FRESNO– Community leaders, residents and state officials met Thursday night in West Fresno at Westside Church of God to talk about Proposition 47 and the flaws in the criminal justice system in Fresno County and across California.
Before I was even born, someone decided that my life did not matter. As it turns out, [California’s] infamous three strikes law actually originated in Fresno after some very serious crimes occurred in the area. But after it passed, people of color were mostly targeted. This is not fair, because Black lives do matter.
I’ll tell you I looked my name up
recently, its something I do periodically,
to see what shows up. I found some 10+ arrests
on the initial search. I didn’t even bother with
aliases or convictions. Suffice it to say,
court records will outlive us all.
Above: Local parent Carla Gonzalez addressed the Merced City School District board of trustees during the June 13 public hearing on school funding.Read More
Multiple speakers also identified the current presidential administration as a serious threat to undocumented laborers in California, saying communities need to organize once again and rally around legislation to help protect rural communities.
“We are once again at a pivotal moment. Things are becoming painted as clear cut moral issue and that’s something that the [UFW] movement, at its height, was able to do,” said Miriam Pawel, author of “The Crusades of Cesar Chavez.”
“You were in favor of the conditions [in the fields] or you were against them. It was a moral choice,” she continued.
There is nothing “soft” about giving judges the discretion to make decisions. It is fair. Prosecutors have a problem with losing their power, which is why they are so opposed to this bill. Too much power in the hands of prosecutors is not a good thing. Additionally, prosecutors generally do not have any insight when it comes to rehabilitation. If judges have discretion, sentencing would look a lot different because they are not solely focused on convictions like prosecutors are.
This weekend documentary filmmaker Rodrigo Reyes will premiere his film “Lupe Bajo el Sol (Lupe Under the Sun)” to a hometown audience in Merced. Inspired by tales of his own grandfather’s life as a migrant farmworker, the movie tells the story of an aging agricultural worker living in the Central San Joaquin Valley.
Merced County residents and real-life couple Daniel and Ana Muratalla star as ‘Lupe’ and his onscreen girlfriend ‘Gloria.
Being able to stand in front of a large group of people and share my story has forever changed me. I would have never imagined that I would be able to find the courage in myself to speak up.
The status quo in Merced is under threat, and some of those in power clearly don’t like it. Our leaders need to accept responsibility and help all Merced communities rise instead of offering false, or at best, misinformed opinions specifically intended to question the purpose and approaches of our work. Let’s be clear: they disagree with the tactics because they are afraid of the outcomes.
According to a California Research Bureau study, the Central Valley has the highest proportion of laborers in the state. Many work long hours with little pay and no protection.
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