Unity March in Greeley, May 2nd!

Al Frente de Lucha, an amazing grassroots immigrant rights organization in Greeley, CO, is organizing a Unity March for May 2nd. This important action (being planned in conjunction with the Colorado Immigrant Rights Coalition and many other groups) deserves the support of everyone in Colorado:

Saturday, May 2nd
starts at 1:00pm

at the Island Grove Park

514 N. 14th Ave, Greeley CO

-Respect for Human Rights-

-Just and Humane Immigration Reform-

-For a Better Greeley, in a Better World-

For more information: alfrentedelucha@gmail.com, 970-388-0834, 303-887-2795

Denver! Meet at one of these points to Caravan or take a Bus to Greeley at 9:30 AM, Saturday, May 2nd, 2009:

Aurora—16th & Dallas or Denver —12th & Mariposa (Lincoln Park)
You are welcome to bring Food or Donations for Greeley families affected by ongoing immigration Raids! Denver Contacts: Homero 303.437.7805 & Nacho 720.621.7468

Greeley is quite similar to Immokalee, Florida. Both are towns whose largely immigrant populations face gross oppression in order to serve the demands for cheap, maleable labor of the agricultural industry - that's ultimately fueled by the demand for cheap inputs of fast food and supermarket industries.

In Greeley, where the major source of employment - meatpacking - is one of the most dangerous occupations in the US, one form this oppression has taken is immigration enforcement. The Dec. 12th '06 ICE raid on the Swift meatpacking plant in Greeley - which resulted in families being torn apart by deportations and losing all sources of income, hundreds of folks being incarcerated in barbaric dentention centers, and a general sense of terror in the community - is but the most obvious example. More recently, Greeley's Distric Attorney in cahoots with the county Sheriff has had a low-intensity war going on against immigrants. After illegally confiscating thousands of tax documents, the DA has been using that private information to accuse individuals of being in the country without papers, and then detaining and deporting them. As a result, the residents of Greeley face an ongoing state of harassment and timidation.

But they are also standing up for their rights and dignity. Following in the spirit of the historic immigrant mobilizations of 2006 and 2007 and the even longer history of May Day - International Workers Day - the people of Greeley (like many so many around the country) will be taking to the streets and we can and should join them.

In the meantime, there will be a fundraiser/filmscreening (which will explore farmworker issues FYI) for the Denver caravan on April 25th. See the Coloradans For Immigrant Rights blog for details.