I feel that between yesterday and today something has changed dramatically in the movement for immigrants rights and that we will soon reach the tipping point! Despite feeling disconnected from how the narrative of what is happening here in Arizona is being shared at the national level by media outlets, it is clear that at least the ground work is swelling with each passing hour and this energy is proving to be epidemic across Arizona, the nation and now even internationally!
Little did I know on Monday morning as I sat in my hotel room writing my blog entry, that with each word that I typed, a high school and even middle school student was taking a step towards the State Capital building. By the time that I finished writing and fantasized about what to do with what was supposed to be our slow morning, I received a call from our Field Director saying that students had reached the Capital building and had mentioned that others were participating in yet another student walkout!
By the time that I reached the Capital building students kept pouring in. In total we may have had about 100 students. Impressive for an impromptu walkout and again, proving that they are eager to take action not only to undo SB 1070 but to push for humane and fair immigration reform. I asked the students how they coordinated their walkout that morning and they enthusiastically replied "texting!" I asked why they were there and overwhelmingly they replied that it was because of their fear that their families could be separated from them. One student said, "I'm here because most of my family can't be here--they are illegal."
My colleague and I divided the task of engaging the students while they were there and figuring out from them what their proposed course of action would be. As organizers sometimes we find ourselves trying to keep up with the community and this is exactly what happened at the beginning of the week. Eventually the students gave us their ideas of actions they want to take including: lobbying, community meetings and spreading information in their communities. I was impressed with the students that showed up. They came with signs, video cameras, backpacks loaded with snack and with a fighting spirit!
Today, this scenario repeated itself but there was a twist. This time we had an important item that we needed help from the students and community. The City Council was going to take a vote in the early afternoon on whether the city attorney could prepare to file a lawsuit against SB 1070 on the grounds of it being unconstitutional. Students and community members marched to City Council and held a prayer vigil in front of the building taking refuge in the shade. The meeting began 45 minutes late and finally Mayor Gordon mentioned that they would not have a hearing but that he would move forward with filing the lawsuit since it is within his authority to do so. The room errupted in cheers mostly! Immediately the room emptied. Outside, students and community members alike celebrated this victory.
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