After the 80th AD caucus in San Jose, which vacated the CDP endorsement of Manuel Perez‘s chief rival for the nomination, one of the delegates in support of Greg Pettis treated me to their latest talking point on Manuel Perez, namely that his only elected experience so far was that of a board member of a “failed school district.”  This is a bit shortsighted, as Perez’s experience is that of a teacher, healthcare access provider, grassroots youth organizer, researcher, and a successful advocate for millions of dollars for local schools and local jobs in Coachella.  The recent David Binder poll has, after positives and negatives are weighed in, both Pettis and Perez running even in the primary, with Perez winning in the general against (R) Jeandron, and Pettis losing.

But let’s address the fallacy of Democrats adopting GOP talking points on NCLB to attack the those who are in the direct line of fire from Bush’s policy:

(Hat tip to Dale Wissman, labor relations representative with California School Employees Association, who listed the following observations on this subject, with my minor edits.)

Coachella serves some of the poorest students in the entire United States, yet manages to create some of the most powerful tools to improve student achievement.  It is an amazing, activist, innovative school district dealing with massive budget and social issues, but somehow just found a way to pass a two hundred and fifty million dollar bond, which will be matched by state and federal funds, for the construction of state-of-the-art schools.  There might not be three other school districts in the U.S. that serve the population CVUSD serves:  64 percent English learners, 90 percent on free or reduced lunch.

That’s a massive amount of money to bring to bear on one of the poorest communities in the U.S. and Manuel Perez helped shepherd that through.   Nothing like that had ever been done before in Coachella, poorest area of one of the poorest states as far as education spending goes.  California is now 48th out of 50 in terms of state education funding.  If anyone knows intimately what that kind of funding problem looks like on the ground and how it affects achievement, especially in a poor area with lots “of second language speakers, it would be Manuel Perez.  Pettis and Gonzales have no comparable experience in education.  Incidentally, Perez graduated from local schools and he went on to Harvard Graduate School of Education, so it must be doing something right.  .  CVUSD has more than tripled its API score (a California measurement) in the past eight years.

Perez is against No Child Left Behind, perhaps the worst education law ever passed, which is soundly hated by Democrats.  NCLB provides the mechanism to take schools over from local communities, no matter their funding or challenges with poverty or second language learners.  Coachella is an example of a striving school district doing amazing things that nevertheless is punished because of NCLB.  The fact that Pettis campaign wants to use this as an issue says loads about Pettis’ inexperience in education.   Tacitly supporting NCLB because it hurts your opponent is very bad form for a Democrat, and indicates a disturbing and self-defeating opportunism.  Rather than one who parrots Republican NCLB talking points, the 80th AD deserves a representative who doesn’t buy into NCLB, advocates for appropriate funding and accountability for public schools, and can succeed in securing that funding, as Perez has.

Because of his work on behalf of students, parents, teachers and the community, and because of opposition to No Child Left Behind, the education community is endorsing Perez in droves, including the California Teachers Association, with strong local support from the 80th’s school districts.   Neither Pettis nor Gonzales have anyone from the education community endorsing them as yet.

Education spending is more than half the state budget, and Manuel Perez is the only candidate in the primary and general with direct experience here. Education combined with healthcare (another of Perez’s areas of expertise) make up the vast, vast majority of the state budget.  These are also the areas most in danger of being reduced and cut, simply because that’s where most the money is.  

Addendum:

(The other talking point is that noting Perez has a far stronger base than Pettis among crucial East Coachella Valley and Imperial County voters amounts to racism and homophobia, which is bizarre and desperate at worst, and at best misinformed.  The “Crashing the Gates” new Democratic delegates from the 80th AD who voted to endorse Manuel Perez included an openly gay man, an openly gay woman, the (Latino) County Chair of the Imperial County Democratic Central Committee, one Jewish woman, and a Coachella-raised union organizer.)  Manuel’s passion for and experience in providing healthcare, education, and labor reform in the 80th AD and statewide unites a diverse progressive support base.  

There’s a parallel to the Clinton/Obama dynamic here in the 80th-  The heir apparent veteran politician vs. the grassroots organizer.  Pettis had every expectation of sewing this nomination up by the pre-endorsement caucus, as he had the warchest, the connections, and the longtime familiarity of the local Dem clubs.  Manuel was not supposed to pose a real threat, but instead he has the endorsement of

*United Domestic  Workers

*California Teachers Association

*SEIU State Council

*Laborers (LIUNA)

*California Nurses Association

*AFSCME

and just today, the California Labor Federation voted for a dual endorsement of Perez and Pettis, overturning the local Central Labor Councils (both San Diego/Imperial and Riverside/San Bernardino) which had previously endorsed Pettis.  

