Students clutching small candles gathered in the biting cold last night on the steps of Memorial Church for a vigil to recognize the alleged plight of workers in the grape fields of California.

An hour earlier, Adam R. Kovacevich '99, chair of the ad-hoc Grape Coalition, debated Roel Saldivar '01, member of Harvard-Radcliffe La Raza, the Chicano students' organization, in the Ecker room at Annenberg Hall, in an event sponsored by the Harvard Political Union.

Yesterday, gearing up for the grape referendum on Friday, both sides of the grape debate actively promoted their messages during the final stretch before Friday's referendum to decide whether to continue Harvard's boycott of grapes.

The first speaker at the hour-long vigil expressed anger at the Harvard community for its reaction to serving grapes in the dinning halls.

"As members of the Harvard community, I think we've come here tonight to express frustration and disbelief with the actions passed here at Harvard," said Felipe E. Agredano-Lozano '97. "I feel outrage that this is even up for a vote."

At the vigil, representatives of many organizations around campus, including La Raza, the Progressive Student Labor Movement (PSLM), Ballet Folklorico de Aztlan and UNITE, gathered in a circle and shared thoughts and experiences.

They concluded the vigil with a responsive chant in Spanish, accompanied by rythmic clapping.

Daisy M. Rooks, representative for the United Farm Workers (UFW) praised Harvard students for organizing the vigil.

"This is a great event. I appreciate you guys being here," she said. "I'm willing to do what it takes to help you win this."

She encouraged students to go door-to-door to spread their message.

"The grape referendum has been taken as a joke," said Sergio J. Campos '00, chair of the Latino Political Committee. "With this vigil I want to show that this is a serious matter."

Edgar Saldivar '99, present at the vigil, expressed the meaning it held for him.

"This vigil shows that there is a community here that cares. We run into people who have no understanding," he said. "It's important to stay strong. Our interests are much more greater and nobler."

Abandoning emotions, leaders on each side of the grape questioned debated the facts surrounding the grape question.

"A boycott is probably the most ineffective way of making improvements in the working conditions of the grape workers," Kovacevich said. "It is the easy way out."