LOS ANGELES—On Saturday, May 1, Los Angeles will honor the contributions of immigrants, workers, and those who fight to create a more just society for all. This year marks a new era of possibility in a time of desperately needed change. The work continues under the new administration as the nation enters into what looks to be the phasing down of the COVID-19 pandemic. If it was not clear before, it is clear now that the problems that existed before the pandemic have been exacerbated because of it. The country needs immigration reform, needs to protect workers, and take a giant leap forward towards racial justice.
This year’s theme for the L.A. May Day Coalition’s events will be “The Work Continues/La Lucha Sigue.” The focus is on lifting up immigrants, worker rights, and fighting against white supremacist brutality against Asian and Black community members. The action will be a combination hybrid march/car caravan and rally. In the words of this year’s organizing committee, “We want to lift up our solidarity as community, faith, immigrant rights, LGBTQ+, labor and Muslim organizations, who continue to stand strong with one another in the face of our current challenges.”
The action will emphasize social distancing principles in accord with COVID-19 protocols. Those joining the march are asked to wear a mask and make sure to stay at least 3-6 feet apart from one another.
Participating organizations and endorsers, all listed in the event’s Facebook page (see below), include the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights, the Los Angeles County Federation of Labor and many constituent unions, the Korean Resource Center, the Coalition for Community Control Over the Police, student and community-based groups, the Communist Party USA, DSA-LA, Coalition of Labor Union Women, Clergy and Laity United for Economic Justice, and many others.
The march will kick off Saturday morning from Los Angeles State Historic Park, 1315 N. Spring St., Los Angeles 90012 (adjacent to Chinatown, near Metro Gold Line Chinatown Station stop). The formal gathering begins at 10:00 a.m., with a music and cultural performance at 11. The program continues with a land acknowledgment and an interfaith benediction/prayer/moment of silence recognizing those who have passed as a result of COVID-19. The opening program ends at noon, and the march/car caravan will begin immediately after. The destination is Grand Park in front of Los Angeles City Hall.
The march will begin from Los Angeles State Historic Park and continue down Spring St. (which will turn into Alameda St.). The march makes a right on 1st Street in Little Tokyo and another right on N. Spring St. between City Hall and Grand Park. The total march route distance is 2.1 miles. The closing program takes place before the City Hall steps.
The May Day planning committee highly encourages marchers to take the Metro Gold Line and exit the Chinatown Station stop. There is a short 0.1-mile walk from the station to the Los Angeles State Historic Park. Look for the flatbed truck, signs, and banners for May Day on Spring Street.
If you are joining the car caravan, please drive in from Broadway into Spring St. If you are using a GPS device, the address to L.A. State Historic Park is 1245 N. Spring St., Los Angeles. When you arrive at the park, remain in your vehicle and follow the marshal’s instructions. You will be instructed to line up with your vehicle along Spring St. Cars will line up behind the marchers in an orderly fashion and make a double loop around the rally area. After the second loop, the caravan is done.
This year’s May Day agenda moves beyond resistance to the offensive. The immigrant and labor movements are demanding that a number of bills in Congress become law: The American Dream & Promise Act, the Farm Workforce Modernization Act, the Citizenship for Essential Workers Act, and the U.S. Citizenship Act of 2021, which maps a path to citizenship for the 11 million undocumented workers and their families in the U.S.
In addition, this is the year to pass labor laws like the Protecting the Right to Organize Act (PRO Act) and roll back union-busting efforts like California growers’ effort to restrict organizing in the fields. Workers’ right to organize, including fair union elections, is the beginning of a broadly varied, strengthened workforce that participates fully in this democracy.
Facebook Event Page for May Day L.A. For further questions, contact: Apolonio Morales of CHIRLA at amorales@chirla.org.
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