“Manuel Perez knows first hand the struggles of working families and will be a champion of healthcare, education and creating new jobs in the State Assembly,” proclaimed Art Pulaski, Executive Secretary of the California Labor Federation, AFL-CIO.

Greg was supposed to be the default Dem here, but a grassroots challenger is upsetting the status quo.

This is my first time facing the wrath of those who got their gate crashed.  It’s a bit unsettling, as we were all in the same camp for Roth in the CA-45th, and now we’re at odds.  But we’ll be together after the primary, when we can send another people-powered representative to the California Assembly.  

Crossposted at dKos

No Endorsement in the 80th AD

Manuel Perez may not have the money nor the local poohbah incumbency, but he definitely had the mojo this weekend.  I stand in awe of the union members who are my fellow delegates in Manuel’s corner.  Wizards with lists and cell phones, truly incredible.  

The endorsing caucus for the 80th AD was pretty intense, and the days preceding it packed with manuevering, accusations, threats.  Greg Pettis had put out press releases pre-announcing his endorsement after his March 13th PreEndorsement meeting victory, so he had a lot to lose here.  Greg managed to place every proxy he could, plus switching one of our votes.  But it wasn’t enough to reach 60% of the vote, as Manuel Perez also had strong support from delegates,  and Rick Gonzales found proxies for his folks, too.  So, no endorsement until the primary is over.  

The real winner is the district, as we have an abundance of Democratic  talent in this race.  Manuel Perez just won the endorsement of many more legislators, met with Karen Bass, the new speaker, won the endorsement of Alice Huffman- President of the California State Conference of the NAACP, also won the California Nurses Association (which is a huge plus), also the California Medical Association, the California Teachers Association, SEIU State Council.   I truly believe that Manuel is not only the best progressive in the race, but that he’ll win the primary and the general.  He’s a proven advocate for immigrants, students, and impoverished communities in the eastern end of the district, and a true progressive who stands up for gay rights, the environment, and a women’s right to choose, the major issues on the west end of the district.  Greg is great, so is Rick, but neither cover all the bases that Manuel does, nor do they have his charisma and passion for change.  He’s inspiring.

Here’s what David Dayen said, and I agree completely:

I continue to be very impressed with Manuel Perez; he is a transformational and not a transactional candidate, someone who doesn’t just check the boxes of the single-issue groups and vote the right way, but really changes the conversation and fights for progressive change.

I wish I were still there, but my son’s tenth birthday begins in a matter of hours, so that’s that.  It’s good to see the Calitics crew always, and particularly fun this time to talk to kid oakland and Caligirl, as I hadn’t had the chance before.

We have an exciting race ahead.  

California Senate Majority Leader Gloria Romero and celebrated labor leader and civil rights champion Dolores Huerta endorse Manuel Perez, Candidate for the 80th Assembly District.

“I feel honored beyond words”, says Mr. Perez, “to have received this support from two of California’s most distinguished leaders.  Both Dolores Huerta and Senator Romero have worked hard for those who have been marginalized and underrepresented.  I will attempt the same.”

This is one of the few California state seats in play this year, and the demographics indicate it should be blue by now.  Manuel Perez is an organizer, a healthcare provider, and a powerful progressive voice for this region.  Good thing I listened to netroots nags and ran for state delegate, because now I’ll have the honor of endorsing him this Thursday at our Pre-Endorsement meeting, and caucusing for him at the State Convention.   For your people-powered politics fix, read more about Manuel Perez on the flip.

