May Day March

by Mari Villaluna/PNN Youth in Media Washington D.C. correspondent

We are the children of the migrant worker…
We are the offspring of the concentration camps…
Sons and daughters of the railroad builders…
We will leave our stamp on America.

- a song lead by a Reverend Norman Fong from Presbyterian Church of Chinatown in San Francisco at the Washington DC May Day API Mobilization

When I was little, I knew nothing of how my mother came to this country. My guess was that they had just moved here. As I got older my Nanay and Lola would reveal to me their stories to carry on their voices of diasporia. My Nanay would always make it clear that first my Lolo (Rest In Power) came to San Francisco by himself. He lived in a house with many other immigrants, who were saving up money to bring their families over or to send it back home. My Nanay told me, " Your Lolo (Grandfather) was already waiting for us in San Francisco. Then I remember hearing on the radio that Marcos declared martial law. We were already trying to leave the islands, and now it seemed it would never happen."

These words rang again in my head when I was living in my ancestor’s homeland and then again when I visited Tagatay, and saw the vacation house that Dictator Marcos built for U.S. President Reagan. They were best buddies, and when Marcos was kicked out of our country he was given political exile in Hawaii. What a slap in the face to my People. This infuriated me to the very core of my soul. My family left the islands to escape political oppression only to have to survive another form of oppression in the United States, a country that caused and supported the oppression of my family and our nation.

So when it came time for May Day 2007, I knew I had to represent for all my ancestors and their struggles. I was born here, so to many I am not an Immigrant, yet to many others I am from the outside, an Immigrant. When asked by an Associated Press reporter why I was participating in the march even though I was a reporter and a U.S. citizen, I stated simply, " My mother immigrated to this country. If I don't support immigrants then I would be denying myself. It's important to be here."

On this May Day, the first day of the Asian and Pacific Islander History Month to support my ancestors and all immigrants, I participated in not only the May Day March, but also the National Mobilization of Asian Pacific Americans. This action was made by a coalition of Asian, Pacific Islander, and Raza organizations. This powerful action with interfaith leaders, US Representatives, API Organizations and Korean drumming circles, was made by a coalition of Asian, Pacific Islander and Raza organizations. In the few days before May Day, these organizations and many Asians and Pacific Islanders lobbied on Capitol Hill to speak out on the injustices of the current immigration policies that the U.S. upholds. First there was a press conference, in which Congressman Mike Honda stated, “" There is a stereotype that Asians are quiet, We aren’t going to be quiet about this right? "

I found it fascinating that there were so many preachers of color out supporting immigration reform. I spoke with Reverend Eun Sang Lee of Warren United Methodist Church, and asked him to comment what Christianity has to do with immigration, “" In God there is no border. This is a human right. We (Christians) have an obligation to care for marginalized and oppressed… There is a biblical mandate to protect the vulnerable." He went on to speak about third world peoples’ need, especially Christians, to stand in solidarity with each other, " We, as persons of color, we are playing into the politics of fear. Pitting one group against the other. We are getting played. In God there is abundance when we lift up each other."

After the press conference, a stage was set up for the rally. There was a moment of silence given in remembrance of the students and faculty of Virginia Tech. After the silence, someone shouted out " Go Hokies! " Throughout the rally there was one constant chant, “What do we want?” The answer was always, " Immigration reform! " Solidarity from other third world communities was shown when other immigrants came and stood beside the Asian Pacific Islander community.

The NAACP came out as an organization and spoke about immigration. Hilary Shelton, Director of the Washington Bureau, NAACP, stated, We " must move from the politics of scapegoating immigrants…Indeed we must move together." Later in the rally, Congressman Guiterrez commented upon immigration reform, " We have only begun the fight." After he spoke, many started to chant, " Si se puede!"

We started to march toward the Democratic National Headquarters. The Korean Drumming group led the March and provided the beat for the movement we were all a part of. When we all reached the DNC we encircled the front of the building, while chanting about Immigrant rights. The Chants never stopped. Even when the chant leaders took breaks, a Grandmother in the contingent would make sure that we continued chanting together.

People never stopped marching in that circle, even though the sun was blazing upon our backs. I felt that this march was part of and connected to all the other walks/marches/protests that had been taken place before. This was not a march that was separate from any other movement; it was one that was intertwined with all movements, especially the movement to have one’s human rights recognized, implemented and respected.

We started to march again. While heading out to march, I lead one of the chants. I chanted " We didn’t cross the border, the borders crossed us." As I chanted, I thought about this land. This land has always been and always will be First Nations land, and the first illegal immigrants were Europeans. One difference between then and now is that Indigenous peoples do not believe that a person can ‘own’ the land. It is ironic that the same people whose ancestors immigrated here are the same people who are against people they view as immigrants. They themselves are immigrants, yet they continue to scapegoat immigrants.

We finally hit the Good Old Party Headquarters; which is the home of the Republican National Party. We encircled the front of the building yet another time while chanting out " Are you tired? " The protestors always responded with a firm, loud, " NO” " It was around 3:00pm and the crowd was still strong and passionate about our voices being heard in the Capitol. I thought about my Lola and her diaspora to the United States. I remember the stories of shopping at the thrift stores, carrying bags of groceries on the bus, and everyone living in a one room bedroom with her husband and all her four kids. I remembered seeing the sign that said, " Positively No Filipinos Allowed " hung inside my Tito’s house as a reminder of the racism that Filipino immigrants survived. I was continuing this walk for my family, ancestors, and community.

As I left the march with my face covered in a rag that said "Who's the Illegal alien PILGRIM?" I crossed the street from the Headquarters of the Republican Party. I passed by two white men in suits, who I could feel were speaking about me. One looked at me directly and stated, " Don't worry darling, I won't tell anyone." I was reminded of my own Lola (Grandmother) and Nanay (Mother) and their stories of immigration to the U.S. and how they escaped the Martial law of Marcos's regime. I was reminded of how my ancestors struggled to live in this country. I looked at him, and stated " I am from this land."