Author Archives: Jose Calderon

About Jose Calderon

Jose Zapata Calderon is Emeritus Professor in Sociology and Chicano/a Latino/a Studies at Pitzer College and President of the Latino and Latina Roundtable of the Pomona Valley and San Gabriel Valley.

Invitation to Fernando Pedraza Memorial Celebration on May 5, 10 AM at PEOC in Pomona

Because of construction on Arrow and Grove in Rancho Cucamonga, this year’s Fernando Pedraza Celebration and Memorial will take place at the Pomona Economic Opportunity Center (1682 W. Mission Blvd.) in Pomona on Monday, May 5 from 10 am – 12 noon.  You are invited to gather with us in remembrance of Fernando Pedraza – beloved day laborer, community member, and dedicated immigrant rights activist.  This annual event celebrates his life and legacy with music, food, and community.

 On Cinco de Mayo (May 5th), 2007, a spontaneous demonstration by the Minutemen against day laborers on the corner of Arrow Highway and Grove Avenue in Rancho Cucamonga, ended with the death of day laborer leader Jose Fernando Pedraza. Fifty-seven-year-old Pedraza died at the corner where he waited on a daily basis for one-day jobs. It is also the corner where Pedraza organized other day laborers to defend their rights. In 2002, Pedraza was part of a court case against the City of Rancho Cucamonga who wanted to enforce a law disallowing day laborers to gather on the street. In the recent months before his death, Pedraza had attended several meetings of the Rancho Cucamonga city council to support his fellow day laborers so that they could have a job center where they could be safe from hate-based attacks and traffic accidents.
Pomona Economic Opportunity Center, National Day Labor Organizing Network, Latino and Latina Roundtable, Community Engagement Center, Radio Jornalera

Positive Summary of César Chavez and Dolores Huerta Celebration

Positive summary of César Chávez and Dolores Huerta March and Celebration in Pomona with appreciation to all who helped in making it a success – with the outlook of how it advanced the theme of unity around the issues of immigrant and human rights – and with proposals on how to make it even better next year. In addition to a packed room of participants at the Pride Center – ten others joined the meeting online.

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Jornaleros No Están Solos

Pablo Alvarado, líder de la Red Nacional de Jornaleros (NDLON) le dijo a Carlos y a todos los jornaleros, que no están solos, y que tienen a todo el pueblo de su lado.
“No es un crimen buscar trabajo o ser jornalero, es una honra ser jornalero, porque el jornalero con la frente en alto ofrece su trabajo y lo hace con mucho orgullo, desafiando la lluvia, el sol, los guardias de seguridad y a los malos empleadores”.

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