RESOLUTION BERT CORONA DAY MAY 29,2011
WHEREAS, From immigrant beginnings, born on May 29, 1918 in El Paso, Texas, Bert Corona, founder of Hcrmandad Mexicana Nacional, rose to be a major force in Mexican American and American history of the 20th century; and
WI !EREAS, Bert Corona was born into a revolutionary family in which his father, Noe, thirteen years old at the time, joined the Mexican Revolution to overthrow the long and corrupt rule of Porfirio Diaz and his mother, Margarita Escilpite Salayandia, fought in the revolution and subsequently became Director of the Elementary Schools in the State of Chihuahua, Mexico; and
WHEREAS, Bert Corona's life reflects his long, sixty year history in Los Angeles where he first came as a student- athlete at USC in the 1930s and stayed on to become a champion of civil rights, labor rights, voting rights, and equal opportunity for all and a significant part of the City's history and future; and
WHEREAS, As a young man in the 1930's, Bert Corona took part in the great organizing campaigns for the newly formed Congress of Industrial Organizations in the Los Angeles area. He became president of Local 26 of the International Longshore and Warehouse Union, and a political ally of Harry Bridges, one of U.S. labor's most progressive and democratic leaders; and
WHEREAS, Corona's labor organizing experience in Los Angeles was welded to the revolutionary history of Corona's family to drive his work which infused the Latino community with a new vitality. His vision was not restricted by institutional, national or other boundaries. For example, as President of Associacion Nacional Mexicano Americano (ANMA), he organized workers at American Smelting and Refining Co. in northern California but led successful solidarity actions in sympathy with fellow miners in Mexico and Latin America; and
WHEREAS, again, while Corona worked with Ernesto Galarza, Cesar Chavez and others to end the abuses in the bracero program, he did not support unions agreeing to "return" the workers home to Mexico. Instead. Corona led ANMA to organize the braceros and their families in California for a better life in California. That idea became a hallmark of Corona's approach to immigration ··· holding all workers and their families to have the same rights and opportunities as any other worker, irrespective of origin. After the bracero program was ended, immigrants without papers continued to come to the U.S., driven by hunger and poverty, and were increasingly stigmatized and isolated; and
WI IEREAS, Corona led a long struggle to organize the immigrant workers, their families and communities in a united light for better wages, working conditions and fair immigration laws. Corona f(lundcd. led and organi;;ed numerous organizations in Los Angeles and California such as C ASA. Mexican American Political Association, the Mexican American Movement, and the National Congress of Spanish-Speaking People. all working to that goal. Corona's ultimate vindication came in 2000, when the AFL-CIO itself adopted a new pro-immigrant policy, calling for amnesty for undocumented workers and an end to employer sanctions; and ivl 1\( 6 zon / WHEREAS, We celebrate the life of this great American on his ninetythird birthday on May 29, 2011;
NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the City of Los Angeles urges all residents to celebrate Bert Corona's life and contributions by engaging in service, events, and actions representative of his legacy on his birthday, May 29, 20 II.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that May 29,2011 shall be observed as BERT CORONA DAY in the City of Los Angeles and the City of Los Angeles honors Bert Corona for his life, work, and legacy.
PRESENTEDBY: ~-/R~Af;:RCON, ~ Councilmember, 7th District
ADOPTED ~AY 0 _9 2011 ...... ·- lOS ANGELES CllY COUNCil CITY OF LOS ANGELES
RESOLUTION NATIONAL TRAIN DAY 2011
WHEREAS, the United States of America and the State of California have made a considerable financial commitment to expanding the nation's intercity, regional and transit passenger rail networks, and
WHEREAS, the President and Vice-President announced in January 2010 an additional $8 billion in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) awards for 13 corridors in 31 states; and
WHEREAS, the Federal Railroad Administration received applications requesting seven times the available funds for the ARRA grants; and
WHEREAS, developing this pipeline of national high-speed and intercity passenger rail projects will revitalize the domestic manufacturing industry and create additional American jobs building on the one million good-paying, middle-class creating American jobs that can never be off shored already supported by the rail industry; and
WHEREAS, California and Los Angeles ridership on Amtrak and regional rail services grew every year from 2000 through 2008, and is on track in 2011 for its best ridership year ever, further demonstrating the increased demand for California passenger rail services; and
WHEREAS, Los Angeles, California is a highly populated region where Amtrak, Metrolink and Metro services provide a safe and reliable rail option while reducing congestion on roads and in the skies; and
WHEREAS, Amtrak annually provides intercity passenger rail travel to over 25 million Americans residing in 46 states; and
WHEREAS, for many rail line communities in America, Amtrak represents the only major intercity transportation link to the rest of the country; and
WHEREAS, in Los Angeles, California passenger rail provides a more fuel-efficient transportation system thereby providing cleaner transportation alternatives and energy security; and
MAY G 2011 WHEREAS, when combined with all modes of transportation, passenger railroads emit only 0.2 percent of the travel industry's total greenhouse gases and one freight train can move a ton of freight 457 miles on one gallon of fuel; and
WHEREAS, in the City of Los Angeles more than one and a half million people used Union Station in 20 I 0 and the number of passengers continues to grow; and
WHEREAS, Los Angeles Union Station is a source of civic pride, a gateway to California Rail Line Communities and the Nation's long distance trains, and is a tool for economic growth that creates transportation-oriented development and livable rail line communities; and
WHEREAS, on May I 0, 1869 the "golden spike" was driven into the final tie at Promontory Summit, Utah to join the Central Pacific and the Union Pacific Railroads, ceremonially completing the first transcontinental railroad and therefore connecting both coasts of the United States; and
WHEREAS, the City of Los Angeles will hold an event at Union Station with railroad equipment exhibits and displays for our community to commemorate this momentous day in railroad history; and
NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that by the adoption of this Resolution the City Council of Los Angeles endorses National Train Day 20 II, and further recognizes the pivotal role that a robust intercity passenger rail system can provide for better mobility for persons II abilities. PRESENTEDBYoaJ~ p_ Tom L.aBonge . . [(}! Counc!lmember, 4th D1stnct
ADOPTED MAY 0 6 201! lOS ANGElES CITY COUNCIL