City of Dallas Proclamation on the Immigrant Workers Freedom Ride

WHEREAS, Dallas is home to a diverse immigrant and refugee population that have shared in the building of our nation and contribute to making America a land of ethnic and multicultural diversity; and

WHEREAS, immigrants and refugees continue to contribute to the building of a better Dallas, and have proved to be more durable than the forces of bigotry and discrimination and they have graced this country’s political and cultural life with a spirit of courage and idealism; and

WHEREAS, a Coalition of Labor, the community, churches, students, politicians, and immigrants workers are joining forces for a nation-wide Immigrant Workers Freedom Bus Ride event; and

WHEREAS, the Immigrant Workers Bus Ride event will be modeled after the Freedom Ride Bus Rides of the 1960s, with the focus being on immigrant workers, their rights on the job, the rewarding of their work with a legalization program and access to citizenship; and

WHEREAS, the kick-off for the Immigrant Workers Freedom Bus Ride will take place on Saturday, Sept. 27 at 3 p.m. [gather at 2 p.m.] at the John F. Kennedy Memorial; and

WHEREAS, in an effort to encourage all people to live together in peace and harmony, the City of Dallas salutes those committed to this worthwhile endeavor and reaffirms its commitment to ensure equality and freedom for all people regardless of race, religion, or ethnic background.

Now, THEREFORE, I, Laura Miller, Mayor of the City of Dallas, and on behalf of the Dallas City Council, do hereby proclaim Sept. 27, 2003, as Immigrant Workers Freedom Ride Day in Dallas, Texas.