Activists promoting alternatives to walkouts

By Sahra Susman, Staff Writer

Article Launched: 04/30/2007 11:38:23 PM PDT

One year ago thousands of Inland Valley students took to the streets to participate in a massive school walkout; at the same time nearly 1 million people were marching in downtown Los Angeles in support of immigration rights.

This year activists have organized alternate forms of demonstration in an effort to encourage students to stay in school.

Ana Portillo worked with a group of women in Pomona to create an alternative walkout.

"We wanted to march to show our support of immigration reform but we wanted to do something that wouldn't jeopardize school or work - so we're walking at 5 p.m.," said Portillo, who is undocumented.

Portillo and members of Pomona's Centro de Nacimiento and the nonprofit organization Enlace will gather this evening at the intersection of Angela and Olive streets and make their way to Pomona City Hall.

"Some of the women were saying that they wanted their kids to walk out during school. But (for) our kids in school, education should always be first," she said.