Crossposted at Daily Kos http://www.dailykos.com/storyo…

Coachella School Board Trustee Manuel Perez grew up in both Coachella and Calexico, graduated from public schools and then from UC Riverside before coming home to teach. He later earned a Masters of Education from Harvard, worked as an organizer and health researcher and now provides health care access to thousands of families as Director of Community Health and Advocacy for a Community Health Foundation.  He and his wife Gladys are raising their family in the same community where they grew up, teaching their sons the same values they learned from their parents. – from latest press release from Agxibel Barrajas

For those who’ve already read David Dayen’s excellent profile on Manuel Perez, you know that UFW is integral to Perez’s life story.  Manuel had a date to introduce Dolores Huerta to the folks at the 1st Annual Southern Region Promotor Conference a few weeks ago, but had to miss it when he returned to Harvard to accept a 2008 Harvard Graduate School of Education Alumni of Color Achievement Award.  Clearly she has forgiven him.  About that conference, one Perez has worked hard on for many months:

Hello everyone,

As you know, Promotores from the Imperial and Riverside Counties have been working diligently to organize the 1st Annual Southern Region Promotor Conference entitled, “The People’s Conference-Sharing, Teaching and Learning for Social Change and Well Being.”   It is scheduled for Saturday, February 23, 2008 at Desert Mirage High School.  There will be many great workshops offered and the keynote will be legendary UFW organizer Dolores Huerta.  This conference is strictly for Promotores and we expect approximately 200 from throughout our regions.  However, if you would like to participate in the conference by hosting an informational/educational booth please let us know asap.  Because of our target population, the conference will be entirely in Spanish, but there will be translation services in English.  Attached are the registration form, a map, and a list for housing accommodations in case you may need a place to stay.  The attachments are in Spanish, including the Registration form.  However, if you need some help with the form, please do not hesitate to contact Poder Popular at 760-398-5327.  We are very excited about the event and we look forward to building and organizing community health with you.

Thank You,

Manuel Perez, Ed. M.

Southern Region Promotor Task Force-Member at Large

Director of Community Health and Advocacy

Borrego Community Health Foundation-

Centro Medico Coachella, Oasis, Cathedral City

This region was recently a Republican stronghold, but thanks to Bush, the neocons, and the general failure of GOP policies, Democrats are coming on strong in this region.  We have a real chance to elect a powerful liberal in the 80th, one who can advocate for better schools, equal access to health care in the context of his own experience in the field, one who can advocate for gay rights in Spanish.  This is who we need representing a region from Palm Springs to Calexico.  We need Perez in Sacramento, and now Senate Majority Leader Gloria Romero and UFW co-founder Dolores Huerta have joined John Conyers, Joe Cota, Esteban Torres, LIUNA Local 777, and host of others in support of his candidacy.  

More photos here

Manuel Perez has been recently announced as a recipient of the 2008 HGSE Alumni of Color Achievement Award….  Mr. Pérez is being recognized for his work, which addresses issues of race and education in ways that offer new frames of thought and practice, and evidences a commitment to promote meaningful strategies to affect change and to improve educational opportunities for people of color.

Manuel Pérez is running to represent the 80th Assembly District in California, a region that stretches from Palm Springs through Coachella to Calexico.   This seat is in play, and though Manuel has excellent company in the Democratic primary, he stands apart.  Manuel Perez represents the new crop of progressives in the Democratic party: a community organizer first/politician second, a scholarship student who came back to the old neighborhood to teach, the proud son of UFW parents who advocates for gay rights and a women’s right to choose.   Harvard Graduate School of Education has reason to be proud.  The volunteers on his campaign know how they feel.

Support Manuel Pérez for the CA 80th AD here.

Another major endorsement for Manuel Pérez, who already has the strong support of last term’s Democratic candidate, Steve Clute, CA Latino Legislative Caucus Chair Joe Coto, Coachella Mayor Eddie Garcia, Imperial County Supervisor Victor M. Carrillo, Rep. John Conyers and former Congressman Esteban Torres, among others.  Manuel Perez has the strong support of LIUNA 777.   

Here’s Eddie Garcia, Joe Coto, and Manuel Pérez at La Estancia (just down Hwy 111 in Indio, great food)

X-posted at dKos.  Much more below.  Flip it.

I was working as a field organizer in support of a ballot measure that would preserve SEIU-UHW jobs and benefits for the last several weeks (we lost, bad scene now for healthcare workers in Hemet and Menifee), so was out of the loop regarding the Pérez campaign’s day to day happenings.  Just as I get back from fighting the good fight for one union, here’s LIUNA 777 for Manuel.  Naturally.  Manuel Pérez worked the fields with his UFW parents.  Joe Mota, former director of UFW, endorsed Manuel’s campaign early on.  The CA Assembly needs an organizer, a teacher, a local hero like Manuel, and labor knows it. 

