A few more were named as well, as Chavez name as their symbolic figurehead (United Farm Workers, 2006). After his death, he became a major historical icon for the Latino community, with many schools, streets, and parks being named after him. He became an icon for organizing labor and leftist politics, symbolizing support for workers and for Hispanic empowerment based on grassroots organizing. He is also famous for popularizing the slogan "Sí, se puede" (Spanish for "Yes, one can" or, roughly, "Yes, it can be done") which was adopted as the 2008 campaign slogan by Barack Obama (History Staff, 2009). His supporters say his work led to numerous improvements for union laborers. Although the UFW faltered after a few years, after Chavez died in 1993 he became an iconic "folk saint" in the pantheon of Mexican Americans (History Staff, 2009). His birthday, March 31, has become Cesar Chavez Day, a state holiday in California, Colorado, and Texas (United Farm Workers, 2006).
Otherwise, Robert "Bob" Menendez a Cuban American who was born on January 1, 1954, actuality, is the senior United States Senator from New Jersey, and active member at the Democratic Party. In 1974, at the age of twenty, he was elected to the Union City Board of Education and, in 1986 won the election for of Union City mayor (Robert Menendez, 2006). In 1988, while continuing to serve as mayor, he was elected to represent the state's 33rd district in New Jersey General Assembly and, within three years, moved to the New Jersey Senate, upon winning the March 1991 special election for the 33rd Senate district (Biographical Directory of the Unites States Congress, n. d.). In 1992, he won a seat in Congress and represented New Jersey's 13th congressional district for six terms, from 1993 to 2006. In January 2006, he was appointed to fill the U.S. Senate seat vacated by Jon Corzine, and was elected to a full six-year term in November and re-elected in 2012.
