EL PASO, Texas (Border Report) — Immigration activists in El Paso say they will hold a march and stage a cultural festival on Sept. 7 to speak up against violence and anti-immigrant rhetoric. The event comes in response to the Aug. 3 mass killings at an El Paso Walmart, which authorities suspect targeted Mexican immigrants.
The #ElPasoFirme actions will include public performances from artists, including Rebeca Lane, from Guatemala, and Grammy Award-winning La Santa Cecilia from Los Angeles, festival organizers said. Other artists include Residente, who will speak at the event but whose location and hours haven’t been disclosed yet.
“El Paso Firme means we are united as we move forward, with firm steps and clear vision. We know that as long as we continue fighting for our rights, we will prevail against the reactionary and racist views strangling our country,” said Erika Andiola, chief advocacy officer for the group Raices, which is cosponsoring the event.
Another sponsor is the El Paso-based Border Network for Human Rights. “We are calling on our sister communities across the country to join us in an exercise of collective compassion and solidarity on September 7,” said Fernando Garcia, executive director of BNHR.
For more information, visit the BNHR website.
