Migrant March III

March and why?

For the third consecutive year a group called "Gente Unida", lead by Enrique Morones, a well known activist in San Diego who works on behalf of immigrants, has organized an immigrant march to travel throughout the Western United States.

The theme of this march is "Your Vote is your voice", with this slogan they are using to promote the registration and electoral participation of the Latino community. All of these marches have been very important, their first March proved that Latinos could lift themselves out of obscurity, as more than three million Latinos took to the streets. The :: second march consisted of compiling border stories presenting them Washington DC. And now, the organizers believe that this is the most important march of them all, because presidential campaigns are deeply affected by anti-Mexican posturing.

From where and what

The immigrant march III began in San Diego on the 2nd of February in memory of the signing of the treaty Guadalupe Hidalgo when Mexico lost a large part of its territory to the United States, they are traveling the western coast of the country until they arrive at the Canadian border.

The first day of the march, volunteers traveled in 50 vehicles to the Holtville Cemetery, located near the city of Calexico, California, where the bodies of migrants who have died attempting to cross the border are buried, symbolizing the commitment that Gente Unida has toward not forgetting these dead souls. This John-Doe portion of the Holtville Cemetery has been in existence since 1994. It now holds more than 500 graves - men, women, and children. Two years ago, some 300 people were buried there. (:: see report and pictures from 10. Nov 2007)

On the 12th of February they will arrive at the Canadian border where they will hold a special action, known as a "US Border Action".

On the 13th they will begin their return to the city of Yakima, Washington, the 14th in Boise, Idaho, and the 15th in Salt Lake City, Utah, the 16th in Las Vegas, Nevada, and the 17th the return to San Diego.

For updates from the march see :: Indybay / San Diego Indymedia

The stops

2/2 Day 1 (3 cities) San Diego, Calexico, Coachella
2/3 Day 2 (2 cities) Coachella, Los Angeles
2/4 Day 3 (3 Cities) Los Angeles, La Paz, 40 acres
2/5 Day 4 (2 cities) 40 acres, San Jose
2/6 Day 5 (3 cities) San Jose, Sacramento, Redding
2/7 Day 6 (2 cities) Redding, Medford, Oregon
2/8 Day 7 (2 cities) Medford, Eugene
2/10 Day 8 (2 cities) Woodburn, Portland
2/11 Day 9 Seattle, Wa
2/12 Day 10 US CANADIAN BORDER ACTION
2/13 Day 11 Yakima, Wa
2/14 Day 12 Boise, Idaho
2/15 Day 13 Salt Lake City, Utah
2/16 Day 14 Las Vegas, Nevada
2/17 Day 15 San Diego, CA (walk the final mile to wall on the beach)

For further information see :: Marcha Migrante III Update (10. Feb 2008) and :: borderangels.org.