Love Sees No Borders - Report Hunger Strike Day 1

SF HUNGER STRIKE AND WEEK OF ACTION
As reported by Marta Donayre from Love Sees No Borders

Day 2: Wednesday, March 22

In San Francisco yesterday the theme was workers rights. Protesters held signs harkening back to the Sanitation Workers strike from the civil rights era where Martin Luther King, Jr., supported the rights of the African American workers who had walked out. They carried signs that said, “I am a man,” “I am a woman.” The humanity of the people involved in a political discussion is many times ignored. Currently, it is the immigrants who are being demonized, like lesbian, gay, bisexual transgender individuals were demonized in the past presidential election.

Transgender activist Jazzie from the South of Market Community Action Network in San Francisco is shown holding signs in Chinese. She was present at the action, which sported a very diverse crowd. The usage of signs in different languages is a reflection that the struggles of the 60s are far from over, and still affect a wide range of people.

Later that evening, hunger striker supporters met in San Jose. The crowd of about 200 people was extremely diverse. African Americans, Asian-Americans, Latinos, Muslims, Christians and LGBT people were perfectly integrated together as they demanded their humanity be respected.

Samina Faheem, executive director of A Muslim Voice, reminded the audience that immigrant workers are integrated in the very fabric of American society. She said that we are the ones picking the fruit and vegetables in the fields so Americans can eat. We are the ones cleaning offices at night so Americans can work. We are the ones helping develop the high tech industry, so America can compete in the global economy. We are also the ones creating the high tech jobs that hire many Americans. As an immigrant myself, I cannot help but agree. You are currently reading this because an immigrant, Marta Donayre, wrote this. Yesterday’s piece was written by Sheila Chung, a child of immigrant parents.

Not long after Samina, I spoke about the lack of partnership recognition for same-sex couples, and provided an update of what is happening in San Francisco. I was very blessed to have run into my fellow Immigrant Workers Freedom Riders Tho Do, and Raymundo, whose last name escapes me at this point.