Bakersfield, Calif. – Leaving all identification documents (“papers”) behind, leaders of the United Farm Workers will join dozens of labor, faith and community activists from across rural California, Texas, Oregon and Washington state who are traveling to Arizona on July 29, challenging local authorities to arrest them for violating the state’s racial profiling law on the day it takes effect. UFW leaders and local organizations will announce and detail their plans at an 11:30 a.m. news conference on Thursday, June 3, at La Campesina Radio offices.
“We will let the authorities in Arizona know we are coming,” states Arturo S. Rodriguez, UFW president. “We will say, ‘arrest us for being brown or black. Arrest us for being ‘suspicious.’ Arrest us for not having papers. Arrest us for believing that America is a fair, decent and just place.’”
WHEN: Thursday, June 3, 2010 at 11:30 a.m.
WHERE: La Campesina Radio, 6313 Schirra Court, Bakersfield, CA. 93313
WHAT: News conference by the United Farm Workers announcing they will travel to Arizona without their “papers” to challenge the state’s racial profiling law on July 29, 2010, the day it goes into effect.
WHO: UFW National Vice President Armando Elenes