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Tens of thousands of farm workers join UFW-organized immigrant rights events in six California farm regions and in Texas

Monday, May 1
Tens of thousands of farm workers join UFW-organized immigrant rights events in six California farm regions and in Texas

Tens of thousands of farm workers, many of them taking time off from their jobs, join Monday, May 1 rallies, marches and vigils organized by the United Farm Workers in six major agricultural regions of California and in Texas’ Rio Grande Valley. Meanwhile, the eight-station, three-state Radio Campesina network that is also part of the Farm Worker Movement is canceling all ads and underwriting and providing its 400,000 listeners with all-day programming, including live remote coverage of events.

Farm worker-organized events in Salinas, Bakersfield, Oxnard, Santa Rosa, Coachella and Fresno, Calif. and McAllen, Texas are as follows:

Salinas Valley, Calif.
Who: UFW, Radio Campesina, La Union del Pueblo Entero, Central Labor Council, Teamsters Local 890, Latino community and soccer organizations.
What: Two marches in Salinas, in the morning and afternoon.
When: 10 a.m. beginning at four locations and ending at Constitution Soccer Complex, 
1440 Constitution Blvd. (at East Laurel Dr. & Constitution Blvd.) in Salinas
 4 p.m. begins and ends at Constitution Soccer Complex (address above), Salinas.
Where: Martin Luther King Jr. Park, East California & So. Ownens, Salinas.
Contact: Efren Barajas, 831-763-4820 (UFW Watsonville office), 831-970-2603 (Monday)

Bakersfield (Kern County), Calif.
Who: UFW, Kern County Coalition for Immigrant Rights.
What: Rally, human billboarding, candlelight procession and vigil.
When: 10 a.m. rally; 12 noon-4 p.m. human billboarding; 6 p.m. program; 8-9 p.m. candlelight procession and vigil.
Where: Rally, program, candlelight procession at Beach Park (corner of Hwy. 178 & Oak St.); billboarding at Rosedale Hwy. & Oak Ave.; candlelight procession ends with vigil at Rep. Bill Thomas’ office, 4100 Empire Dr., all in Bakersfield.
Contact: Armando Elenes, 661-725-9730 (UFW Delano office), 805-207-3656 (Monday)

Oxnard (Ventura County), Calif.
Who: Ventura County Coalition for Immigration Rights, UFW
What: Workshops and march.
When: 10 a.m.-4 p.m. workshops; 6 p.m. march.
Where: Workshops at El Centro Cultural Inlakech, 937 W. 5th St. (at H St.); march from 5th & “H” streets to La Placita Park, “C” St. at 5th St., all in Oxnard.
Contact: Jose Ramirez, 805-486-9674 (UFW Oxnard office) or 805-223-6139 (Monday)

Santa Rosa (Sonoma County), Calif.
Who: UFW, Coalition for Immigrants Rights of Sonoma County
What: March and rally
When: 10 a.m.
Where: March begins at [name of location], 665 Sebastopol Rd.; ends with rally at Julliard Park, 227 Santa Rosa Ave., both in Santa Rosa.
Contact: Roberto Garcia or Casimiro Alvarez, 707-528-3039

Fresno, Calif.
Who: Coalition for Immigrant Rights, La Union del Pueblo Entero, UFW
What: Rally.
When: 5:30 p.m.
Where: Fresno City Hall, 2600 Fresno St., Fresno.
Contact: Claudia Delgado, 559-646-3376; Ernie Velazquez, 559-361-2535 (Monday)

Coachella, Calif.
Who: UFW, Comite Latino
What: March and rally.
When: 4 p.m. march, 6 p.m. rally.
Where: March starts at Our Lady of Soledad Catholic Church, Alejo & Palm Canyon Rd., Coachella; march down Palm Canyon Dr., ending at Rep. Mary Bono’s office, 707 Tahquitz Wy., Palm Springs.
Contact: Joe Mota, 760-398-2649 (UFW Coachella office), 760-497-5522 (Monday)

McAllen, Texas
Who: Allianza Para Una Reforma Migratoria, May Day Action Committee, La Union del Pueblo Entero (affiliated with the Farm Worker Movement
What: March and rally.
When: 4-8 p.m.
Where: March begins at Our Lady of Sorrows Catholic Church, 1108 Hackberry Ave.; ends at U.S. Courthouse, 18th St. & Business 83; rally at Archer Park, Main St. and Old Business 83, all in McAllen, Texas.
Contact: Olga Cardoso, 956-782-6655, 956-532-6908 (Monday)

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