Immigrant rights focus of May 1 strikes, rallies

David Cheltenham, an Excel Academy freshman, was among approximately 80 people who took off from school and work on May 1 to instead turn out for an immigrant rights breakfast event hosted by the Cosecha movement. The morning action, at East Boston’s Maverick Landing, was followed by several events throughout the day, and was among May 1 events that turned out tens of thousands of immigrant and labor rights protestors nationally.

Excel Academy freshman David Cheltenham (left), skipped school to join Cosecha, saying he could not just stand by and watch. “I hope that me missing school symbolizes that I”m not afraid to stand up,” he told the Banner. Also attending Cosecha’s breakfast were Nathalie Rengito, a Colombian immigrant and Cosecha member, and organizers Dania Salas and Gloribell Mota.

Cheltenham had read about families torn apart and seen the anxiety among students at his own school. When on Saturday he learned of Cosecha, an immigrant advocacy movement that is active in several states, he felt he had to act, he said.

“Some of my friends at school said that when Trump was elected they feared for their families’ safety and felt the country they loved turned its back on them,” Cheltenham told the Banner. “It’s not something I can stand by and watch. … I came to see what’s going on. I wanted to contribute in any way I can.”

Cosecha called upon immigrants nationwide to stay home from jobs and school during May 1 and avoid making purchases on that day in order to demonstrate the economic impact and strong presence of immigrants.

Nathalie Renegifo is a Colombian immigrant who translates and volunteers for Cosecha at national events. She says she has experienced first-hand the hardship of a family member being deported and realized the strong need for a movement like Cosecha.

Renegifo says Cosecha has chosen not to affiliate with any political party after members became disillusioned that elected officials would follow through on promises to act in immigrants’ best interests.

“We buy, we pay taxes, we produce,” Renegifo told the Banner. “We have labor power and economic power. For decades we thought we had voting power and with our votes could elect people who’d protect us, but that did not happen. … They were just using our votes but would not do what would protect us.”

Between 9 a.m. and 11 a.m. Cosecha hosted the breakfast event, followed by events scheduled in East Boston throughout the afternoon including dance, discussion and music.

Meanwhile, at 11:45 a. m. Monday morning, immigrant and workers’ rights activists gathered outside the State House to rally for passage of the Safe Communities Act and other measures to protect against challenges to immigrants remaining in their communities.

Sen. Jamie Eldridge, who is sponsoring the Safe Communities bill, said that individual municipalities passing safe community laws is an important step, but falls short. Workers who cross city and town lines as they commute between home and jobs still are at risk without statewide action, he said.

Immigrant and labor right activists rallied outside the State House on Monday.

“It is not enough for cities and towns to pass their own legislation, though it is encouraging,” Eldridge told gatherers at the rally.

Dieufort Fleurissaint, chair of Haitian American United, decried the Trump administration’s plans to end temporary protected status for the 50,000 Haitian immigrants that was extended following the devastating 2010 earthquake. The protections are slated to expire in July. If they are not renewed, thousands of families will be forced to return to country that already struggles to provide for those currently living there, Fleurissaint said. He told demonstrators that many inhabitants of Haiti still reside in tent cities and struggle with food insecurity following both the earthquake and a cholera outbreak.

Sadia Mohammed, a Logan Airport worker who immigrated as a refugee from Sudan in 2008, said that President Donald Trump’s policies could prevent her 80-year-old father, who lives in Sudan, from visiting and meeting his grandchildren before he dies.

Many spoke of the intertwining of workers’ rights with immigrants’ rights. Mei Qun Huang, a Chinatown resident and member of the Chinese Progressive Association, said that without wage increases and other measures, many will be displaced from their communities as rents rise.

Other organizations held events throughout the day, with the May First Coalition leading a march from Everett City Hall and East Boston’s Maverick Square that culminated in a rally before Chelsea City Hall in the early evening, and another rally slated for 5 p.m. on the Boston Common. The May First Coalition includes an array of immigrant rights groups and workers’ rights groups and other activist, including the Chelsea Collaborative, La Comunidad, Chinese Progressive Association, UFCW Local 1445, Fight for $15, the Massachusetts Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy (MIRA) Coalition, American Friends Service Committee, MassCOSH, 32BJ SEIU, SEIU 509, LUMA, Jobs With Justice, Carpenters Union, and Act Now to Stop War and End Racism (ANSWER) Coalition.

This article was updated on May 3rd, 2017