Willie Pelote AFSCME

Marchers reached Colonel Allensworth State Historic Park after walking almost 13 miles from Delano, California, the starting point of Cesar Chavez’s own 1966 march to Sacramento.

Colonel Allensworth State Historic Park was established to commemorate the achievements and contributions of African-Americans to the development of California and occupies the site of a town once founded and governed by African-Americans.

Recent state budget cuts have severely curtailed park services and operating hours throughout California.

Restrooms, trash, and water service are currently unavailable at Colonel Allensworth State Historic Park.

“Unemployment in California is at an all-time high, people are losing their homes left and right, and our schools and state parks are being shut down,” said Irene Gonzalez, a Los Angeles County probation officer and executive board member of AFSCME local 685. “This is exactly why we are marching. We must restore the promise of public education and public services, rebuild a government that serves all Californians, and create a fair tax system to fund our state’s future.”

Strong, positive community support has characterized the first week of the 48-day March for California’s Future.

A program coordinator for the Healthy Families program at Delano Regional Medical Center caught up with marchers on the road to McFarland and joined them for a few miles before heading off to work. She spoke movingly about the impact of the state’s budget cuts on Delano residents.

Another woman traveled from Lakewood south of Los Angeles to bring the marchers water. She explained that her mother lived in Wasco, and that she had seen the marchers on the news and was moved to support their efforts.

“We have received nothing but positive responses and support in the small towns that we are passing through,” said Gonzalez. “Cars are honking, and people are cheering us on. It’s clear that our message of restoring quality public education and public services, rebuilding a government that serves all Californians, and creating a fair tax system to fund our state’s future is resonating in the Central Valley.”

The diverse group of Californians who have embarked on this 260-mile journey from Bakersfield to Sacramento includes Gonzalez, a San Diego community college professor, a Los Angeles probation officer, a Watsonville teacher, a retired Berkeley adult educator, and two L.A. teachers.

The marchers are entering the first leg of a 260-mile journey that will take them from Bakersfield through the heart of the Central Valley to Sacramento. They have already covered about 63 miles since the march’s beginning on March 5.

Sponsored by the California Federation of Teachers (CFT) and a coalition of labor, education, and civil society groups including the American Federation of State County&Municipal Employees (AFSCME), hundreds of firefighters, nurses, in-home care workers, students, and police officers will join the March for California’s Future as it winds through the heart of the Central Valley to Sacramento.

For more information, please visit Marching for California's Future

Source: California Progress Report