Fast 4 Education - Last Days Update and What Next - from Julio Magana

I know this is hecka late but i only wish you all could have been
there. So this is again my long winded play by play of the last days of the Historic and Victorious Fast4Education.

Congratulations Jessica Vasquez, Israel Haros-Lopez, Fred Jackson, Karina Oliva, Wendy Gonzalez, Cesar Cruz, David Johnson, Thomas Prather and Gabriel Hernandez! Your efforts were not in vain. 26 days after you began your hastily launched Fast4Education, the state and the world realized that it is NOT impossible to defend and amend the public education system reserved for the working poor. We were able to peacefully force the Governator to negotiate with us and ultimately agree to re-finance the loans taken out by West Contra Costa Unified
School District WCCUSD and lower the interest rate from almost six percent to less than two percent. We were also able to peacefully force the Governator and Speaker of the Assembly Fabian Nunez to agree to come visit the WCCUSD, meet with the fasters and begin a dialogue about what can be done to remedy the crisis faced not just by WCCUSD schools but inner-city and impovershed schools statewide.

As an organizer, initially one of the fasters, Gabriel Hernandez put
it, we rode into Sacramento on an old beat up tricycle held together by duct tape and mismatching parts. Regardless, we rode it like it was a Harley. It got us there and amazingly succeeded in roaring so loud, business as usual could not, would not go on. On our day 25 SPEAK-OUT! Event, Assemblyman Dymally reflected that he had NEVER seen any issue, let alone demonstration stop the entire Assembly floor and command everyone’s attention since the Black Panthers marched onto the Assembly floor with Shotguns. We had three fasters in three wheelchairs. As I later sat in the office of Assembly member Jackie Goldberg , I overheard the aides of numerous assembly people speaking passionately about the fasters and their demands, at one point one aide suggested they create a listserve specifically for all the legislators to facilitate a dialogue of support for the fasters.

With the god-given blessing of our own living legend, Dolores
Huerta, we had the honor of learning some organizing skills to create a plan for legislative lobbying and community outreach. Were it not for Camila Chavez, Lacey, Juanita Ontiveras and Dolores Huerta we could not have lit so many effective fires under so many politico’s rear ends to make em move as fast as they did. I am not exaggerating when I say that Legislators were lining up to express their support of the fast publicly at our SPEAK OUT event. All in all, 41 politicos signed the resolution in support of the fast and most parts of its demands. Loni Hancock said the other signers are Senators Perata, Cedillo, Kuehle, Torlakson, Soto, Vincent, Speir, Ortiz, Alarcon, Figueroa, and Escutia: Assemblymembers Nuñez, Berg, Chan, Cohn, Corbett, Diaz,
Dymally, Firebaugh, Goldberg, Horton, Jackson, Kehoe, Koretz, Laird, Leno, Levine, Lieber, Longville, Lowenthal, Mathews, Montanez, Mullin, Oropeza, Parra, Pavley, Simitian, Reyez, Steinberg, Vargas, and Walk.

As I walked into La Pinata restaurant in Alameda after just returning home to Oakland after more than a week-long leave of absence and 20/7 voluntary schedule providing support for the fasters amongst incredible odds, I ran into some community organizer friends of mine. “Congratulations!” they said and enthusiastically greeted me with hugs and proud smiles. Though the battle seemed like it lasted months, I was reminded that the entire action lasted only 26 days. “No one in the past few months has been able to demand the Governors’ attention, not Unions, not Native American Lobbying Groups, not Health Care Providers, but the Fast4Education forced him to negotiate in 26 days…and it is only being discussed as a Victory”. Though I had already began to feel the downslope of the organizing energy and my body began to experience all that we had learned to ignore, including the instant nostalgia of leaving such a supportive and loving circle as that of the fasters and the organizing/support crew, my friend’s reminder shot the last remaining bit of adrenaline back through my veins.

