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National Week of Action

By March 30, 2006No Comments

Downloadable:  English and Korean Press Statements

Press Release
For Immediate Release                 Contacts: NAKASEC – EunSook Lee, 323.937.3703
                                      Los Angeles – Dae Joong Yoon, 323.937.3718
                                      New York – Yu Soung Mun, 718.460.5600
                                      Chicago – Chaegu Lee, 773.506.9158

NAKASEC engages in National Week of Action

September marks the one year anniversary of the Immigrant Workers Freedom Ride (IWFR) where hundreds of immigrants boarded buses in an effort to engage and educate the general public on comprehensive immigration reform.  The IWFR was inspired by the 1960’s Civil Rights Freedom Ride.  This effort which sought to link immigrant rights with civil rights, reached 101 cities that culminated in a rally that attracted around 200,000 people in New York City.

In light of the IWFR 1-year anniversary, NAKASEC joins other immigrant rights groups, community organizations, and labor unions for the National Week of Action scheduled to launch on September 20th  and closing out on September 25th.  This renewed effort to push for comprehensive immigration reform will occur in 50 cities across the US.   This action is coordinated nationally by the New American Opportunity Campaign where NAKASEC sits on the organizing committee.  

Los Angeles
NAKASEC and its affiliate, Korean Resource Center (KRC), will work with SEIU, UNITE HERE, Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights of Immigrants (CHIRLA), and other major groups to initiate local activities that highlight immigration reform legislations, such as the DREAM Act, SOLVE Act, and Civil Liberties Restoration Act (CLRA).

To echo the Washington DC Lobby Day event on September 21st, advocates in Los Angeles will conduct local legislative visits to key members of Congress.  Representatives such as Loretta Sanchez, Christopher Cox, and Ed Royce are just a sample of over 20 visits that will occur that day.  On Thursday, September 23rd, a town hall will be held to report back from the local legislative visits from the 21st.  Scorecards of Congressional Members will be featured to show the attendees how our Congressional Representatives fair on immigration reform issues and the immigration reform legislations that are currently pending on Congress.

On top of the September 20th – 26th National Week of Action efforts, the DREAM Fast Vigil is currently taking place at the corner of Jefferson St. and Hoover Blvd. (in front of the University of Southern California).  Initiated by the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights of Los Angeles (CHIRLA), Korean Resource Center, and the NAKASEC, over 30 fasters are stressing the urgency and the need for accountability around the DREAM Act and the Student Adjustment Act.  The DREAM Fast began on September 13th and will end on September 25th.  This action is part of the National Week of Action and is being supported by over 30 organization which includes community, immigrant rights, and labor unions.

Los Angeles’s Week of Action will close out on September 25th with a press conference with the DREAM fasters.

Chicago
On September 21, KRCC will join the Coalition of African, Asian, East-Asian, and Latino Immigrants (CAAELI) for the Washington DC Lobby Day.  A representative from KRCC will partake in the legislative visits to members such as Representative Mark Kirk, Representative Jan Schakowsky, Representative Rahm Emmanual, and Senator Dick Durbin.  Legislations such as the DREAM Act, SOLVE Act, and CLRA will be addressed so that members of Congress will take stronger action to support these immigration reform bills.

On September 25, KRCC and its cultural troupe Il Kwa Nori will participate in a 5,000 strong rally in downtown Chicago to close out their Week of Action.  This action is spearheaded by the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights (ICIRR).  Participants of the rally will also engage in local legislative visits with copies of voter registration forms that were collected within the past few months.  These voter registration forms will be divided into Congressional districts to ensure accountability around immigration reform legislations.  KRCC has collected over 600 voter registration forms from the Korean American community of Chicago and will participate in legislative visits to urge Congressional members to take further action.  

Chicago’s KRCC will also send one student to participate in the DREAM Fast Vigil Campaign in Los Angeles.  Esther Surim Hong, a freshman in college, will be fasting for 3 days in Los Angeles to show her support for the DREAM Act and the Student Adjustment Act.  She will be in Los Angeles from September 16th to September 20th.

New York
Joining other immigrant rights groups and co-affiliate KRCC, YKASEC-Empowering the Korean American Community will send representatives to Washington DC for the September 21st Lobby Day.  Like their co-affiliate, YKASEC will also push for the immigration reform bills currently pending on Congress – DREAM Act, SOLVE Act, and CLRA.  

Moreover, YKASEC with the New York Immigration Coalition (NYIC) and other leading community organizations and labor unions will hold a 5-day fast to highlight immigration issues.  Starting with legalization issues on September 15th, DREAM Act, immigrant enforcement, detention, workers rights, and driver’s licenses issues will be highlighted on the other days.  YKASEC has mobilized 20 individuals to participate in this action.

To close out their Week of Action and to break fast, a community hearing will be held on September 20th.  YKASEC’s executive director, Yu Soung Mun will be speaking at the event.

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