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NewsWire

A project of Common Dreams

For Immediate Release
Contact:
Ali Jost
(202) 730-7159

Civil Rights and Labor Organizations Announce Boycott to Protest Arizona Immigration Law

Leading
national civil rights and labor organizations will join together on
Thursday, May 6 to announce a boycott against the state of Arizona in
protest of SB 1070, state legislation that essentially condones racial
profiling as accepted police practice to address immigration
issues. Organizations participating in the announcement include NCLR
(National Council of La Raza), the largest national Hispanic civil
rights and advocacy organization in the United States, as well as the
Asian American Justice Center (AAJC), the Center for Community Change
(CCC), the Service Employees Inte

WASHINGTON

Leading
national civil rights and labor organizations will join together on
Thursday, May 6 to announce a boycott against the state of Arizona in
protest of SB 1070, state legislation that essentially condones racial
profiling as accepted police practice to address immigration
issues. Organizations participating in the announcement include NCLR
(National Council of La Raza), the largest national Hispanic civil
rights and advocacy organization in the United States, as well as the
Asian American Justice Center (AAJC), the Center for Community Change
(CCC), the Service Employees International Union (SEIU), and the United
Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW). Other civil rights and social
justice organizations are expected to participate. The press
conference will take place at 9:30 a.m. on Thursday, May 6 at NCLR
Headquarters, located at 1126 16th Street, NW in Washington, DC.

Civil
rights and labor leaders will lay out the terms of the economic
boycott, the reasons behind it, and the efforts to encourage others,
including corporations and ordinary citizens, to join in the protest of
this radical and unjust law until SB 1070 is repealed, reversed by the
courts, and/or superseded by comprehensive federal immigration. As
similar bills are introduced in other states, voices throughout the
nation have risen in protest, including faith, labor, civil rights,
community, sports, law enforcement, and other organizations.
MEDIA ADVISORY
WHO: Janet Murguia, President and CEO, NCLR
Mark Lauritsen, International Vice President and Director of the Food Processing, Packing, and Manufacturing Division, UFCW
Karen Narasaki, President and Executive Director, AAJC
Eliseo Medina, International Executive Vice President, SEIU
Gabe Gonzalez, National Director for the Campaign for Community Values, Center for Community Change
Brent Wilkes, National Executive Director, LULAC
Rafael Fantauzzi, President and CEO, National Puerto Rican Coalition
WHAT: Press conference to announce boycott against Arizona
WHEN: 9:30 a.m. on Thursday, May 6, 2010
WHERE: NCLR Headquarters at 1126 16th Street, NW, Washington, DC, 20036

With 2 million members in Canada, the United States and Puerto Rico, SEIU is the fastest-growing union in the Americas. Focused on uniting workers in healthcare, public services and property services, SEIU members are winning better wages, healthcare and more secure jobs for our communities, while uniting their strength with their counterparts around the world to help ensure that workers--not just corporations and CEOs--benefit from today's global economy.