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Nearly 200 people rally for Vanessa Guillen in peaceful demonstration

The Hanford Sentinel - 7/6/2020

Jul. 5--HANFORD -- Choking back tears, Emily Burns said it could have been her.

Jose Ireta urged the community to come together and continue to have their voices heard.

Another had their story about sexual assault shared anonymously.

All came together for Vanessa Guillen on Sunday.

Nearly 200 people came out to demand justice for Army Spc. Guillen at Hanford Civic Auditorium, the Fort Hood soldier who went missing in April. Guillen's remains were recently discovered on June 30 and confirmed to be her on Sunday.

"We have a sister who was gone and this congress, this president, this administration did nothing to find our sister, and that should anger you," Burns, a United States Navy veteran, passionately vented into the microphone. "Not as a Latina, not as an American, not as a white, Black, as a human being that should anger because she did not come home."

Ireta, balancing an American and Mexican flag on each shoulder, displayed his frustration with the military and their response to Guillen's disappearance. He also asked for people to be good to one another.

"No matter where you come from, no matter how you look like," Ireta said in both English and Spanish. "If we see anybody who needs water, give them water. If they need food, give them food. I bet you if we do that, this country is going to be different."

Those in attendance chanted Guillen's name and held signs reading "Justice for Vanessa," "No Hija Left Behind," and "We Will Not Be Silent." A small memorial was created at the top of the steps of the auditorium adorned with flowers, photos, candles and a lone American flag with a giant sign which said "Justice for Vanessa" behind it.

A member from Assemblymember Rudy Salas' office read a statement on his behalf, which said in part, "Together, I hope we can continue to organize and demand action to ensure that we find justice for Vanessa."

Ivette Stafforini, one of the organizers of the rally, said the event page was created on Thursday night and then shared over 500 times. With a small group of about six volunteers, the event had snacks, water, a medic and a booth to register voters.

"We are a military community ... and we felt that it was important to make it known that our community will not stand for this type of incident, for this type of behavior," Stafforini said. "Statistics show that this happens way too often and it is not acceptable for mothers and fathers to send their daughters and sons off to the military only to be sexually assaulted and dismissed when they file a report, if they ever do."

The approximately 90-minute event also included a march. The march took place on the sidewalk after Stafforini said her request to march on the street was not answered by the Hanford Police Department.

The group went around the block down North Douty Street and up North Irwin Street back to the auditorium. They chanted Guillen's name and other familiar words that have become common in the country's current climate of perceived injustice to minorities.

About a month ago, the Hanford Civic Auditorium was host to the Black Lives Matter protest and a candlelight vigil a week later.

Stafforini urged people to register to vote and continue the fight against injustice. The peaceful event then had a final few words before coming to a close.

"The next step is to mobilize our community, get them to register to vote and actually make their voices heard where it counts at the polls in November," Stafforini said.

Noe Garcia can be reached at (559) 583-2431 or ngarcia@hanfordsentinel.com. Follow Noe on Twitter at @noecarlosgarcia.

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