More than a thousand people—black, brown, and white—marched and sang and carried signs and banners along the historic Selma to Montgomery Voting Rights Trail.  We reenacted the 1965 Voting Rights March to demonstrate solidarity and support for pressing issues in Alabama today: voting rights, worker rights, Black farmers, fair immigration, criminal justice, health care, public education, and children’s issues.

Each evening the tired marchers and eager community people gathered at Mass Meetings, to be inspired and cheered on by speakers both national and local, music, and lots of energy and chanting.  On Thursday evening Ms. Sophia Bracy Harris served as mistress of ceremonies of the meeting at St. Jude, along with Ms. Mayra Rangel, an ACIF community leader.  The march culminated in a Mass Rally at the State Capitol in Montgomery on Friday morning.

Rev. Al Sharpton, Rev. Jesse Jackson, US Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis, and singer Tyrese Gibson participated in the events.  Members of national immigrant rights and labor groups from Washington, DC, Michigan, Illinois, Florida, and California participated.  FOCAL participated with partner organizations and fellow foot soldiers.  Adults marched, children marched, toddlers sat on the shoulders of fathers, and infants rode in strollers.  We talked with one another and shared stories.  We vowed to work together to stop the reversals of justice and attacks on human rights and undermining of the future for our children.

The Equal Voice for America’s Families Newsletter carries a story and many photos about the march.  An opinion piece about The Justice Equation: Faith, Hope and Action by Ms. Sophia Bracy Harris also appears.  You can see the newsletter here.  http://www.equalvoiceforfamilies.org/2012/immigration-march/

The Center for Community Change created a short video about the march.  You can see it here.  https://www.facebook.com/communitychange/posts/202426353196416