Bay Area actions to highlight immigrant rights

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In a dramatic call for legalization, workers’ rights and civil liberties, immigrants and their allies will launch a week of action March 21 with a hunger strike at San Francisco’s Federal Building, 450 Golden Gate Ave. (just north of Civic Center Plaza).

The week will feature rallies, marches, candlelight vigils and delivery of signatures to Sen. Dianne Feinstein’s office.

“We want to build legislative support for initiatives that help undocumented workers gain permanent legal residence, provide for family reunions, assure justice on the job, and uphold immigrants’ civil rights and civil liberties,” Sheila Chung, executive director of the Bay Area Immigrant Rights Coalition, said in a telephone interview.

A noon press conference March 21, followed by a 5 p.m. march from Dolores Park to the Federal Building, will kick off the actions.

On March 22, a noontime program will commemorate the 1968 Memphis, Tenn., garbage workers strike during which Dr. Martin Luther King was assassinated, and draw parallels between the struggles of immigrant and African American communities.

A national day of solidarity on March 25 will feature actions in many cities around the country.

On March 27 a march will start at 11 a.m. at the Federal Building and thousands of petition and postcard signatures will be delivered to Sen. Feinstein’s office at noon.

A candlelight vigil will begin each evening at 6 p.m.

Among sponsors are the Bay Area Immigrant Rights Coalition, Chinese Progressive Association, Immigrant Workers Freedom Ride Coalition, Filipinos for Affirmative Action, Mujeres Unidas y Activas and the National Network for Immigrant and Refugee Rights.

For information, Bay Area Immigrant Rights Coalition, (510) 839-7598.