UFW plan: Flood Congress with 1 million postcards
The United Farm Workers union wants to transform energy in the streets into power at the polls.
On Wednesday, UFW organizers said they are launching a campaign with the goal of sending 1 million postcards to Congress by May 19.
At a news conference at the offices of Radio Campesina in southwest Bakersfield, UFW organizer Armando Elenes said the union and a coalition of allies in 40 states is calling upon Congress to craft comprehensive immigration reform "to fix our broken system." Such reform would include increased border security, provisions for reunifying immigrant families and the establishment of a path to citizenship for the millions who are in the United States illegally.
"By May 19, we will present a million cards to both (leaders) of the Congress," Elenes said.
"I think we do have the power of the vote," he added. "And that’s what we have to prove."
The marches, rallies and demonstrations of the past several weeks have shown that unprecedented numbers of Latinos, including legal and illegal immigrants and assimilated citizens, can be mobilized when they see the need.
"Whatever motivates people to participate in our political process, whatever motivates people to vote," he said, "is a good thing."
The news conference was duplicated in several cities in California Wednesday.