5/19/04: Fasters leaving for Sacramento after press conference at noon in Oakland
Community support has been quickly growing for seven individuals, including a mother, two teachers, two students, and two community members who began a full-fledged, water-only, fast on Monday, May 10, 2004. On Thursday, UFW co-founder Dolores Huerta visited with the fasters and urged people to come out to show their support.
Last month, during Spring Break, local teachers, students and community members made a 70-mile March 4 Education from San Pablo to Sacramento. After the marchers were ignored by legislators and the Governor, several members decided to start the Fast 4 Education at Frank Ogawa Plaza in downtown Oakland. The fasters, who originally wanted to maintain a 24-hour-a-day presence, have not been able to stay overnight because of ongoing harrassment by Oakland officials.
"I am glad that my own teacher will not eat to make sure that our schools look better than jails." - Kenneth Saechao (4th grader, WCCUSD, speaking in Sacramento)
Facing Termination | Fast 4 Education website | Sign Petition | Letter of Support from UFW
Photos and Updates: Day 2 Day 3 Day 4 Day 8 | Video from Dolores Huerta's visit 1 2 3