Press Release
Immediate Release:
February 25, 2014
Contacts:
Emily Kessel, NAKASEC, eakessel@nakasec.org
Dayne Lee, Korean Resource Center, dayne@krcla.org
“Fast for Families Across America” Visits Orange County and Santa Clarita
Washington DC – The Fast for Families enters two California cities with the southern bus visiting Orange County and the northern bus stopping in Santa Clarita.
The southern route bus was welcomed in Brea, Orange County with local community members who had launched a 24-hour fast. Another delegation of community members and students met with the office of Representative Ed Royce before leading a rally for immigration reform in Downtown Brea.
Man Ok Cha, a senior and member of the Korean Resource Center and Community Health Promoters (CHP), said, “I fasted because I pray every day and weep for families like my own that cannot be together today because of unjust laws. Congressmembers must open their hearts and reunite our families.”
Simon Jun, a UC Irvine student leader and Korean Resource Center member, said, “When I met with Representative Royce’s office, we agreed that the current system is broken so I suggested a solution: provide our families with a pathway to citizenship so that we can all achieve the American Dream and reach our full potential!”
The northern route bus participated in an immigration vigil with over 100 community members at Our Lady of Perpetual Help in Santa Clarita. Angelica Salas (Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights of Los Angeles) joined the group for a visit to Representative Buck McKeon’s office.
DJ Yoon said: “We fast for all the immigrant parents who sacrifice so much and work hard to take care of their children and contribute to American society. Immigration reform is about families, and we must continue to fight to keep families together.”
Vincent Pan said: “Fasting is powerful. Fasting is saying “I’m not eating so that I can relate to, and I can call attention to the suffering of people.” The discomfort of fasting is nothing compared to the pain of being separated from one’s children–the pain of seeing your loved ones being taken away from you.”
On February 24, 2014, the “Fast for Families Across America,” 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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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).
