Maria Erodita Perla, a hotel housekeeper in San Rafael who testified Wednesday before the Senate's Labor and Industrial Relations Committee, was so happy Thursday that she said she could barely finish her shift.
Her union, Hotel Employees and Restaurant Employees International, has been planning the ride since July 2001.
For The Record
Los Angeles Times Saturday June 28, 2003 Home Edition Main News Part A Page 2 National Desk 1 inches; 34 words Type of Material: Correction
Freedom Ride -- An article in Friday's California section incorrectly reported that the endorsement of the Immigrant Workers Freedom Ride passed the California Senate 32 to 12. It was approved on a 23-13 vote.
"I just want all of us to have our papers and I am grateful, thankful to God, to be supported in our efforts," she said through a translator. Perla, 42, who left El Salvador 13 years ago, began crying at the thought of seeing her family again.
State Sen. Richard Alarcon (D-Sylmar) said it is time to recognize immigrants' contributions to this country, particularly after the military sent more than 30,000 noncitizens to Iraq.
He emphasized California's role in the national immigration debate.
"We as a legislature have taken a very strong position on getting more federal support to deal with the issues that come with such a density of the immigrant population," Alarcon said.
The ride is supported by hundreds of organizations and other elected officials.
Among them are the AFL-CIO, U.S. Rep. Maxine Waters (D-Los Angeles), Los Angeles City Council members and former Freedom Rider J.M. Lawson Jr., who is president of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference of Greater Los Angeles.
"The struggle is not over," Lawson said. "People who work hard should be given access.... For the state government to officially recognize this and to call for change is important."