I couldn’t help but go through the list of fasters in my mind and the heart they brought the circle. I will never forget the last few days of the fast as we watched first Wendy, then Fred, then Karina in three successive days break their fast with the same Vietnamese soup. Each breaking ceremony was preceded by a tearful vigil where we
all relished in the indelible contributions each had brought the fast
and the “Sage Council” as Uncle Fred Jackson had dubbed the group of fasters. With three fasters left and still much work to be done, days 21 through 23 were the toughest. Sprits were high but energy was low.

The Sacramento families (los De los Reyes and the Porras) that had nourished our spirits really came through and on day 23, Andrea “YaYa” Porras hooked it up that we may make a pitch for donations and support at the Talib Kweli concert. While I couldn’t make it, I was blessed to greet Dolores Huerta and some of her key organizers from the Dolores Huerta Foundation. She canceled her next few days’ plans in order to breathe life into our exhausted bodies and the energy came back. We collectively did outreach for the Thurs (day 25 SPEAK OUT) and lobbying and both proved fruitful.

Just within the vigil on day 24, dozens of supporters pledged
to fast in support. My tia, a principal in Pomona California fasted in
Solidarity. The remaining fasters were rejuvenated to hear of all this and their already bright smiles lit up that evening more than the
streetlamps and stars combined.

The SPEAK OUT the following day was followed by a simultaneous
negotiations session and was ended when Jessica Vasquez, only a little over ninety pounds, on day 25, broke her fast and Dolores
Huerta “picked it up”. Confusion reigned as the agreement was not clearly spelled out to those of us too busy to be included in the
dialogue.

Though the offer was the obvious climax of the legislative
momentum, the remaining fasters had decided NOT to break their fast at the capitol because doing so seemed to not be in accordance with their spiritual desires and they wished to do so with their families and colleagues of Richmond California. It was clear that they did NOT want to break simply because Arnold had made an offer. A press conference was called for 12 noon the following day, Friday June 4, day 26 of the fast.

The following morning, almost every one of the original fasters
arrived at the Universal Unitarian Society Church of Sacramento (our home base for nearly two weeks) to debrief the negotiations, the offer and decide the fate of the remaining fasters. The decision was made to accept the offer as a significant accomplishment that fell shy of complete victory. Fred Jackson, a sixty six year old African-American elder originally from Mississippi who migrated to Richmond in 1954 and fasted for twenty days, was elected the group’s spokesman and Karina Olivas, the group’s Spokeswoman.

In typical fashion, Fred’s voice raised the roof and the consciousness of every person in that room and Karina grounded them in recognition of California’s children and the organizers/supporters who had helped make the Fast a success. Gabriel Hernandez capped it off asking the reporters the pivotal question ‘what they will ask the Governor once he visits Richmond/San Pablo schools and meets with the fasters and the Children who attend those schools?’. The visit is scheduled for some time in October, keep posted on Fast4Education.org.

The remaining fasters and the rest of us then went back to the
church, packed up our many belongings and headed back to Richmond where the Fasters would break their fast. About 75 children, parents and community members would greet us on the steps of Downer Elementary School, one of the schools in WCCUSD scheduled to be closed "to save money". The crowd was overwhelmed with joy and the energy was high as the last day of the fast came to a beautiful close.

At 6 pm the following evening, we scheduled a vigil to thank
the Sacramento community. The event was full of emotion as the strong circle of UC Davis students, Sac State students and Sacramento Families and all those who had truly made our stay in Sacramento a wonderful experience, was about to dissolve back into their individual daily obligations. Everyone there felt it and the victory did little to console our comradery. I pray we will organize together sometime soon. Let it be stated loud and clear, Sacramento is not just a home to sell outs. Sacramento's got much soul.

Though the fast itself is over, the fasters are still struggling not
only to recuperate physically but also financially as the fast cost
them nearly a month’s wages and the logistical demands of the fast cost the fast4education thousands of dollars in rental car fees, cell phone bills and gas. Please visit the Fast4Education website to see where you can send donations, and where future Fundraisers will be held. The first will be held at Nicholls park in Richmond California this Saturday, June 12 from 2pm-?

La Lucha Sigue…Fast4Education vive.
-Julio Magana-Saludado