by Jackie Guzmán
More than 2,500 community leaders from 32 states gathered Dec. 4 in Washington D.C., to help move the Obama presidential campaign theme of “change” into an agenda for government action.
White House advisors Valerie Jarrett, Melody Barnes and recent appointee Cecilia Muñoz, designated White House director of intergovernmental affairs, were among participants outlining reform proposals.
The one-day session was framed “Realizing the Promise: A Forum on Community, Faith and Democracy.”
Sponsors included the Center for Law and Social Policy, National Council of La Raza, Smart Growth America, AFL-CIO, Service Employees International Union, UFCW, Policy Link, USAction, and Wider Opportunities for Women. Most frequently stressed as priorities the new administration should commit to address within its first 100 days were the economic crisis, health care and immigration reform.
“We have just begun. We need our mission fulfilled in this administration,” NCLR president Janet Murguía set the tone. Jarrett, the president-elect’s senior adviser, reminded the gathering that Obama “started his campaign with the spirit of an organizer. He understands when ordinary people come up together with a common vision, we can create extraordinary things.”
Miguel Díaz, who heads the day-worker efforts of CASA de Maryland, gave testimony from his wife’s experience when she was taken into custody in 2007 by immigration officers at a time when he was trying to legalize her status.
U.S. Rep. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), responded “We are going to make sure Miguel’s family passed through.” “We need reform that brings our brothers and sisters out of the shadows,” said Deepak Bhargava, Center for Community Change executive director.
Hollen and Bhargava were joined by U.S. Rep. Luis Gutiérrez (D-Ill.) who emphasized that immigration reform can come with worker reform, referring to how immigrants are often accused of precipitating the economic crisis.
“It’s easy to blame others,” he said many jobs go begging unless done by imported workers. “Farm workers picking fruit is not going to affect a worker in the city.”
María Socorro Pesqueira, president of Mujeres Latinas en Acción/Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights, said Obama can stop the raids that are leading to deported family members.
“We still have families living in fear,” hi said.
Throughout the day, community representatives and members of Congress encouraged all present to continue organizing. “Obama is going to be successful only if the voices of the people are heard,” said Rep. Donna Edwards (D-Md.).
Bhargava and Ana García-Ashley, a director of the Gamaliel Foundation, said their objective is to gather as many people as possible in concensus forming meetings as they can before Jan. 21, the first day of work for President Barack Obama. Obama is a former Gamaliel community organizer. Hispanic Link.
