Farmworker from 335-mile march says laborers deserve 'benefits, respect, equality'

Lourdes “Lulu” Cárdenas is among the marchers walking 24 days to urge California Gov. Gavin Newsom to support and sign legislation expanding union rights. In announcing the 335-mile trek from Delano to Sacramento earlier this month, United Farm Workers (UFW) referred to it as a “sacrificial” march.

This is very painfully true for Lulu. The undocumented farmworker’s participation in the march means she’s going without pay for the month. “I was working in the peach harvest, but decided to stop working because this fight is worth more than the job,” she told The Sacramento Bee. “That money isn’t going to increase sick days or benefits. I prefer to stop working to gain what we deserve: benefits, respect, equality.”

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