10 a.m. Sunday in Santa Rosa
UFW Pres. Rodriguez joins hundreds of farm workers marching for major U.S. drive for immigration reform rewarding work
United Farm Workers President Arturo Rodriguez will march in Santa Rosa on Sunday with hundreds of farm workers, their families and community supporters as part of a nationwide drive to put immigration reform back on the agenda this fall for President Bush and Congress.
It is part of a U.S. campaign aimed at delivering hundreds of thousands of post cards to the nation’s capital urging America‘s political leaders to "support immigration policies that reward work by giving hard-working, tax-paying immigrants already in the United States the opportunity to earn legal status." Post cards will be signed and collected at Sunday’s event for shipment to Washington, D.C. before the Nov. 5 elections.
A broad-based coalition is pushing legislation enabling undocumented workers and their families presently in this country to earn legal status by continuing to perform "vital" tasks in key industries such as agriculture. Campaign organizers note that immigrant workers harvest the crops, care for the sick and elderly, help raise children and clean office buildings and homes. A recent UCLA study cited more than $440 billion a year generated for the U.S. economy from immigrants.
"Our goal is to send a clear and strong message to President Bush and lawmakers from both parties that immigration reform is a pressing issue for millions of American voters," Rodriguez states.
Who: UFW President Arturo Rodriguez and hundreds of farm worker families, community supporters, political and labor leaders.
What: Farm worker legalization march championing the nationwide campaign to win legal status for immigrant workers.
When: Starts: 10 a.m., Sunday, August 4, 2002. (The 1 1/2 mile march will end at approximately 11:30 am with a program to follow.)
Where: Starts at Lawrence Cook Middle School, 8360 Sebastopol Rd., (cross street: Lambardi Lane, across from the Post Office), Santa Rosa. Ends at Southwest Community Park, 1698 Hearn Avenue, (cross street: Burbank Ave.), in Santa Rosa.
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