Pilgrimage for Environmental Justice Dec. 12

December 12, 2012 /

 

Photo: SANTOS REYES/Coachella Unincorporated

 

By ALEJANDRA ALARCON/Coachella Unincorporated

 

THERMAL, Calif. — Our Lady of Guadalupe Pilgrimage and Vigil is more than just a cultural or religious event in the Eastern Coachella Valley.

It is a time for prayer, commitment, reflection, and a way for participants to raise awareness of environmental justice issues that takes place on the feast day of Our Lady of Guadalupe.

The event begins at 4 p.m. on Wednesday, December 12, with a pilgrimage departing from San Jose Community and Learning Center at Vargas Mobile Home Park, 69-455 Pierce Street. The pilgrimage will end at Ferro Mobile Parks, located at Pierce Street and Avenue 70.

The purpose of this event is to raise awareness and to take a stance for social changes in the Eastern Coachella Valley, changes that are crucial to the community’s health such as cleaning and removing the toxic dumpsites in unincorporated communities, increasing access of clean drinking water, protecting the Salton Sea, improving sanitary collection systems, and raising the quality of life for residents of the Eastern Coachella Valley.

“With this event, we finalize a year of successful community organizing events aimed to raise public awareness about the urgency of social changes needed in the eastern Coachella Valley,” said Sergio Carranza, executive director of Pueblo Unido. “We look forward to see you at this new social tradition.”

The event is organized by Pueblo Unido, Comité de La Comunidad Pierce, Unión de Parques Polancos and San Jose Community and Learning Center. There will be music and traditional Mexican food, including pozole, champurrado, and chocolate. Join the community’s journey of unity and change.

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