Photos: Darell Lee
Coachella Valley activists and organizations continue to mobilize the community on comprehensive immigration reform. On International Workers Day, May 1st, Comité Latino and other community organizations and residents gathered together in Palm Springs to march and deliver the 5,400 signatures supporting immigration reform to Congressman Dr. Raul Ruiz. Minutes before the initiation of the March, Congressman Ruiz showed up to express his support to a crowd of approximately 150 people. After verbally demonstrating his support, he granted five minutes of his time for whoever wanted to talk to him; Comité Latino used this time to deliver their Legalization Now petition signatures. After meeting the objective, the organizers replaced the march with a brief forum, outlining the conditions and requirements of the Immigration Reform that the gang of eight put together.
On another but similar note, Comité Latino collaborated for the reception of the Caravan Opening Doors to Hope led by Mexican Nobel Peace Prize winner, Alejandro Solalinde, who has dedicated his life to condemn violence to immigrants traveling from Central and South America to the United States. Members of the Occupy movement — Riverside and Coachella — as well as local organizations, teachers and students were present to listen to their testimonies.
The month of June in the Coachella Valley was an unprecedented discussion on Immigration Reform. Comité Latino is planning three immigration reform forums in the communities of Mecca, Coachella, and Desert Hot Springs in June. Upcoming immigration forums will be accompanied by California Partnership mobilization of registered voters; Dr. Ruiz has been notified that he will be receiving hundreds of phone calls per day throughout June.
