Marching Alongside Immigrants and Workers

3 days ago
2 min read

For the second year in a row, GCC was proud to have some members serve as marshals for the Milwaukee May Day March led by Voces de la Frontera. May 1st is celebrated as International Worker’s Day each year dating back to the 18th century. This year, there were more than 3,000 known events across the US to celebrate workers and push back against harmful national policies. In Milwaukee, immigrants, union members, students, educators, and their families and allies marched together in celebration of workers who fought for the 8-hour workday and to demand respect for their rights, dignity, and humanity.

The day began with a program outside the Voces office featuring:

Land acknowledgement from Jennifer Santellan
Justice Singers
The Racine Pro Democracy Players
Elected officials on the ICE OUT bills
- Mayor Cavalier Johnson & Common Council President Alderman Jose Perez
- County Supervisor Caroline Gomez-Tom
Blessings by Padre Tenzo Rosales - San Patricio & Guadalupe Church, and Minister Lewis - Assistant Pastor of Milwaukee’s St. Gabriel’s Church of God In Christ and Executive Director of Souls to the Polls

After the opening program, the march set off on the 3-mile route to the Milwaukee Federal Building. The group was energetic and there was no stop in the call and response chants the entire march. The homemade signs and community art carried by marchers were impressive and inspiring. We even spotted a GCC sign!

As marshals, our job was to keep the route safe and accessible for all. We lined the perimeter, assisted those who needed support, and stayed alert for any potential disruptions. Thankfully, the march remained peaceful and joyful, filled with the energy of families, activists, and community members walking shoulder to shoulder.

Once the march reached the Federal Building in downtown Milwaukee, there was another line-up of speakers, including Crystal Aguilar, the oldest daughter of Elvira Benitez-Suarez, and Kareem Sarsour, eldest son of Salah Sarsour. Both families have been torn apart by unlawful and ongoing ICE detentions. The calls for justice from Crystal and Kareem were a heart-breaking window into the real harm being done to entire families by the current immigration enforcement actions. It emphasized the urgency needed to build support networks for immigrant communities and to demand change from elected officials.

We wrapped up the day at Ziedler Union Square Park, where people caught up with each other, grabbed a bite to eat, and found a shuttle. It was a beautiful afternoon so a group of GCC marshals decided to walk back to Voces. It was a great opportunity to talk about what we learned and what we can do to support immigrants and workers before next year’s march. A few options for anyone who would like to get involved include: