. Navy veteran who formed the United Farm Workers and led a fight for fair wages and civil rights.

Quinn says he’ll always remember meeting Chavez in 1974. He says the Mexican-American activist’s message of “juntos podemos” - which translates to “together we can” - has stayed with him.

Quinn says the new film, titled “Cesar Chavez,” reminds people of the value of service and that “history is made one painful step at a time.”

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