Thread: Protesters march up 6th Ave., hold rally Downtown

Published: 05.01.2007

Protesters march up 6th Ave., hold rally Downtown
ARIZONA DAILY STAR

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A crowd of about 2000 pro-immigration protesters arrived at Armory Park at about noon after marching from Sixth Avenue to downtown Tucson this morning.

At the park, they rested, listened to music and speeches.

One of the first speakers was Isabel Garcia, a march organizer and Co Chair of the Coalicion de Derechos Humanos, who talked about the negative impact the proposed STRIVE act, an immigration proposal now before Congress, would have on the immigrant community.

“It isn’t a law to legalize people,” she said, adding that the legislation would further militarize the border and force police to enforce immigration law.”

Although the student presence was not as strong as last year, there were plenty of young people at the park who skipped school for the march.

Adrian Ahumada and his friend Jose Herrera, said they marched to show their support for immigrants. Ahumada 15 and Herrera 16, attend Palo Verde High School There friend Fabian Molina, 15, also skipped school at Compass High School.

At the Tucson Unified School District, nearly 4,000 high school students in Tucson Unified School District were absent or late Tuesday.

The district reported 3,758 absences in its high schools. Last Tuesday, in comparison, there were 1,040 absences.

The number of middle school students out is still being tallied, as of 12:45 p.m.

The district reported that there were fewer teacher absences today that Monday.

TUSD reported 382 teachers were out Tuesday, while on Monday's there were 446 absent.

About 1000 protesters began their march about 9:30 at the Southgate Shopping Center, at 3300 S. 6th Ave.. But their ranks swelled to about 2000 as they marched north to Armory Park.

Before the march began speakers roused the crowd, encouraging them to chant in unison, “Si Se Puede.” The crowd carried Mexican and American flags and signs supporting immigrants as they were escorted by police north on Sixth Avenue.

The march began peacefully and caused some traffic delay on Sixth Avenue. March organizer Alexis Mazon, a member of the May 1 Coalition, said she was pleased with the number of people who turned out for the protest.

She also defended organizes decision to encourage students to skip school to participate in the march.

“Student organization has always been at the center of reform in this country,” she said.

The impact this morning was most evident along Fourth, Sixth, and 12th avenues, where many Hispanic owned businesses had closed for the day.

But various merchants who last year showed their support to the marchers by closing remained open this time.

At Estrella bakery on S. 12th Ave. Owner Isabel Montaño, said the businesses 31 employees decided not to take part in the march.

"Everybody wanted to work," she said. "The motivation to march just wasn't there.”

Instead, the bakery donated bottled water and tortillas for the marchers, she said.

Nearby, Leilani Gomez was busy styling a clients hair.

"There were so many appointments that it was impossible for me to close,” Gómez said, who owns Leilani's Shear Creations beauty salon.

http://www.azstarnet.com/sn/printDS/180956

Published: 05.01.2007
'Behave,' charter students told as they take to streets
MARY BUSTAMANTE
Tucson Citizen
They had nothing to do with the planning of where today's immigration march would be, but the students and staff at Cesar Chavez Middle School and Aztlan Academy, a charter high school, couldn't be happier it started right outside their door at Southgate Shopping Center.
Students with banners were near the head of the line as the march began around 9:30 a.m. at South Sixth Avenue and Interstate 10.
The whole school was going to march, said Principal Sister Judy Bisignano, who on Monday sent letters to parents that read in part, "The school fully supports this march. If your child fails to attend school on Tuesday, he/she will be counted absent for the day."
Parents who didn't want their children to march were instructed to send a note saying the student should stay at the school.
"We will march together as a school community until we reach Tucson City Hall," the letter read. Then the students will continue to Armory Park, where the school's Mariachi Aquilas de Aztlán have been invited to perform.
Parents were invited to join the students, if they are able.
Bisignano said the students have "discussed and debated" various immigration issues at school and organized a postcard-writing campaign encouraging shoppers at the nearby Food City grocery store to write their congressmen about these issues.
This morning, the students appeared well versed on immigration concerns.
Sophomore Jose Yepiz, 16, said he takes a dual-credit writing class at Pima Community College, as do many of his friends. Though he was born here, some of his friends were not, and the cost for a class for them "will go from $150 to $300," he said.
"I don't think it's fair for my friends to have to pay twice as much," he said.
Classmate Christye Soto, also 16, was born in the United States, but that's not the case for her sisters and mother.
"My mother has been her for 23 years. I'd die if she had to go back. She's not used to that life. She should be able to stay here," the teen said.
Aztlan history teacher Hector Flores said the school's enrollment is 97 percent Hispanic; "some are legal, some illegal."
"Their parents need this reform law for a chance to stay here," he added.
The decision to take part in the march was not shared by state Superintendent for Public Instruction Tom Horne, who recently said, "Protesting is a precious constitutional right, and participating in protests has great educational benefits for young people. However, this should be done after school hours."
In her letter to parents, Bisignano disagreed.
"What we are doing should NOT be considered a distraction from 'real' learning and 'important' time in the classroom. The more that learning relates to real life, the better and more authentic it actually is. It is important to teach our students how to take public stands on personal and family issues and how to voice their concerns against unjust laws in nonviolent ways."
The emphasis definitely was on "nonviolent."
As the nearly 200 students gathered to go outside and join the march, Bisignano had some choice words.
"Do you know how to conduct yourself in a march? What would Cesar (Chavez) say?" she asked them.
"Behave," be "nonviolent," they responded.
"If someone burns a Mexican flag in front of you, are you going to beat him up or say something to him in Spanish?" Bisignano asked, providing the answer: "No, just walk away. Because if you get arrested, we're just going to leave your sorry ass in jail."
http://www.tucsoncitizen.com/daily/local/50165.php


"write their congressmen about these issues. " Who's their Congressman? None other than Raul Grijalva.