This Is Why We're Going to Bakersfield
Tomorrow, hundreds of cars from more than 30 California cities will join a caravan to Bakersfield to visit Rep. Kevin McCarthy's (R-Calif.) office to tell him to support an immigration policy with a road map to citizenship. This is the first of many activities in support of a new immigration policy that California's working families are planning.
The Los Angeles County Federation of Labor sends us this piece about two members of the Amalgamated Transit Union ( ATU ) who are joining the caravan—with the support of their employer.
Greyhound bus drivers Sindy Vasquez and Leonard Weaver, active members of ATU Local 1700, are familiar with California's Central Valley, both having driven bus routes that took them through Fresno, Modesto and Salinas.
Leonard says, “I used to see farm workers and their kids working day in and day out. It struck a chord with me. I saw the exploitation of workers firsthand.”
Sindy added, “It really bothers me how farm workers are treated. What they go through is inhumane. That isn’t right because America is supposed to be the land of opportunity.”
So when the labor movement put out the call for a Caravan to Bakersfield to urge Congressman Kevin McCarthy to support a road map to citizenship for our nation’s immigrants, Sindy and Leonard jumped on board.
But they didn’t stop there. They went to their employer, Greyhound Lines Inc., and urged the company to support comprehensive immigration reform. Greyhound values the importance of immigrants to their business and embraced the idea. The company even offered to provide a van for the Caravan.
Join with Leonard and Sindy and hundreds of other sisters and brothers in the Caravan to Bakersfield.
Not in California? Text NOW to 235246 to tell House Speaker John Boehner you want a vote on citizenship. Standard data and messaging rates may apply.
