Press Release
Immediate Release:
February 28, 2014
Contact:
Emily Kessel, NAKASEC, eakessel@nakasec.org
Esther Kim, esther@krcla.org
“Fast for Families Across America” Makes Final Stops in California and Enters Nevada
Washington DC – On Thursday, February 27, the Fast for Families Across America Tour made its final stops in California, with the northern bus stopping in San Francisco and the southern bus in San Bernardino. Departing from California, the buses journeyed into the cities of Los Vegas and Reno in Nevada.
The northern route participated in a press conference in front of San Francisco City Hall. Speakers included: AAPI DREAMers, city councilmembers, and Fast for Families leaders, Dae Joong (DJ) Yoon (NAKASEC) and Rudy Lopez (FIRM); along with organizational leaders Vincent Pan (Executive Director, CAA), David Chiu (President, SF Board of Supervisors), Wei Lee (member, ASPIRE), Priya Murphy (SIREN), and members of SEIU Local 87, ACUDIR, and ASPIRE-Bay Area. Together, the speakers called for an end to I-9 audits, a moratorium on deportations, and an overhaul of the immigration system.
Entering into Reno, Nevada, the northern route participated in a legislative visit in front of Rep. Mark Amodei’s office and was touched by the work of the Teresa Avila Church. Since April to the passage of the Senate’s Comprehensive Immigration Reform (CIR) bill in June, this church held weekly vigils in front of the Federal Building and visited with the Congressional office.
Campaign Overview
On January 27, 2014, Fast for Families Across America launched its second phase with plans to visit over 100 Congressional districts in all. For one month, fly-ins was organized to reach over 25 key Congressional members. On February 24, 2014, the campaign kicked off its two-bus nationwide tour in Los Angeles. “Fast for Families” leaders DJ Yoon (NAKASEC) and Rudy Lopez (Fair Immigration Reform Movement) will travel on the northern route while leaders Eliseo Medina (SEIU) and Cristian Avila (Mi Familia Vota) will travel on the southern route for the entirety of the tour. Stopping at more than 75 districts with daily events calling for Congressional action on immigration reform, the two buses will meet in Washington DC in April.
“Fast for Families” reignited the immigration debate last November when Eliseo Medina (SEIU), DJ Yoon (NAKASEC), Rudy Lopez (FIRM) and Cristian Avila (Mi Familia Vota) —abstained from all food, except water for 22 days in the shadow of the U.S. Capitol on the National Mall. The campaign calls for Congressional action for just and humane immigration reform.
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Visit www.fast4families.org for more information.
The National Korean American Service & Education Consortium (NAKASEC) was founded in 1994 by local community centers to project a progressive voice and promote the full participation of Korean Americans on major social justice issues. NAKASEC maintains offices in Annandale, Virginia and Los Angeles, California. NAKASEC has affiliates in Chicago (Korean American Resource & Cultural Center) and Los Angeles (Korean Resource Center).
