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GUESTS: Aquilina Soriano-Versoza, Director of Filipino Workers Center, Alma Castro, local youth activist, currently working with the March 25th Coalition, Lee Siu-Hin, National Coordinator of the National Immigrant Solidarity Network, also with Action-LA, Carolina Sarmiento, El Centro Cultural de Mexico

On May 1st last year, hundreds of thousands of immigrants, immigrant advocates, and other activists and residents marched in cities across the United States. Here in Southern California, May Day events were centered around two main marches, a morning event advocating a general boycott – a Day without an Immigrant – and the other, a more moderate afternoon event with a broader support base. May day was originally celebrated to commemorate the Haymarket Riots of 1886 in the US and has been the center of major events internationally to commemorate workers rights. These days May Day celebrations in the US are being organized primarily by and for immigrant workers, to highlight injustices against immigrants, and to advocate for humane immigrant policies. This year there are a variety of events taking place all over the country as well as here in Southern California.

– The Multi-Ethnic Immigrant Organizing Network has a May Day event at MacArthur Park on the corner of Wilshire and Park View, starting at 2 pm. For more information, visit www.pwcsc.org or www.chirla.org.

– Groups from the March 25th Coalition are organizing an event in Downtown LA starting at 12 noon on the corner of Olympic and Broadway. There will be a march and rally. For more information, visit maydaymovement.blogspot.com.

– There will be a May Day event put together by various groups in Orange County including Hermandad Mexicana, the Mexican American Political Association and others. It will start at 3 pm on the corner of Broadway and Flower in Santa Ana, in front of the Courthouse. For more information, visit www.elcentro.org.