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I began fasting on May 10 along with workers, clergy and community allies. By the end of the first week, more than 40 people had participated, some for a day, others for as long as five days. We had a common purpose: to show USC we were willing to make a physical sacrifice in our quest for justice for the 350 men and women who cook, serve and clean at the university.
Fasting nourishes the soul, even as it weakens the body. The memory of the sacrifices of my parents, immigrants who worked in the fields to see that their children would have a better life, returned to inspire me. Conversations with Dolores Huerta, co-founder of United Farm Workers, brought to life again the work and teaching of Cesar Chavez, which give me strength. How could I ask others to work harder in the labor movement, to take even greater risks for their children and their co-workers, unless I was willing to fast side by side with them?
On May 14, the general fast was coming to an end. The Rev. James Lawson...