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EmailMarch 13, 2006
Community Forum a Success
By Davin Cardenas
Mil gracias a todos los que ayudaron ayer. The Foro surpassed our expectations with at least 320 people showing up, and more importantly, participating directly in planning out the defense of immigrant communities in Sonoma County. It cannot be stressed enough that every volunteer and small group facilitator was crucial to making the event run smoothly, because it could have easily gone the other way with so many present.The people are up and animados- whether it was workers talking about holding elected officials accountable, or mothers clutching children on their laps while talking about general strikes, or youth talking about beginning cross-high school networks of resistance.
The day served as a great indicator of the passion the people possess towards defending their rights, and in 2 hours on a rainy Sunday afternoon, we were able to unite and express those feelings. Dolores Huerta arriving unexpectedly added to the day, as well as Alicia Sanchez' radically appropriate closing.
We came out with a lot of action ideas as well as contacts and we will need to sort them all out before we come together again. In the meantime, this is a thank you to all the participants as well as an invitation for those who couldn't make it to join in.
More information will be coming as to the next encuentro, but for now feel free to give feedback on what worked and what didn't. Feel free to contact me at: dcardenas@mechadesonoma.org.
Dinner with Dolores Huerta
By Omar Medina
There will be no MEChA meeting tonight. MEChA will be volunteering at the KBBF radio fundraising dinner featuring Dolores Huerta. The event begins at 5:00pm tonight and will take place at the Santa Rosa Veterans Memorial Hall on 1351 Maple Avenue in Santa Rosa.
March 10, 2006
HR 4437 workshop very informative
By Omar Medina
Last nights workshop on HR 4437 and other anti-immigrant legislation was very informative. MEChA alumnus, Davin Cardenas, presented on HR 4437 and legislation in the Senate and also President Bush's guest worker program proposal. The work shop was an intimate affair and very interactive. Attenddees were broken up into groups and tested on their current knowledge of U.S. immigration and border security policy and spending.
On Thursday, March 16, 2006 another workshop will be presented by Vicente Lara on mobilizing against these initiatives that will have devastating effects on everyone, not only immigrants.
The workshop will be held at 6:00pm in Stevenson Hall, Room 2091. For more information contact us at: info@mechadesonoma.org.
March 6, 2006
HR 4437 and other anti-immigrant legislation
By Omar Medina
On Thursday, March 9, 2006 MEChA will be sponsoring an informational workshop on the recently passed house bill HR 4437 and the various anti-immigrant laws that are being proposed at the federal level. The workshop will take place in Stevenson Hall, room 2091 at 6:00pm.Davin Cardenas, a MEChA de Sonoma alumnus, will be the presenter of the workshop. Davin currently works for the Graton Day Laborer Center and is actively involved in the development of a coalition to fight against the anti-immigrant legislation in Sonoma County.
The workshop is the first of a series of events that MEChA de Sonoma is sponsoring in our efforts to combat the anti-immigrant sentiment that is building in the nation.
Other events that MEChA de Sonoma will be sponsoring/participating in are:
- 3/12/2006: Community Forum at OUr Lady of Guadalupe Church, 8400 Old Redwood Highway, Windsor, CA
- 3/16/2006: Resist, Organize, and Overcome: Organizing against anti-immigrant legislation
- 3/25/2006: Human/Immigrant Rights March at Flagstaff, AZ
- 3/26/2006: UFW and Immigrant Coalition March for Human/Immigrant Rights; from UFW office in Santa Rosa to Downtown Old Courthouse Square.
For more information email us at: info@mechadesonoma.org.
