Reflecting on May 1st

As I drove down Lake street, east from the lakes, the signs were already clear. The usual bustle was replaced by empty sidewalks and closed businesses. Although the weather was rainy, the mood was festive as hundreds of immigrants and their supporters, myself included, rallied at Powderhorn Park in South Minneapolis this past Monday, May 1st. The event was a part of the nation-wide series of marches, protests, and rallies dubbed ‘a day without immigrants.’ Despite the fact that the national immigration issue focuses on Latinos, I spoke with immigrants from Laos and Russia who were there to express their concerns as well as stand in solidarity with all immigrant workers. I walked through the crowd with my good friend Eric, his mother a legal immigrant from Brazil. We were excited by the passion of the speakers, the energy of the Aztec dancers, and the sight of flags from Honduras, Uruguay, Mexico, El Salvador, Ecuador, all interspersed with the prevalent American banner. Members of the local spoken word group, Palabristas, performed emotional and inspiring pieces of poetry. Music, from salsa to tejano to hip-hop, kept people loose and energized.

While hundreds of thousands of immigrants across the country took action by not going to work, I was disappointed that many of the most visible and high profile Latino immigrants, Manny Ramirez, David Ortiz, Pedro Martinez, Albert Pujols, among others, all played for their respective major league teams. Currently 36% of major league ball players were born in Latin America. While industries related to agriculture, landscaping, construction and food service were all effected, imagine the hit major league baseball would have taken.

But what effect would this one-day cessation of work and purchasing have? I think it proved that national comprehensive immigration reform is something that needs to be addressed in a just and equitable manner. Not next session, not next year, but now. I think we can change the hearts and minds of people across this state and the country, who know that hardworking people deserve fair treatment. We can organize for change and we can keep the pressure on our elected officials to take our voices seriously. Si, se puede. Yes, we can.
-Matt Levitt