This year’s Western Weekend Jr. Grand Marshal came of age on a ranch in the Point Reyes National Seashore.
David Rodriguez spent his first 12 years in an agricultural community in Tulare County, where his parents worked in the fields picking grapes until his father moved to the dairy business. He and his family are no strangers to rural living, so their move to Point Reyes was not a complete change of pace, despite the different climate. He has always been surrounded by fields and pastures.
The Rodriguez family first arrived at the McClure dairy, then moved over to the Nunes dairy a few years later. David spent six years on the outer point, but he’s now an undergraduate at California State University, Chico, where he is pursuing a degree in criminal justice and legal studies.
He visits home frequently, and he hopes to attend law school, motivated by the injustices he has witnessed in the court system.
As a young person living close to the lighthouse and Chimney Rock, Mr. Rodriguez would enjoy walks and taking in the sight of the Pacific Ocean meeting the sand. He would get back home from school each day to play baseball and soccer with friends living on the same ranch.
“You can say that, out on the ranches, we build another community out there,” he said.
Cousins and friends would gather for carne asadas and to catch up on life. These friendships evolved into lifelong connections, and some of his childhood friends will soon join him at Chico State.
Snow McIsaac, a paraeducator at Tomales High, acted as a sort of advisor and mentor to Mr. Rodriguez as he navigated through his high school career.
“From the first day of school, it was clear that he was not only exceptionally intelligent but also a person of great character and kindness,” she said.
Mr. Rodriguez stood out from his peers with his natural curiosity and depth of understanding that was rare for someone his age, she said. He was kind and compassionate with his fellow students, offering to help classmates who were struggling and participating in group projects.
For the first time in Western Weekend’s history, the junior grand marshal and grand marshal positions were chosen through a public nomination process. Angelo Sacheli, the West Marin Lions Club president who assisted in the selection process after nominees were submitted by community members, said Mr. Rodriguez “embodies the Lion spirit about serving the community.”
“He was a voice for the workers on the ranches,” he said. “He went to the farmworker meetings and did translation at events.”
Mr. Sacheli watched Mr. Rodriguez go through the youth center and the Waterdogs swim program, and he described how he volunteered his time to support his community.
“That young man has always inspired me,” said Socorro Romo, the former executive director of West Marin Community Services who nominated Mr. Rodriguez for the honorary title. “He is a person who may be a great leader in the future, and I want that to be recognized as of now.”
Latinos face many obstacles as a minority group in this country, such as racism and other forms of discrimination and oppression. Ms. Romo said Mr. Rodriguez is someone who continues to persevere regardless of his circumstances.
Despite growing up in a rural community with limited access to resources, Mr. Rodriguez decided to enroll straight into college without worrying about the challenges that awaited him, Ms. Romo said. He is now on track to become a lawyer, and she believes he could reach the moon if he wanted to.
Back on Point Reyes, the dairy ranches where Mr. Rodriguez grew up are winding down after a legal settlement that will end most agriculture on the peninsula. The theme of this Western Weekend is honoring those who labor on the land—a tribute to the workers who make things move across the dozen ranches that will soon be closing for good, after a legal settlement between the National Park Service and three environmental groups.
“Ranching is a big part of the community in Point Reyes, and now we have a big part of the community leaving,” Mr. Rodriguez said.
As the operations close shop, residents who live there are looking for housing in Petaluma and Novato, and even as far as Sacramento. Scarce rentals and exorbitant prices in West Marin have made the search difficult.
“A lot of people don’t want to leave this area for the same reason that they grew up here,” Mr. Rodriguez said.
Gearing up for the weekend that is now just hours away, Mr. Rodriguez says he will be riding through the parade in cowboy apparel, with boots and a tejana ready to go. The vehicle is still being decided, but talks of a classic Camaro are underway.
David Rodriguez will be celebrated as this year’s Western Weekend junior grand marshal at 6:30 p.m. on Saturday, June 7 at the Dance Palace Community Center, followed by a barn dance at 7 p.m. Find the weekend’s schedule of events at westernweekend.org.