Bakersfield, CA–Dreams of pursuing a career in communications have many times faded for Daniel Jimenez, an undocumented student at Cal State, Bakersfield. But on Sunday, March 24, 2013at 10 a.m., he will be joining other families affected by current immigration policies – along with farm workers and immigration advocates – in a march seeking to bring attention to the need for a new immigration process that would allow the estimated 11 million undocumented immigrants living in the U.S. to legalize their status.
“As immigrants, we must fight for our dreams. We come here to work, contribute to society, and improve our lives. We are not criminals,” said the 21-year old whose mother is a farm worker.
Thousands of people are expected to participate in the march for immigration reform and to honor the legacy of Cesar E. Chavez, founder of the United Farm Workers of America. Chavez’s birthday is celebrated as a holiday in eight states across the nation on March 31st, including California. Chavez died 20 years ago.
The Bakersfield march will begin at Jastro Park, 2900 Truxtun Avenue and will cover more than two miles. Marchers also seek to persuade U.S. Rep. Kevin McCarthy, the Republican House majority whip, to support immigration reform legislation with a path to citizenship.
The UFW is currently in negotiations with several major growers associations, along with Republican and Democratic lawmakers, to ensure Congress approves the Agricultural Job Opportunities, Benefits and Security Act (AgJOBS) or includes language that addresses farm workers needs as part of any immigration reform legislation. AgJOBS is a bipartisan approach and supported by agricultural employers, who have worked on this legislation with the UFW for a decade. The bill would give career farm workers presently in the U.S. and who have been contributing to our country the right to earn legal status by continuing to work in agriculture.
The local march, which is part of the UFW’s national campaign "Con la Union de Campesinos Tendremos Papeles," (With the United Farm Workers We Will Have Documents) is sponsored by the Kern Coalition for Citizenship, which is comprised of the UFW, the UFW Foundation, La Campesina 92.5 FM, Cesar Chavez Foundation, Communications Workers of America -CWA, CA Partnership, SEIU 521, Mi FamiliaVota Education Fund, Dolores Huerta Foundation, CSUB United Now for Immigrant Rights (UNIR), CSUB MECHA, Unidad Popular Benito Juarez (UPBJ), SEIU International, California Faculty Association – Bakersfield Chapter and CHIRLA.
Music and entertainment will follow the march. A series of events and marches are also planned in other California cities, Oregon, Washington, Arizona and Washington, D.C. within the next few months.
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