On Monday of this week, approximately 20 UC Berkeley students and workers from the Latin@ and Chican@ communities initiated a hunger strike on the lawn outside of the central administration building on campus. The strikers want the chancellor to denounce SB 1070, for the campus to be declared a sanctuary campus, for all conduct charges against student protesters to be dropped, and for all laid-off service workers to be rehired.
The hunger strikers speak for me, as I am currently facing a seven month suspension for my participation in the non-violent occupation of a building last fall. 43 of us barricaded the doors in order to demand that the University rehire laid off custodians, and to protest the 32% tuition hike for UC students that was passed the day before by the UC Regents. If the hunger strikers are successful, I may have my charges dropped and/or simply be sentenced to a few days of community service. By not being suspended, I'll be able to keep my grad student teaching job for the next 7 months, and to keep paying the rent.
More info about the hunger strike below the fold:
The strike has been getting some press coverage, including in the SF Chronicle. While the focus of the article is new-media, it also manages to do a good job representing what is motivating the strikers:
Out on the lawn Thursday, strikers sipped from water bottles tinged with maple syrup and lemon. Hunger striker Renee Torrez, 19, worked on her midterms on her laptop.
[Horacio] Corona conserved his energy by rereading a copy of "César Chávez: Autobiography of La Causa."
"We've protested, we've held rallies, and now we have to go to an extreme form of protest," Corona said. "We were placed in an extreme position as a community, and we had to respond in an extreme manner."
Corona said he's found another source of strength in daily phone conversations with his mother, Maria Lira, who lives in the Central Valley.
"She told me, 'I won't eat until you eat,' " he said, holding up a Samsung BlackJack.
The campus newspaper also has been covering the strike. Yesterday they had a biting article about how the Administration is trying to delay negotations until Monday because the chancellor is currently jet-setting around Europe:
Claire Holmes, associate vice chancellor of communications and public affairs, said Birgeneau is in Europe on university affairs and will return Monday. She added that campus officials will try to reach out to strikers again Friday.
"They had a very good dialogue - we're in the process of digesting the information and the exchange," she said. "We're thinking hard about what commitments we can make. We are very concerned about their health and well-being, and we want them to end the protest."
Perhaps not the best choice of metaphor...
So, if you live in the bay area, and can come by today, your support is needed. The strikers are hoping that they can build enough support starting at noon today to force the Administration to negotiate before the weekend. The strike is outside California Hall; here is a campus map.
Hope to see some kossacks out there today!