Solidarity Summer: Justice Journey
As the Trump Administration deploys federal immigration agents, the National Guard, and even U.S. Marines to target immigrant communities and detain thousands without due process, a group of CSUEU members stepped up to join a national movement to fight back.
Organized by SEIU and workers rights coalition partners, dozens of union members left the comforts of home behind to join a "Justice Journey" this summer. Traveling by bus across the country, activists aimed to shed light on the so-called “detention alley” in the Deep South where 14 of the 20 largest immigration detention centers in the US are located.
"I participated because I am an immigrant myself. I was lucky to have the opportunity to become a naturalized citizen. So now I need to speak up and fight for those who can not and are afraid," said Kenneth Chip, Distribution Center Lead from Cal State LA. "They mass-incarcerate our people to try to control us and cause fear. I would like to share that the love and unity shown by everyone was something I have never seen before. I realiez that from the East coast to the West coast, we will unite when our people are under attack."
States such as Mississippi, Louisiana, and Texas, have ICE facilities that are run by for-profit corporations and often associated with human rights abuses. Notably, pro-Palestine students were held in detention alley, including Mahmoud Khalil and SEIU member Rumeysa Ozturk.
Yasamean Zaidi-Dozandeh, Resident Assistant at CSU Dominguez Hills, enthusiastically volunteered for the week-long journey to Louisiana. Yasamean is one of 1,500 RAs across the CSU who filed paperwork with the state labor board this year to join 20,000 Student Assistants now part of CSUEU.
"As Resident Assistants, our role extends beyond fostering a sense of identity and belonging within the campus spirit. It is our responsibility to affirm the dignity and humanity of every individual - not just as students, but as members of the global human family. One moment that left a lasting impact on me was hearing about women detained in Basile, Louisiana, who waved through their windows as groups of union siblings protesting called out, “We see you!” towards them. Though I wasn’t present at that detention center, the symbolism struck me deeply. The only thing separating us and those detained is geographical luck."
A total of seven workers from CSUEU participated on the Journey. They included: Alysa Hernandez (San Marcos); Angelique Vasquez (San Marcos); Crystal Normoyle (Dominguez Hills); Jesus Hernandez (San Jose State); and Noah Giddens (SFSU).
"I wanted to stand up for the rights of those in my community. I couldn't just stay back and watch as our neighbors were being kidnapped by masked ICE agents," said Noah, a Student Assistant and Bargaining Team member. "Even though this action has concluded, that does not mean the fight is over. We have to continue to stand up for those in our community, continue to fight for the rights of others, and continue showing our solidarity with each other. Democracy isn't a one day event, it's a life long action that we all must partake in."
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"No one is safe from these unjust arrests, and my silence is complicity," said Jesus Hernandez, Design Instructional Support Technician II, of SJSU. "The gathering of all local unions in one place was a movement I had the honor of being a part of. I had the opportunity to create bonds with my fellow CSUEU members throughout the travels and create new bonds with people I would have never met through any other means. I was also able to bring back the knowledge that we can make a difference if we gather to pursue common goals."