Dozens of families, activists and young people came out to participate in Merced’s third annual Cesar Chavez march; walking down the city’s Martin Luther King Boulevard while holding signs displaying their support for undocumented rights and the continued protection of farm workers.
“We’re very happy with the event,” said Jesse Ornelas, community organizer and member of the local chapter of the Brown Berets. “We got the community to come out and talk about issues that were relevant to South Merced and the farmworker community in general in this area.”
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.
A prayer and final act of solidarity. The group held hands as they shouted Assata Shakur’s famous social justice rallying call: "It is our duty to fight for our freedom. It is our duty to win. We must love each other and protect each other. We have nothing to lose but our chains."
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