GILROY
– Celia Olmos will keep two children out of school today. She
shopped for groceries and bought a tank of gas on Thursday so she
wouldn’t have to make any purchases today. Nearly all of her
friends and family will stay home from work, she said.
By Lori Stuenkel
GILROY – Celia Olmos will keep two children out of school today. She shopped for groceries and bought a tank of gas on Thursday so she wouldn’t have to make any purchases today. Nearly all of her friends and family will stay home from work, she said.
Olmos is one of hundreds – if not thousands – of Latino residents who are participating in a statewide boycott to prove the economic muscle behind California’s largest ethnic minority.
Advocate groups are asking Latinos across the state to boycott businesses today in protest of the state legistlature’s repeal of SB60, a law that would have allowed undocumented immigrants to get driver’s licenses. The call to action, or inaction, includes refraining from: going to work, sending children to school, eating in restaurants, depositing money in the bank and spending money pretty much anywhere, even gas stations.
“This is to show the people who (are) not supporting the illegal immigrants … that we are united and that we have a really big impact in California,” said Olmos, who said she emigrated from Mexico 18 years ago and is now a legal citizen.
Dozens of Gilroy’s Latino-owned businesses said they will close their doors as part of the one-day protest.
“Since we all pay taxes, we contribute to the government. Why don’t we have the same rights?” said Maria Shiraki, a partner of Arteaga’s Super Save Market.
Both Super Save locations – at 211 First St. and 6906 Chestnut St. – will be closed today in support of the boycott, Shiraki said.
While she noted that the protest is specifically targeting the rights of undocumented immigrants, Shiraki said the entire Latino community must show solidarity.
“Our customers are 94 percent Hispanic, so we want to support our customers,” she said.
Shiraki and partner Fred Lopez weighed their decision carefully before electing to close the stores.
“I was worried about it because we are going to lose a lot of money,” Shiraki said. She anticipates a potential $25,000 loss in profits.
There also was concern about possible backlash from customers for not supporting the boycott, Shiraki said. Customers have encouraged Shiraki and Lopez to close their business, and some have even said they would not come back to the store if it remained open Friday.
Jose Gaeta, owner of Gaeta’s Taqueria at 340 E. Tenth St., said he did not fear retribution from customers for not participating in the protest but will close his doors today.
“I was illegal when I first came here, so I understand,” Gaeta said.
Gaeta’s employees were the main reason he decided to close because they fully support the boycott, he said.
Gaeta’s son, Joel, said customers have talked to him about the boycott and likely would have been against a decision to stay open.
Mayor Al Pinheiro said he had not heard enough about the boycott to fully understand the issue but thought there could be a better way to address the protest.
“All it’s going to do is hurt the local businesses that already are hurting as it is,” Pinheiro said. “If you asked me tomorrow to not spend my money in Gilroy for something that the state government is doing … I’m not going to do that. I care too much about our city to not frequent and care about our local businesses.”
The protest has been advertised by organizers for nearly a month, mostly on Spanish-language radio and television. This week, campaigning began through the mainstream media.
“What we’re trying to do is use economic means to pursue political goals,” said Edward Headington, spokesman for the Mexican American Political Association, the main organizer of the boycott.
“We are educating the Latino immigrant community about the concept of a nonviolent, non-participatory economic strike,” he said.
Superintendent Edwin Diaz said he notified the schools so they could communicate to parents and students the importance of sending children to school every day.
Frank Valadez, the district’s attendance officer, said the state withholds $36 for each student who is absent on any given day.
Students at Brownell Academy Middle School were notified they would serve Saturday School and miss tonight’s dance if they were absent from school unexcused today, Valadez said.
Some boycott participants said that Gilroy Unified School District teachers would participate, either by encouraging students to stay home or by staying home themselves.
“I would be very disappointed if any teacher encouraged students not to come,” Diaz said.
Statewide, organizers distributed hundreds of thousands of fliers in English and Spanish advertising the effort. Spanish-language fliers were visible in the storefronts of numerous Latino-owned businesses along Monterey Road Thursday afternoon. Shiraki said someone brought fliers to the stores on Wednesday, although she did not know which organization they represented.
Juan Porfillo, a Gilroy resident who will not go to work in San Jose today, said he heard about the boycott through a Spanish-language radio station and word-of-mouth.
“We spend money, we work hard, and I think the protest is going to help the government see that we are important,” Porfillo said.
While the restaurant where Porfillo is employed will remain open Friday, he said his boss is aware of the boycott and that a large portion of his work force could be absent. Porfillo said his family and friends would all keep their money in their pockets today and his three nieces and nephews would not be attending their Gilroy schools.
Esperanza Marin, owner of La Prieta Linda, a restaurant at 7433 Monterey Road, said she will be closed today. Next door, at Los Arcos Market and Panaderia, a clerk said the same. Frances Camacho, whose husband owns Moonlight Boutique at 280 E. Tenth St., said they would decide Thursday night whether or not to open Friday morning. Super Taqueria, at 401 E. Tenth St., will close.
Tony Fuentes, president of the Gilroy Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, said he is not worried about the economic impact of the boycott on Gilroy because people’s dollars will stay in town as Latinos make their regular purchases on Thursday or Saturday. The Hispanic Chamber does not have an official position on the boycott because “the timing happened way too fast,” he said.
Personally, Fuentes supports the use of a boycott to make a statement.
“From a commerce perspective, I’m interested in the results. It will really define the marketing profile of Hispanics,” he said. “Individuals, regardless of their ethnicity, should consider, if not follow the story, and the probable impacts that such a boycott can precipitate in the future.”
The strike coincides with the feast day of the Virgin of Guadalupe, Mexico’s patron saint.
The flyer translated:
Let’s save immigrants’ licenses
The Great Latino Economic Boycott
We will not buy anything December 12
Don’t go to work! Don’t send your children to school! Don’t buy gas! Don’t go to stores or major chain stores! Don’t eat in restaurants! Don’t call long distance! Don’t wire money! Don’t deposit money in banks! Don’t use credit cards! Don’t go to amusement parks!
We will show the new governor and the conservative Republicans that California’s economy needs Latinos.
Spread the voice!
Unite and be part of the solution!
Details: www.savesb60.com
