Imagine working in a field all day under a blazing sun. You pick thousands of grapes, but you barely earn enough to feed your family. That was life for many farmworkers in California during the 1960s. Cesar Chavez, born on March 31, 1927, decided to change it. Chavez grew up in a family of migrant workers who moved from farm to farm. He knew the struggle firsthand. In 1962, he helped create a union for farmworkers. A union is a group that speaks up for workers together. Three years later, Chavez led a grape boycott. He asked millions of Americans to stop buying grapes until the farm owners agreed to better pay and safer conditions. The boycott was historic. Families across the country stopped buying grapes at grocery stores. After five long years, the grape growers finally gave in. Chavez proved that ordinary people could force powerful companies to change. His motto was simple: "Si se puede," which means "Yes, it can be done."