LONG BEACH — Jenny Oropeza and Cesar Chavez are now linked in perpetuity.
And that’s something Oropeza’s widower, Tom Mullins, says would have meant the world to his wife.
Long Beach’s 10th annual Cesar Chavez day celebration, which honors the late civil and labor rights leader, had an added element Thursday when the community center at Chavez Park was dedicated in honor of Oropeza.
The official dedication now permanently pairs the two Latino leaders.
Oropeza, a California state senator and Long Beach city councilwoman, was 
Jenny Oropeza (Diandra Jay/Press-Telegram)integral in the naming of the popular Westsde park. She died in October at the age of 53 from complications from an abdominal blood clot.
Mullins, who was accompanied by Oropeza’s mother, Sharon, and sister, Lynne, said the whole family remembers how hard Oropeza worked to give the park its name.
“She wanted this park named after Cesar Chavez because he was one of her great heroes,” Mullins said.
Mullins said he could feel his late wife’s spirit and knew she would be pleased.
State Senator Bonnie Lowenthal, who succeeded Oropeza as a councilwoman in the first district, also recalled how Oropeza championed the Chavez name for the park.
“It’s fitting we have her name as a permanent part of this park,” Lowenthal said.
She added that it was a fitting tribute because, “A park is a place where people come together. I think she’d be pleased.”
Another who was particularly touched by the event was State Assemblyman Tony Mendoza, who said he got his start in politics as an intern for Oropeza when she first ran for city council in Long Beach.
He said to see the center “with her name, that’s an empowering thing.”
“We are looking forward to honoring the great work of Senator Oropeza and everything she did to build this park when she was on the Long Beach City Council,” First District Coucilman Robert Garcia said in a statement before Thursday’s ceremony.
“Our hearts are really full today,” Mullins said after the dedication in which banners were removed to show a sign and plaque proclaiming the building at the park the Jenny Oropeza Community Center.
Chavez Day celebrates the birthday of the late California labor leader who would have turned 84 this year.
Under balmy skies, the celebration at Chavez Park organized by Centro Cha and Centro Shalom had all the usual activities, including ballet folklorico performances, the musical group Trio de Alma, readings by the winners of a student poetry contest, a children’s play area and the always popular food provided this year by a truck from Super Mex.
There was also information on obtaining a U.S. passport, how to become a U.S. citizen, job assistance and many other social services.
Three students, two for Cal State Long Beach and one from Millikan High earned scholarship money for poems written in honor of Chavez.
Mirian Chavez, a freshman majoring in political science, won the top prize of $1,000. The other winners were Moris Galvez, a sophomore computer science major and Demetri Miramontes, a Millikan High senior.
Chavez and Galvez both said this was their first attempt at poetry and that Chavez and his message inspired them both. , 562-499-1291
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