If you’ve just heard about Manuel Pérez, the best diary that introduces him is this one by David Dayen, who came out to Indio and talked with Manuel back in September.  He found, as I did, that Manuel is the real thing.  Yes, there are other Democrats in this primary, and many of the establishment in Democratic Riverside feel that Greg Pettis, Cathedral City councilman, deserves the nomination.  They say it’s his turn, he’s the most recognizable, etc.  He has the biggest warchest for the race.  Greg is a great guy, but I don’t believe in party poohbahs assigning our candidates for us.  I believe that the best representative of the people should go to Sacramento.  And for the California 80th Assembly District, Manuel Pérez represents us best, and presents the most compelling change for a district that’s had a Republican rep for far too long. 

I was bantering with a Republican from Palm Desert last month, and he was positively gleeful at the prospect of Pettis, with his money and establishment ties, getting the nod, and then losing to whomever the GOP runs.  I think that voters from Palm Springs to Calexico already recognize that we have a charismatic working class hero, a Harvard MA, a local teacher, and a community organizer who brings women’s health care to the least served communities in the 80th available to us, and we’re going to seize this opportunity to galvanize the district.  Support Manuel Perez for the California 80th AD at his Act Blue page:  Manuel Perez – Putting People First

From the campaign:

Laborer’s International Union of North America – Local 777 endorses Manuel Pérez for the 80th Assembly District; list of supporters continues to grow

Manuel Perez, Democratic candidate for the 80th Assembly District, has received the endorsement of the Laborers International Union Association, Laborers Local 777, as well as its umbrella organization, the Laborer’s International Union of North America.

‘He is a strong and clear voice for the communities he serves, and is willing to fight for fundamental rights; fair pay; fair treatment and justice; protections and security for our families; access to health care; better education and better working conditions for the residents of the 80th Assembly District,’ said Fred W. Lowe, Business Manager/Secretary Treasurer for Laborers’ Local 777.

Laborers’ Local 777 joins, a growing number of local, state and national leaders who have endorsed Manuel Perez for the 80th District, including Latino Legislative Caucus Chair Joe Coto; Imperial County Supervisor Victor M. Carrillo, Coachella City Mayor Eduardo Garcia, Former Assembly member and Candidate for the 80th AD Steve Clute, Former Congressman Esteban E. Torres and Congressman John Conyers, D-Michigan.

‘I am excited and honored to have received the endorsement of one of the most progressive and fastest growing Laborers’ Union in the United States.  LIUNA has been fighting for working families since 1903 and I want to be part of making history with them as we tackle the 21st Century,’ said Manuel Perez. ‘I will be an ally in the quest to create more opportunities for workers and will fight for better wages, good benefits and safe jobsites.’

Coachella Valley High School’s annual College VocTech night is on October 17th this year.  Here’s a clip from last year, featuring our region’s most stalwart advocate for youth, schools, and communities.  David Roth, Manuel’s ally in education and my candidate from last year’s CA-45th race, joins him at the end. 

Watch Manuel Pérez exhort parents to advocate for our kids at every level.  “Instead of the schools to jails pipeline, let’s look at the schools to universities pipeline.” 

Get this man to the California State Assembly with us here.

For an excellent overview of Perez’s life and candidacy, see David Dayen’s diary on Pérez here.

Also, Politics Begins at Home includes links to the previous diaries on Pérez.  This is a guy to watch.

Some of Coachella Valley’s finest, from left to right: Steve Hernandez-City Councilman of Coachella, Manuel Perez-Candidate for State Assembly, Eduardo Garcia-Mayor of Coachella, and Mike Duran-President, Desert Sands Teachers’ Association. 

Last night, Eddie Garcia hosted a casual party to raise funds for the People’s Candidate for the 80th Assembly District in California.  Eddie talked about the inspiring example Manuel Pérez provided the future Mayor of Coachella:  Manuel went to UC Riverside, then came back and taught, then went on to Harvard for his MA in Education, then came back again to foster social justice.  We have a whole generation of bright, socially conscious leaders coming up in the Coachella Valley – all committed to our community and each other. 

Here’s where you come in:  my ActBlue page.  More after the flip.

Manuel Pérez is exactly the kind of candidate the netroots are talking about.  Here’s David Dayen’s (dday) take on Pérez.  Here is my latest account of the campaign so far.  Read and enjoy.  The national news still disappoints, but things are looking up here in the California desert.

