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 News from Around the Americas | April 2006 
Two Spanish-Language Stations to Support Sunday's March
 Norma de la Vega - Union-Tribune
| | Coalition organizes for immigrant rights. |
Two leading Spanish-language radio stations agreed yesterday to help promote Sunday's large march in San Diego in support of immigrants.
The managers of the two stations – 106.5 FM “La Nueva” and 102.9 FM “Recuerdos,” both owned by Univision – said they would call other Spanish-language stations to encourage their participation.
Popular radio DJs in Los Angeles played a crucial role in spreading the word about the “mega marcha” there March 25 that attracted more than 500,000 people.
The news of the stations' assistance came as a broad-based coalition continued to organize the Sunday event, called the March for Dignity, Respect and Hope.
The organizers believe 10,000 to 20,000 people will march Sunday afternoon from Balboa Park to the County Administration Center, making it among the largest ever in the city.
And it would be the largest in a series of peaceful marches that began last week when thousands of students abandoned school and took to the streets across the county.
The marchers have been protesting proposed federal law that would make it a felony to be in the country without permission.
The marchers support a plan being debated in the Senate that would allow undocumented immigrants to eventually seek legal status, if they meet certain requirements.
The organizers are from at least 28 religious, community, labor and educational organizations. Yesterday, they issued a request for funds and logistical support for the march.
Among the items they sought are vests and walkie-talkies for a volunteer security force of about 300 people, bullhorns, buses, a portable stage and at least 10,000 American flags.
The funds are being collected by a longtime community organization called the Parent Institute for Quality Education.
Activists with the San Diego Organizing Project, which brings together churches from various denominations, distributed fliers at Sunday services promoting the march.
Kevin Malone, from the project, said at least 2,000 people had signed up to ride buses that will transport them to the march.
A church in the heart of Barrio Logan, Our Lady of Guadalupe, plans to hold Sunday's noon Mass at Chicano Park to make it easier to congregate for the march, the Rev. John Auther said.
A Balboa Park official said his staff had not been informed of the march. However, the park usually does not issue permits for protests covered under the First Amendment, said Gary Stromberg, park manager.
The organizers have met four times since March 27, including last night at the University of San Diego.
Earlier in the day, at a meeting at Chuey's Café, they announced the radio stations' participation and heard from a representative of the San Diego Police Department.
The representative, Capt. Christopher J. Ball, said the goal was to work together with the organizers to have “a perfect march, with no arrests, no property damage and no one hurt.”
He said officers will rely on the security staff to keep things moving smoothly.
Organizers said they are planning to set up tables at the end of the march to register those who qualify to vote. One of the march's coordinators, Norma Chavez, said, “Today we march, tomorrow we vote.”
Among the groups organizing the march are ACORN, MAAC Project, San Diego Catholic Diocese, Service Employees International Union (Locals 2028 and 1877) and the Interfaith Committee for Immigrant Rights.
More information about the march is available:
San Diego and South Bay: (619) 255-6986
East County: (760) 877-0277
North County: (760) 672-7419
Staff writer Jeanette Steele contributed to this report. |
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