The struggle for voter rights and fair elections will manifest itself in the form of the March for our Future on Dec. 4. If you believe in democracy and elected representatives that reflect the cultural and political diversity of the Central Valley, now is the time to Rise Up.
Dozens of community groups and allies from Kern, Tulare, Kings, Madera and Fresno counties, as well as Antelope Valley, will come together to demand fair maps, improved public services and more Covid rescue funds for our Central Valley communities.
The march will begin at 11 a.m. in front of Arte Américas (1630 Van Ness Ave.) in Fresno. The event will conclude with a rally at Courthouse Park (1100 Van Ness Ave.) in Fresno at noon. Our future depends on fair lines, fair funding and fair treatment for all.
Dolores Huerta Foundation Executive Director Camila Chavez stated, “The recently released Census data confirms what we’ve known to be the case for years.
“Our communities are increasingly made up of a rich diversity of constituents, and the majority of current elected officials representing them simply are not reflective of the communities they are responsible for representing.
“The redistricting process as required by law is one that should result in equitable representation, and that’s exactly what our communities are working for.”
The right-wing Republicans that make up the majority of the Fresno County Board of Supervisors want to design voting districts that will ensure their reelection. It is an important element to how conservatives maintain power and why Fresno is often referred to as “The Tale of Two Cities.”
Drawing their own maps, voter suppression and getting big bucks from builders and developers is their game. Years of organizing and this march are the people’s response to this corrupt and self-perpetuating system.
Daniel O’Connell, executive director of the Central Valley Partnership, says that “the redistricting process in Fresno County and other jurisdictions have been textbook examples of modern gerrymandering polluted by institutionalized racism.
“If we are going to enact fair voting maps and realize racial justice, then we must resist the openly discriminatory actions of the incumbent officials to game the system and retain their unfair advantage.”
The March for Our Future is being supported by the following groups: the Dolores Huerta Foundation (DHF); the Fresno-Madera-Tulare-Kings Central Labor Council AFL/CIO; Cultiva La Salud; Service Employees International Union (SEIU) 521; the Central California Coalition for Equitable Redistricting (CCCER); the Services, Immigrant Rights & Education Network (SIREN); the Center on Race, Poverty & the Environment (CRPE); the Central Valley Leadership Round Table (CVLRT); the Central Valley Progressive PAC; and the Central Valley Partnership.
For more information, call 559-420-0648.
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Mike Rhodes is a writer for the Community Alliance newspaper and author of the book Dispatches from the War Zone, about homelessness in Fresno. His website is www.mikerhodes.us. Contact him at mikerhodes@comcast.net.
