The atmosphere was vivo as music, cake and a piñata kicked off Wednesday's 15th annual Cesar Chavez celebration.

"We are here to respect the honor of the Chicano and farm-worker activists as well as all the farm workers," said Karina Magana, a Liberal and La Raza studies major, as she patched together the final parts of a large paper soccer ball filled with candy.

Salsa and Rock en Espanol songs booming from the speakers and the flags of Latin America gave the Malcolm X Plaza a fiesta atomosphere.

The noon event was a put on by the Movemiento Estudiantil Chicanos de Aztlan, La Raza Organization and League of Filipino Students. The student groups gathered to celebrate the life of Cesar Chavez as well as the mural and student center dedicated to him.

The highlight of the event was the piñata. Students were blindfolded, spun and successfully confused and only after nearly ten different attempts did candy fall to the ground. The crowd went wild when two young girls tried to bust the ball.

"Exciting!" was 7-year-old Olivia Martinez's only reaction. She was aggressive and energized with hard, angry swings. Her three-year-old counterpart cried and covered her eyes with one hand while still trying to connect with the piñata.

After a mad rush for the fallen candy, the audience was treated to more sweets as two Tres Leches cakes were cut. Students quickly lined up for the traditional Latin dessert that read "que viva la lucha," which translated "to maintain the struggle". The loud socializing was momentarily halted as people ate the wet, spongy cake.

"People sometimes think after the 60's things were alright," said Salvador Sanchez, Ethnic Studies graduate student. "It's important to remind each other that we are still struggling."

The music stopped for announcements promoting Latino community events and organizations as well as an impromptu musical performance. Rebbe Jerome St. Laurence, a retired schoolteacher and SF State alumni, sang his poem "Hot Fire" accapela in between his wild harmonica rants.

"Hot Fire is violence and I'm saying don't commit violent acts," said Laurence, who is currently taking religious courses to gather information for a book he is writing.

The festivities came on the brink of Cesar Chavez Day. Because SF State is closed that day and spring break is next week, the event was scheduled almost two weeks before the statewide holiday, which is on March 31.

The celebration kicked off a day of lectures and community forums with Raza, farm worker and union activists. It will conclude with dinner and a live band whose members are all day laborers.

"Everyone's having fun so it is a good opening," said Rick De La Tovre, a sophmore art student and one of the event's main hosts.