ANDERSON - Some 100 people marched here Wednesday night, circling Anderson City Hall as chants of "Sí, se puede" filled the streets.

At the front, several people clutched a banner commemorating Cesar Chavez, the civil rights advocate who fought for the rights of farm laborers in the second half of the 20th century.

"He was the Martin Luther King Jr. of the Hispanic movement," said Antonio Damian Jr., who drove from San Diego to Fresno to march with Chavez in the mid-1970s.

On Wednesday Damian, 57, marched with Cesar Chavez's grandson, Anthony Chavez, 26.

Anthony Chavez was the honored guest at the 10th annual Cesar E. Chavez Day, in which Latinos and others march to celebrate the historic figure's life, and also hand out scholarships to honor his love of learning.

"My grandfather only finished eighth grade. My parents only finished high school. I've been able to finish four years of college," Anthony Chavez said. "I hope (the students) continue to do more and go forward.

"As my grandfather taught us, the end of all education should be service to others."

Juan Flores, 17, received one of the scholarships from the Northern Hispanic Latino Coalition, which organized the event.

He said he plans to use the scholarship to help pay for his education at Sacramento State University.

He said he plans to study criminology and become a lawyer.

Damian said he had come to the Chavez Day celebration to see the grandson of the man with whom he marched in Fresno in 1975 after driving up from San Diego at 18.

"It's pretty amazing," he said. "It's good to see him doing the same thing that his grandfather did. It still needs to be going (on)."

The inequality of the farm hands, such as being unable to take a break or go to the bathroom, shocked and motivated Damian to support Cesar Chavez. He said the marches brought about a camaraderie among the participants akin to the Occupy Wall Street movement.

Anthony Chavez said much headway was made by his grandfather and those who worked with him, such as Damian. However, problems and abuse of workers still happens.

"Even thought there's many good laws on the books, the laws in the fields are much different," he said.

The celebration also featured folk dancing, music and tostadas after the march.

Worries about the weather shortened the marching route from previous years, said Alan Phillips, chair of the coalition.

After the march, Eva Jimenez spoke on the importance of embracing change.

"When we hear the word 'change,' we think we have to lose something. Always think of change as, 'I'm going to add something to my life,' " said Jimenez, Shasta College's dean of Business, Agriculture, Industry and Technology.

Anthony Chavez said he would come after Phillips invited him. He's been up to Mount Shasta previously, but his experience with the region has been limited.

"I've mainly passed through. It's really beautiful country. A lot of people don't know about all the riches in Northern California," he said. "Every time I come up here I learn more and more."

Most state offices will be closed Friday in observance of Cesar Chavez Day.