Thursday & Friday schedules: Big community mobilization embraces ‘March for the Governor’s Signature’ to strengthen farm worker voting rights
Sacramento, Calif.—As momentum builds across the state and their ranks swell, exhausted marchers near the end of their grueling 24-day, 335-mile journey. They’ve marched from Delano up the Central Valley in the summer heat to convince Governor Gavin Newsom to sign AB 2183, the United Farm Workers’ bill making it easier for farm workers to vote in a union free from intimidation by grower foremen, supervisors and farm labor contractors.
Thursday’s trek goes from Elk Grove to Sacramento’s Southside Park, where 5,000 farm workers and supporters from throughout California will show up on Friday for the final mile-long march on the state Capitol. Among those joining them will be UFW President Teresa Romero; civil rights icon Dolores Huerta; California Labor Federation head Lorena Gonzalez; labor, Latino, and LGBTQ leaders and activists; lawmakers; and hundreds of lowriders and classic car club members from throughout California.
Thursday, August 25, 2022
Start—6:30 a.m. assemble, 7 a.m. march begins from Buscher Park, 10338 Willard Pkwy., Elk Grove 95757. Note: A long stretch of the route is along Franklin Blvd. from Elk Grove into Sacramento.
End—about mid-afternoon arrive Southside Park, 8th & “T” streets, Sacramento 95811.
Friday, August 26, 2022
Start—9 a.m. assemble, 10 a.m. at Southside Park, 8th & “T” streets, Sacramento 95811.
End—West steps of the state Capitol at Capitol Mall and 10th St.
March route—Head of the march on T St. just west of 8th St. in front of the Guadalupe Church. Walk west on T St.; right (north) on 5th St.; right (east) for five blocks on Capitol Mall, which dead ends on the west side of the state Capitol at 10th St. Ahead of the march will be a press truck, giving news photographers an elevated view.
Permanent farm worker peregrinos (pilgrims) endured the entire length of the peregrinacion (pilgrimage or march) foregoing income, time with family, and the comfort and security of home to embark upon this burdensome journey—in temperatures frequently exceeding 100 degrees—that sorely taxed them physically and emotionally.
Community enthusiasm across the state built as hundreds greeted marchers along the route and joined end-of-day rallies in valley farm towns. Committees in each town through which the march moved provided food, water, cold drinks, shoes and other supplies, plus housing. Nurses and medical students tended to the marchers. Supporters from near and far turned up on rural roadsides to hand out water, drinks, and food as the peregrinos passed by.
There has been broadening public support for the UFW drive and sacrificial march, including solid backing by the California labor movement as well as union, religious, and community leaders, activists and organizations. ###