Here’s Pérez and his campaign manager, the brave and beautiful social activist Amalia Deaztlan:

Here’s Pérez at work:

And at home:

{At the Mayor’s party for Manuel Pérez last night, I had the chance to show everyone the best thing that’s happened all week: the new Coachella Valley section of Calitics.  I can’t say it often enough, Brian Leubitz of Calitics is a national treasure.  Thank you, Brian!}

Crossposted to Daily Kos

I’m starting a new series here at Calitics.  We’ve seen with the budget fight and the difficulties funding health care reform that the current balance of power in the Legislature just isn’t cutting it.  This is particularly irksome because they daylight is clearly seen at the end of the tunnel.  5 Assembly seats and just 2 Senate seats would bring 2/3 majorities in those chambers, and yet there is little or no talk within Democratic circles of explicitly going after the vulnerable seats within reach that would give us those numbers.

Well, you shouldn’t wait for others tomorrow to begin what you can do today.  So I’m going to be profiling districts and candidates that can get us to what should be the overriding goal of 2/3 majorities.

We begin today in California’s 80th Assembly District, which largely covers the desert region around Palm Springs, Cathedral City and Indian Wells, but which encompasses Imperial County all the way down to the Mexico border.  This district is currently held by Republican and hot Latina Bonnie Garcia, yet there are a plurality of Democrats there.  This is the most Democratic seat held by a term-limited Republican, though obviously that term limit can be overturned.  But regardless, this seat represents an opportunity.  And I met with the man who can not only deliver that seat, but who can give rise to a new movement of young people of color devoted to improving the lives of their constituents.

That man is Manuel Pérez.

I met with Manuel at a coffee shop in Indio, a working-class town surrounded by the posh hotels and golf courses of the Palm Springs area.  It really is a haves versus the have-nots story, with resorts fighting with growers for water resources from the Colorado River, to name just one pressure point.  When you move into Imperial County, where the population is 75% Latino and over 65% speak Spanish as their first language, that dichotomy is even more stark.  In this environment, someone with ties to the land is crucial.  And Pérez’ history goes back generations.

Manuel Pérez’ parents were immigrants who met in the fields while chasing the crops they picked for work.  His mother worked 26 years in the fields, despite raising a family.  His father became a veteraño (a veteran of the migrant fields) and worked for the city of Indio on water issues.  Growing up in Coachella and Calexico, Manuel worked in the fields himself over the summers when he wasn’t in school.  His parents understood the importance of education, teaching the values of “service and sacrifice and social justice,” and pushing him to advance as far as he could go.  At an early age, he saw a community of gangs and drugs where his best friend was killed in a drive-by shooting. 

He became the only person in his family to go on to higher education, getting his bachelor’s degree at UC-Riverside (and becoming an organizer on campus).  He had the opportunity to get a master’s degree in Social Policy at Harvard, and took it.  Instead of leaving his community behind, he returned to it, organizing field campaigns throughout the state for candidates and issues like Schools Not Jails.  This is someone who hasn’t waited around for higher office to make a difference in his community; he’s rolled up his sleeves and dived in.  As a director for the Borego Community Health Foundation, he’s created one of the first diabetes resource center in the desert region and has delivered health services to underserved regions.  As a researcher for the California Institute for Rural Studies, he put together a groundbreaking study on women’s reproductive health issues in Imperial County, where women have little opportunities and resources to manage their own health.  With Promotores, he’s part of a group of community-based leaders devoted to teaching  about health issues and making sure people in the community get the facts about programs at their disposal.  As a schoolteacher he started his school’s first ever Chicano Studies program designed to allow students to learn history from their perspective.  With the Eastern Coachella Valley Social Change Collaborative, he identified farm workers living in the area and trained them to be community leaders themselves.  Believe it or not, he’s only 34.

Eventually, Pérez and like-minded community leaders saw the ability to effect social change through policymaking.  So they founded an affiliation called “Raises,” or Roots, a group of people from the community who got their educations elsewhere and then returned to lead.  They decided to work in campaigns and put up candidates.  The first year, Pérez was voted onto the Coachella Valley School Board.  And Eddie Garcia was elected to city council in Coachella.  Then Garcia was voted mayor, and Steve Hernandez was elected to city council.  It went from 1 to 2 to 3 and this year 5 members running for office and seeking social change.  These are community leaders built from the bottom up, infused with the desire and obligation to give back.  In Garcia’s mayoral election, they signed up 15,000 new voters, and criscrossed the region 5 or 6 times, knocking on doors persistently despite being outspent by 3 to 1.  Garcia took 70% of the vote, and so did Pérez.

