‘Justice’ Marchers Rally in the Valley

Partway through their statewide march against a ballot initiative that would outlaw affirmative action by the state and local governments, young protesters made brief stops Monday in San Fernando and Sun Valley to rally the initiative’s opponents.

The 10-week trek, called the March for Social and Economic Justice by its organizers, was launched June 13 in Sacramento by a core group of nine marchers who are joined by others as they reach cities along the way. The group swelled to about 30 in the San Fernando Valley.

They plan to wind up in San Diego on Aug. 12 with what they hope will be a large crowd of protesters at the Republican National Convention, where many of the delegates and speakers are expected to support the initiative.

The goal is to “inform people on the initiative and affirmative action, register them to vote and give information to [noncitizens] about the process of becoming citizens,” said Filiberto Gonzales, 22, of Northridge, one of the event’s organizers.

The marchers say they have received assurances from 8,000 people that they are registering to vote.

When Proposition 187--the 1994 attempt to limit government services to illegal immigrants--passed, “we realized we had to organize on a higher level and earlier in the process,” said Eduardo Torres of East Los Angeles.

The initiative, which will be on the California ballot in November, would make it illegal for the state and local governments to have preferences for jobs, college admissions or business contracts based on gender or ethnicity. Proponents maintain that the initiative is needed to banish what they call reverse discrimination and treat all residents equally. Opponents contend it would eliminate efforts to remedy past discrimination.

The marchers have targeted young Asians, African Americans, Latinos and women who don’t vote but who they say would be the first to feel the impact if the proposition passes. They are also encouraging supporters in communities they have visited--including Stockton, Modesto, Turlock, Merced, Fresno and Bakersfield--to continue to organize voters against the initiative until November.

Organizers said they do not want a repeat of the fighting that broke out at the federal building in Westwood on the Fourth of July between supporters and opponents of Proposition 187.

The march “is totally peaceful,” said 22-year-old marcher Claudia de la Rosa of Santa Cruz.

“We’re disciplined in the ways of nonviolence,” said Torres. But, he added, “we’re not going to let anyone or anything get in our way.”

On Monday, about 30 young people attended rallies at Las Palmas Park and the Sun Valley Park and Recreation Center. Today, the marchers will hold a rally at the Van Nuys Civic Center. They plan to spend the week in Los Angeles before moving on to San Diego.