SJ Macy's Rally 4/11- Rehire Alia and Hiam!

Salaam Sisters and Brothers,

* * M A C Y ' S M O T H E R S D A Y R A L L Y * *

&

VIBRANT STREET THEATRE!


Saturday, May 11 from 12 - 2pm
Macy's West at Valley Fair Mall in San Jose
2801 Steven's Creek and Winchester, near 280
& 880/17

SAY IT LOUD- "JUSTICE FOR ALIA AND HIAM"
OUR COMMUNITY WILL NOT STAND FOR THIS!


Join us in a lively pecket and rally demanding justice for Alia Atawneh and Hiam Yassine, who were fired from Macy's because of their cultural and religious backgrounds. These two hard-working Muslim
Palestinian immigrant women are a symbol of the discrimination faced by Muslims and people of Middle Eastern and South Asian descent since 9/11.

We will be holding this rally during Macy's Mother's Day Sale to send shoppers and Macy's management a message that Alia and Hiam are mothers too and deserve justice. Macy's management has also refused our requests to meet and discus the issue. Our very successful rally on Feb 23 was attended by over 200 people and recieved several news
articles and a column in the Mercury News by L.A. Chung. We hope to build on this momentum and make this rally even larger!

We Demand:
1. Macy's rehire Alia Atawneh and Hiam Yassine
2. Apologize to the community for discrimination
3. Provide them compensation


More Details on the firings...

Alia, a clerk at Macy's, was fired on Sept. 27 after a customer berated her saying she had no right to work in the United States and that, "her people" were responsible for the events of 9/11. Management has also falsely accused Alia of making 'disruptive and
anti-American' comments that she did not say or support.

Hiam, a four year top handbag seller for Macy's, was fired Jan. 5 for giving a 10% discount, which was common practice. Hiam was the only hijab (a head covering worn by Muslim women) wearing employee at Macy's at the time. She was so shocked after hearing the news of the firing that she fainted. Both women have lawsuits pending.

Sponsored by:
San Jose and San Francisco Coalitions to Rehire Alia and Hiam and supported by over 35 other organizations.

More information:
Silicon Valley De-Bug (408) 295-4424 / svdebug [at] pacificnews.org
or Fadi Saba (408) 656-8228 / fasaba [at] yahoo.com