Manuel Pérez is not only a perfect fit for this district, providing an opportunity to retake this seat and get us closer to 2/3.  He represents a new generation of Hispanic-Americans who are dedicated to working for change from the bottom up.  He would bring to Sacramento a unique set of skills, as someone who can build coalitions and train a group of leaders far into the future.  There are primary candidates on the Democratic side for this seat who appear to be very nice.  I don’t think anyone combines the résumé and the hope for the future more than Manuel Pérez.

He has an ActBlue page and he is worth your support.

(I should add that if anyone knows of a great legislative candidate they’d like me to profile for the Drive for 2/3, please email me at dday-at-calitics-dot-com.)

(I think this diary could be considered a nomination diary. Thoughts? – promoted by Bob Brigham)

What a lovely family Manuel Pérez has.  Not a surprise, of course, and they throw a great party.  Great music, much dancing, and generous campaign cash raised in honor of Manuel’s birthday. 

It’s not too late to give him an ActBlue birthday gift, with love from the netroots nation.  Why you really want to, what is the latest from Sacramento re: Manuel, who’s getting festive with the Mayor of Coachella, and truly adorable pictures of tiny children watching the grown ups dance -after the flip.

Crossposted at Daily Kos

Previous CA 80th AD diaries:
Goodbye, Bonnie Garcia-Hello, Manuel Pérez
Pérez in the California 80th AD
(CA 80th) Honoring César Chávez in Coachella

Manuel Pérez is busier than usual these days.  Now that the Senate Republicans are done slashing services from the state budget, Borrego Community Health Foundation has to move fast to make up the time lost while their funding was on hold.  Otherwise, Pérez is on the phone and in the communities from Calexico to Palm Springs, listening to this district. 

Last week, Manuel Pérez was back in Sacramento with his colleagues allied with the California Endowment for the Agricultural Workers Health Conference.  Pérez was one of the authors of a past report funded by the California Endowment, In Their Own Words, Farmworker Access to Health Care in Four California Regions  (pdf): 

Authors
In Their Own Words: Farmworker Access to Health Care in Four California Regions is based
upon information gathered in the Agricultural Workers Health Study, a research project conducted by the California Institute for Rural Studies beginning in September, 2001.  When completed, the research study will have spanned six regions, the first four of which are profiled in this report. The Agricultural Workers Health Study reflects the collective effort of a professional cohort of dedicated researchers, field ethnographers, writers, and editors who have worked in teams to produce lengthy regional case studies. The compilers of this report gratefully recognize the extensive work and time devoted to the project by the following members of the East Coachella Valley, North Orange Belt/Tulare County, North San Diego County, and Oxnard/Santa Clarita Valley research teams:

Marisol Ayala
Marcus Clarke
Kenneth Kambara, Ph.D.
Natalie Karst
Heather Kun
Richard Mines, Ph.D., Principal Investigator
Nancy Mullenax, Ph.D.
Kara Nygaard
Victor Manuel Pérez, M.Ed.
John Nagiecki, M.A.
Lisette Saca
Mireya Samaniego
Kurt Schroeder
Crispin Shelley
Xochitl Villasenor
Amy L. Wilson
Disha Zaidi, M.A.

The California Institute for Rural Studies is a nonprofit social science research organization that studies questions related to social justice, environmental balance, and economic sustainability in rural California.

The initial seed money for this project came from the California Program on Access to Care (CPAC), which is part of the California Policy Research Center (CPRC). CPRC serves as a research support arm of the Office of the President of the University of California. CPAC focuses on health care policy issues.

The California Endowment, a statewide philanthropic organization focused on improving the health status of all Californians, provided generous support for the Agricultural Workers Health Study.

Manuel Pérez was also the original program director for the Poder Popular program in East Coachella Valley, and caught up with his former colleagues after their presentation at the conference.  They are enthusiastic about his campaign, and Manuel had excellent meetings with Assemblymember Joe Coto, Assemblymember Richard Polanco, his friends at Verde Group, and others.  Manuel Pérez is the best candidate for the CDP to run in the CA 80th AD race against the GOPer, but he’s not the big money Democrat in the primary, and that’s still a huge factor.  Did I mention my ActBlue page for Manuel Pérez?

Yes, September is the time to make the fundraising equal to the mojo.  The next fundraiser for Manuel Pérez, the People’s Candidate for the 80thAD, is hosted by the Mayor of Coachella, Eduardo Garcia. 

