Community Activist and distributor of Tribuno del Pueblo, Ed Castro Jr. interviewed Leoncio Vasquez Santos who works for the Binational Center for the Development of the Oaxacan Indigenous Communities. A delegate of Frente Indígenade Organizaciones Binacionales,Vazquez is also involved with a coalition around immigration rights called Comité Primero de Mayo.
Tribuno del Pueblo : What activities is your organization presently involved in?
Leoncio Vasquez Santos: The group I work for, Binational Center, works with the Oaxaqueño community on issues that impact them. My group as stated above is working with Comité Primero de Mayo which is made up of different organizations forming a coalition.
TP: What do you see as the vision and direction in the future for the Comité?
LVS: Let me start by saying that the Comité started doing marches and education after the big demonstration in front of City Hall in Fresno [2006] where close to 10,000 people were present. People came out spontaneously to air their concerns about inadequate attention to their immigration status in the U.S. They felt that politicians were not paying attention to the undocumented population’s grievances. The coalition must continue with the marches and education. It needs to continue being a force in Fresno as no one else in the community is taking on the fight. [We need] to continue the dialogue with the different communities to work toward a possible statewide effort.
TP: What do you expect from the march on May 1, 2013?
LVS: To continue with the marches so we can impact the immigrant community to start getting involved, whether it is marches or attending educational activities. Locally [we need to] work on increasing the number of organizations that can get involved with the coalition and reach a consensus on what the priorities should be.
TP: What are your thoughts on immigration reform?
LVS: I do not expect much from the current discussion of immigration reform. If passed, it will minimally help the undocumented. They will continue to work under low wages and be treated unfairly by the employer. The history of the U.S. has been to treat undocumented as slaves and continue to exploit them as before. Even if the 11 million may be allowed citizenship, they will continue to be exploited. The rich will continue to find some other group to exploit.
