Students Go on Hunger Strike to Demand UC Berkeley Denounce Arizona Anti-Immigrant Law

Hungry for Justice

Students Go on Hunger Strike to Demand UC Berkeley Denounce Arizona Anti-Immigrant Law

By Arnoldo García | May 4, 2010

Youth and students continue leading the charge in the fight for immigrant justice and rights.

Some 25 UC Berkeley students from diverse Latino and Raza student campus-based organizations started a hunger strike yesterday at noon calling on UC Chancellor Birgenau to publicly denounce SB1070, the new Arizona anti-immigrant, racial profiling law.

Two of the hunger strikers, Elena and Natalie, explained that they would be on strike until they achieved their demands.

Calling themselves “Hungry for Justice,” this brave group of students want Cal Berkeley to come out on record against SB1070.

The hunger strikers also want UCB to fulfill its pledge to declare the campus a sanctuary for immigrant students. This includes providing a hot-line and urgent response network to report ICE or immigration policing on campus.

Hungry for Justice Unites Students

The Raza Caucus, a coalition of Latino campus organizations that meets regularly, decided on Monday to launch the hunger strike to respond to the severity of the crisis in Arizona. Along with SB1070, Elena and Natalie also noted the broadening danger after the Arizona legislature passed another racially discriminatory law banning ethnic studies in public schools.

Hungry for Justice is also demanding that Cal drop the charges against students arrested who last November occupied Wheeler Hall after they protested the 32% tuition fee hike and the massive budget cuts that promise to strangle California public education.

The students on hunger strike are part of burgeoning youth and student movement that is developing across the country demanding equal rights and access to education and other opportunities for all, regardless of their immigration or citizenship status.

Youth and student activists have organized a national march across the country demanding legalization for students. Nine students and youth carried out the first act of civil disobedience against SB1070 by chaining themselves to the front doors of the Arizona capitol state building the day after SB1070 was approved.

The latest action, the student hunger strike, is another beautiful act of resistance and organizing. Hungry for Justice's demand that UC Berkeley oppose SB1070 is a demand for a different type of relationship between communities and the public and private institutions that impact our daily lives.

Hunger Strikers Will Have Daily Actions in Front of California Hall

Every day the students are holding a mass or faith-based service at 11:00 a.m. and a rally at 7:00 p.m. to express support for the rights of Arizona and immigrant communities everywhere.

The students have set up two small canopies in front of Chancellor Birgenau's office at the California Hall building. Please visit and support the hunger strikers or join them in one of the rallies.

Hungry for Justice's action is a loud wake up call to UC Berkeley, President Obama, the Arizona legislature and other public officials and private institutions that they must condemn and reject SB1070 and the mentality behind it.

Click here to to find out more about or to support Hungry for Justice.

Arnoldo García works for the National Network for Immigrant and Refugee Rights and heads up its Immigrant Justice and Rights Program.