Hispanics rally for Obama, promote immigration reform

Carolyn Hileman - The Voice* | April 29, 2008

By Daniel Jehl

A photographer took shots for nearly an hour and then said, “This is important to the Latino community here.”

The occasion was an Obama for President rally at the offices of El Mexicano, a local Spanish language newspaper. The rally last week was held on the 40-year anniversary of the historic visit to Fort Wayne by Rose Kennedy who then conveyed a message for her son Senator Robert Kennedy and also for Martin Luther King Jr. that America should be opportunity for all. Forty years later to the day, that very same message was delivered by a Hispanic state legislator to support Senator Barack Obama for president of the U.S.

The rally, organized by Chris Farrell, Northeast Indiana Obama for America Director in cooperation with El Mexicano, was led by State Representative Mara Candelaria Reardon (D-12th).

Candelaria Reardon gave a 40- minute speech for the Obama for America Campaign. The speech was delivered in Spanish, and the questions were fielded in both Spanish and English.

Former Fort Wayne City Councilman Dr. Tom Hayhurst raised the most popular topic of the rally- namely, immigration. Candelaria Reardon said Obama offers the best hope to address immigration issues. She said Obama’s “priority is to safeguard the borders.”