Minnesota Freedom Ride to crisscross the state

The Minnesota Freedom Ride, a statewide mobilization “to reward work and restore democracy for all,” will begin Thursday with buses crisscrossing the state. Modeled after last year’s national Immigrant Workers Freedom Ride, the Minnesota ride will focus on cities in Greater Minnesota that have growing immigrant populations.

In conjunction with the ride, migrant workers will march from Owatonna to the Twin Cities.

Riders will highlight the economic and cultural contributions immigrants make in Minnesota, publicize discrimination that immigrants face in the state, and promote national reform of immigration and workers rights laws. A major theme will be participating in the political process during this election year, by registering and voting.

Among local issues, the ride will push for more-affordable access to state colleges and universities for immigrants? children who grow up in this country. In addition, riders will promote the benefits of ?INS separation ordinances,? such as those adopted in St. Paul and Minneapolis. These ordinances define enforcement of immigration law primarily as the responsibility of national agencies, not local police and other public workers.

The ride starts in the Twin Cities, leaving Thursday, Sept. 30, at 11 a.m. from Sacred Heart Church, 38th St. and Pleasant Ave., Minneapolis. Buses transporting the Freedom Riders will stop in Winona at 3 p.m. and Rochester at 5 p.m.

On Friday, Oct. 1, the riders will join a march in Owatonna to support workers seeking a union at the Lakeside Foods Co. The march begins at 7 a.m. in Central Park in Owatonna.

On Saturday, Oct. 2, the Freedom Ride will travel to Worthington (10 a.m. stop at UFCW Local 1161, 1039 S. Oxford St.) and Moorhead (6 p.m. stop at Centro Cultural, 1014 19th St. S.)

On Sunday, Oct. 3, the Freedom Ride stops at the Pelican Rapids Public Library, 25 W. Mill Ave., for an 8 a.m. prayer breakfast, then at Willmar at 1 p.m. for a multicultural event in the West Central Integration Collaborative Auditorium, 611 SW Fifth St. The day’s activities end with an interfaith service and dinner at 6 p.m. at Sacred Heart Church in Minneapolis.

The Freedom Ride will sponsor a series of workshops on Monday, Oct. 4, at Sacred Heart Church, culminating in a march from the church at 2 p.m. to the Government Plaza in downtown Minneapolis and a 4 p.m. rally.

All Freedom Ride events are open to the public. The ride is organized by some of last year?s riders and sponsored by nearly three dozen labor, faith and community organizations.

For more information
A detailed Freedom Ride schedule, poster and other information can be found at www.mnfr.org

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