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"One Family, One Alabama" Tour Continues with March into Historic Selma

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la jefa radioLa Jefa Radio’s “14 Cities, 14 Days, One Family, One Alabama” tour continues, with Program Director José Antonio Castro and radio personality Orlando Rosa broadcasting from Clanton, Alabama.  The pair began their walk across Alabama last week in order to bring attention to the HB 56 immigration law, which has seriously afflicted the lives of many of the families they’ve stopped to talk to along the way. Today, they’re on Day 8.

Their highlights from this past weekend in Birmingham:  

On Saturday, November 12, Reverend Anthony “Allan” Johnson of the Birmingham NAACP, joined the tour, meeting with Castro, Rosa and members of the community at the historic Oak Hill Cemetery where he lead a prayer in honor of the late Reverend and civil rights leader, Fred Shuttlesworth. 

According to José Antonio Castro, “It was important to be here today because we felt it was necessary for us to take a moment to reflect and pray for our immigrant brothers and sisters, whose lives have been drastically impacted by HB 56.  Even though, many decided to leave the state, the ones that have stayed are living in constant fear and vulnerable to civil rights violations,” Castro asserts.

For Orlando Rosa, visiting the grave of the great civil rights leader “Is a reminder that the fight for justice and equality for all still continues.”

The duo believes that there are many parallels with the fight against Alabama’s HB 56 and the civil rights movement of the 1960’s.  In particular, the section in the law that gives power to local authorities to stop anyone that they “suspect” might be in the country illegally. 

“I’m a U.S Citizen of Puerto Rican descent, yet, because of HB 56 and because I “look Hispanic” my civil rights are at risk,” Rosa states.

According to Reverend Anthony “Allan” Johnson, “I joined the tour as a symbol of the African-American community and the Hispanic community joining efforts to fight until HB 56 is repealed.” Johnson asserts, that “Jim Crow is dead, but his “cousins” are still living. 

“Together we must identify the similarities within the black and brown communities and unite and together, through a grassroots effort, we can overcome any political, social, economic ills.”

After the prayer at Oak Hill Cemetery, the three marched together along with members of the community to Kelly Ingram Park where hundreds gathered to denounce HB 56. 

“It was great being back in Birmingham. It was truly reenergizing to see many our radio listeners and members of the community come together and join forces against HB 56,” says Castro.

The fourteen day tour ends this Saturday at the state capitol in Montgomery, Alabama. Tomorrow, Wednesday, November 16 at 2: 15 PM Central Time, they are joining Reverend Allan Johnson of the Birmingham NAACP to march into the historic city of Selma, Alabama.

Here’s how you can tune in:

LIVE RADIO BROADCAST: Weekdays from 2:00 – 5:00 PM Central and weekends from 1:00 – 4:00 PM Central from each destination city.

LISTEN: 1500 AM WQCR Alabaster, 1450 AM WZGX Bessemer, 620 AM WJHX Lexington – or on the web at www.aquimandalajefa.com

FOLLOW LA JEFA ON TWITTER: @LaJefaAlabama

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