Los Ángeles, CA – Day one of the Legalization for All (L4A) Network border delegation began today, April 1. Delegates of the trip included Drusie Cassanova from the Bay Area of California and Angel Naranjo from Chicago. Unfortunately, 12 delegates with MIRAC  traveling from Minnesota were unable to join the first day due to flight delays but will unite with the delegation on day two in San Diego.

Los Angeles, CA – With chants of, “We are the union, the mighty, mighty union – fighting for justice, respect and fair wages,” 30,000 SEIU and UTLA teachers and service workers in Los Angeles went on strike from March 21 to March 23. Los Angeles Unified School District and SEIU’s contract expired in 2020, and, after three years of negotiations hitting dead ends, they decided to strike, and they are determined to win better wages, healthcare and staffing.

Los Angeles, CA – At 4:30 a.m. on Tuesday March 21, over 30,000 school workers in the Los Angeles Unified School (LAUSD) including food service workers, custodians, special education assistants and many more job titles will walk off the job on a strike. The workers are members of SEIU Local 99, also known as Education Workers United.

Los Angeles, CA – On March 15, the United Teachers of Los Angeles (UTLA) and SEIU Local 99, which represents cafeteria workers, bus drivers, custodians, teacher assistants and other education workers, held a massive rally at Grand Park in Downtown Los Angeles. The action culminated with the announcement that UTLA and SEIU Local 99 would go on a joint three-day strike, the first in the two unions’ history, from March 21-23.

Los Angeles, CA – On March 11, about 30 people gathered in front of the East LA Sheriff’s Station to protest the recent murder of Miguel Angel Lopez, a 70-year-old Chicano man, during an early morning raid in his Maywood home while his wife, grandchildren and great-grandchildren were present.

Los Angeles, CA – On March 12, more than 50 people gathered at Salazar Park in East Los Angeles to rally with Centro CSO for its 6th annual International Women’s Day commemoration. Speakers included leaders from CSO’s different committees – education, police accountability and immigration – who explained the importance of women’s liberation to their work.

Los Angeles, CA – On March 8, Garfield High School held the 55th anniversary of the East Los Angeles Walkouts. In early March 1968, thousands of students walked out of East-area high schools to demand equality in public education and protested inferior conditions. This was the first urban youth-led protest of the growing Chicano movement and received national attention.

Los Angeles, CA – Hundreds of people marched and rallied January 27 demanding justice for Tyre Nichols, who was killed by five Memphis cops. Additionally, protesters demanded justice for LAPD victim Keenan Anderson, an African American teacher who was tazed to death, and for Manuel Esteban Paez Terán, an environmental activist assassinated by Georgia state troopers. Protesters condemned racist police terror with a banner that read “Stop Cop City” displayed on barricades in front of the police headquarters. A march ensued around the block with everyone chanting “No justice no peace!” and “Justice for Tyre!”

Los Angeles, CA – After an eight-day trial, Los Angeles Superior Court on January 20 issued a $12.2 million verdict against the Long Beach police officer for killing Cesar Rodriguez, a 23-year-old Chicano. The jury unanimously found killer cop Martin Ron guilty of negligence and responsible for Rodriguez’s death. It is a victory for the surviving family as it is the largest police misconduct verdict in history against the Long Beach Police Department. The law firm of Arnold Casillas represented the family in the successful lawsuit and trial.

Los Angeles, CA – After one day of deliberations, on January 18, Long Beach killer cop Martin Ron was unanimously found guilty of negligence for the murder of Cesar Rodriguez. On August 29, 2017, Ron and another Long Beach police officer stopped Rodriguez because he had failed to pay the $1.75 metro fare. Cop Ron then pushed Rodriguez onto the metro train tracks and an oncoming train pinned Rodriguez. For more than 20 minutes Rodriguez held on until he succumbed to his injuries and died on the scene. Rodriguez was 23 years old when he died.

Los Angeles, CA – On Martin Luther King Jr. Day, which fell on January 15, Teamsters across the country joined the national action to demand that UPS “Deliver on the Dream” by pressuring the company to make MLK Day and Juneteenth paid holidays in the upcoming national contract.

Los Angeles, CA – On Whittier Boulevard in East Los Angeles, a community is devastated and concerned over a recent string of building fires that have destroyed buildings that have landmarked the proud Chicano neighborhoods of Boyle Heights and East LA for many years. Some Eastside residents have taken the initiative to call County Supervisor Hilda Solis and voice this concern and call for an investigation. Many of these buildings are designated as historical and thus cannot be torn down without certain permits, but there is fear among residents that new pro-development owners of these properties may be using the outbreak of these fires as a means to get around legal requirements that otherwise bars such demolition.

Los Angeles, CA – Dr. Rocio Rivas was finally declared winner in the highly anticipated Los Angeles Unified School District board race for District 2. On December 13 she was sworn in at an LAUSD board meeting. Board member and longtime human rights activist Jackie Goldberg gave her the oath of office while surrounded by family.

Los Angeles, CA – Over 20 people rallied in the Boyle Heights neighborhood, at Mariachi Plaza on December 8. The rallying cry was for Congress to save Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA). DACA which was a 2012 executive order by then-President Barack Obama, is at risk of being overturned.

LA sheriff defeated

Los Angeles, CA – At a press conference on November 16, the Check the Sheriff coalition announced a victory in the overwhelming passage of Measure A in the November 8 Los Angeles County elections. Measure A allows the removal of a sheriff by the LA Board of Supervisors for violation of a law. This is a major victory in the ongoing fight for community control of police.

Los Angeles, CA – This past weekend, the Los Angeles district of FRSO hosted Venezuelan political activist Dozthor Zurlent as he continued his speaking tour of the United States. Zurlent is a political activist and was an advisor to the late Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez. He's currently traveling the country to talk about the successes and current challenges facing the Bolivarian Revolution, as well as using his trip to rally support for Alex Saab, a Venezuelan diplomat who is being held hostage by the U.S. government. Zurlent’s other stops on tour included Florida and Wisconsin in late October and early November.

Los Angeles, CA – DACAmented youth, organizers of Centro Community Service Organization (CSO), public school teachers, parents, children, and others will be gathering at Mariachi Plaza in support of the continuation of DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) and for Legalization for All. Los Angeles has the highest concentration of DACA recipients in the country, which has allowed around 200,000 young immigrants and their children to live and work here for the past decade. An end to DACA would take away their protection from deportation and would tear families and our city apart.

Los Angeles, CA – On October 27, Centro CSO hosted a community forum dubbed the “Barrio Townhall” at the Boyle Heights neighborhood City Hall. The event called on November 8 voters to support Dr. Rocio Rivas for Los Angeles Unified School District School Board District 2, and to vote “yes” on Measure A, which would bring more accountability to the Los Angeles Sheriff's Department.

Fight Back News Service is circulating the following statement from the Los Angeles-based Centro CSO

Los Angeles, CA – More than 50 community members gathered the morning of September 24 at Belvedere Park in East LA. The family of Leonel Chávez called for and organized the event to commemorate the upcoming one-year anniversary of the California Highway Patrol’s stealing Chávez’s life.