OK.  As promised, and cuter than a pootie pic, here’s a little angel who watched Manuel and Gladys dancing last month at the family birthday party. 
She so looked like she wanted to be dancing, too.  So her sister stepped in:

thank goodness, because if that child didn’t get to dance I didn’t think I was going to be able to bear it. 

A word from our last staff meeting, from the wise and charming Dr. David Skinner, “Everyone is someone, and no human being is illegal.”  Let’s put some fuel in the campaign of a guy who works for human rights on the local level, and actually makes the difference that Democrats are all about.  (Click it.  Hey, man, I did it for Darcy Burner.)

Manuel Pérez, quoted in the  The Desert Sun recently:

Solis’ legislation gives the Interior Department three years to study sites “significant to the life of César E. Chávez and the farm labor movement in the western United States.” Officials will examine ways to preserve the sites and interpret them to the public.

…… “This goes beyond just honoring him because it helps in so many ways,” Perez said. “He was always very family-oriented and an advocate for leadership development, youth development. The fact that we can dedicate these spaces in our communities for families and youth is such a positive thing.”  Perez, who recalls working on the farms as a child, said his parents were migrant farmworkers who settled in Coachella.  Now Perez is a school board member for the Coachella Valley Unified School District and a candidate for state assembly,  which he said reminds him to “appreciate the sacrifices of people like Chávez who did it in order to build up our communities.”

Crossposted at Daily Kos

Also quoted, our own Joe Mota:

“It’s a beginning and a good start to honoring a man that did so much for the plight of farmworkers,” said Joe Mota of Cathedral City.  Mota worked for UFW as regional director for Southern California from 2001-06.

“He was a very spiritual man,” Mota added, “and giving him parks is an honorable way to remember him because not only did he care for people but he cared so much about nature.”

This bodes well for The Desert Sun, let’s hope. 

It’s a treat to find unsolicited positive press on your candidate in the morning paper, and perhaps it’s a trend away from the usual RW worlitzer fare.  Today they ran an editorial supporting the legislation to honor Chavez,  and weeks ago The Desert Sun lauded Eddie Garcia, the new mayor of Coachella, for his rapid success in attracting businesses and providing civic services, just as he said he would. 

César Chávez so shaped many lives in this district.  It’s no coincidence that Manuel Pérez devoted his career to his community, that Joe Mota and Eddie Garcia did the same, and that they’re supporting Pérez’s run for State Assembly.  The UFW isn’t just a political ally or a social issue for Pérez, it’s family. 

Last night Democrats of the Desert presented Kian Kaeni of People for the American Way at the Peppertree Bookstore in LA Quinta. DoD members, DWD and other club members, and Manuel and Gladys and Amalia were there.  We talked about winning in the CA 80th, which was a priority for Kian, though the regional PFAW offices are now closing.  (New election cycle, new PFAW org structure.  Kian was philosophical about it.)  Kian believes that given the intransigence of the CA 45th voting patterns so far, we need to first win the 80th to win the 45th.

We talked about the gap between registration and actual voting, especially in Imperial County where Dems should dominate on election day, but so far we don’t.  This brought up questions about the southeastern end of the 80th, and Manuel Pérez had the answers.  Manuel brought our group of  western Coachella Valley Democrats up to date on the Democratic organizations in Mecca, Brawley, Calexico, also the newly formed Eastern Coachella Valley Democratic club.  Few knew how much good news there is for Democrats lately in the local Latino community. 

This candidate knows the whole district.  He lives the labor movement, the school reform issue, the healthcare crisis, and he’s completely committed to his community.  This is what the people-powered politics looks like in the 80th.
  Let’s put some energy into my Californians for Manuel Pérez Act Blue page, my fellow dfh brethren.  Manuel Pérez is exactly what we’re talking about.  For Pérez, the UFW is part of his life.  He doesn’t need to build alliances with labor, he can just call his parents to the podium.  They met working these fields.  It’s good that Representative Solis introduced HR 359 which will honor Chávez appropriately, and it’s good that so many of the generation to follow Chávez honors his work with their own.

Speaking of the Perez family, if you’re in the Coachella Valley, don’t miss the party:

Birthday Bash Fundraiser
Bring $35 for Manuel’s 35th

July 28, 2007
7-10pm
38-300 Rancho Los Coyotes, Indio
Rsvp: 760-772-3466
Come celebrate and enjoy food, drinks, & music.

Calitics Event Calendar listing (with map)