Oregonians march around the State Capitol in Salem in support of immigrants. Gabriela Flora
Oregon Project Voice Program Director Pedro Sosa and I joined over 1,500 people at the State Capitol to celebrate International Workers Day (aka May Day) and the Day Without An Immigrant.
This event was sponsored by AFSC’s partners at Pineros y Campesinos Unidos del Noroeste (PCUN) and the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Local 503 along with over 180 partner organizations of the Oregon For All (OFA) Coalition.
This gathering was organized to resist the current attacks on immigrant Oregonians and their families by the Trump Administration as well as highlight the important contributions to Oregon’s communities and economy. People were encouraged to not go to work, school or shop to show the important contributions immigrants make – and that immigrants should not be used as scapegoats for the current US economic landscape.
The event kicked off with a program of community and political leaders, including Oregon Governor Tina Kotek. They reinforced their commitment to provide support to immigrant Oregonians working to provide for their families and who are essential to the state.
The attendees then marched over a mile around the State Capitol in solidarity with supporters and allies to show community strength amid continued immigration enforcement actions by ICE.
A community fiesta and dance outside the Oregon Capitol Gabriela Flora
At the end of the march, a community fiesta and dance celebrated the recent legislative wins in the Immigrant Justice Package that provides more protections against warrantless ICE detentions. These include the ability to sue for property damages and increased ICE action notifications to students and parents by school administrators.
Fortunately, this year’s march went without much incident from anti-immigrant agitators. However, ICE continues to arrest and detain immigrant Oregonians at places such as at the Marion County Courthouse in Salem.
Oregon Project Voice continues to lead Know Your Rights (KYR) and Human Rights Observer (HRO) trainings for community members and allies to defend and document ICE actions.
From left, Gabriela Flora, Alonso Oliveros, Claire Hannapel, Amy Gottlieb and Pedro Sosa
One fun part of May Day was a surprise visit from Amy Gottlieb, AFSC Director of Just Migration, who came from New York, and AFSC Leadership and Planned Gifts Officers Gabriela Flora from Denver and Claire Hannapel from Atlanta.
We're so grateful to everyone who supports AFSC's actions for immigrant rights. Donate here to continue the work of Oregon Project Voice.