May Day Rallying in Boulder

Hundreds Rally for Immigrants’ Rights in Boulder

By Jenny Shank, 5-01-06

Hundreds gathered at the Boulder Band Shell at noon today to show their support for immigrants as a part of the national “A Day Without An Immigrant” event. Organizers asked attendees to wear white, and people in white t-shirts, white blouses, and white Mexican dresses packed Boulder’s Central Park. I was struck by how many of the families brought their small children, most of whom waved tiny American flags. Mothers with babies in strollers ringed the tree-shaded area behind the band shell’s seating. On stage, various speakers offered personal testimonies, reminded attendees to register to vote at the station set up to the west of the stage, and led the crowd in spirited chants (“Si Se Puede”—“Yes we can” and “La gente unida jamas será vencida”—“The people united will never be defeated.”).

I saw only a few dissenters—on the corner of Broadway and Canyon, one man pumped a sign that said, “Detect, Detain, Deport” on one side and “Sanctuaries are for birds, not illegals” on the other. He argued with some students who questioned his politics, and showed his sign to passing cars, but he was far outnumbered by immigrant supporters, who waved American flags at traffic and were answered with continuous blasts of car horns.

Throughout the event, organizers announced the names of local businesses that had closed today or had allowed their employees to leave work to attend, including The Walnut Café and Noodles & Company. Many members of the crowd waved signs that read, “We’re all immigrants” and “No human is illegal,” and one Latina girl of about ten years old carried a sign with the creative slogan, “If you mess with a Bean, you mess with the whole Burrito.”

No political cause can gain momentum without a sufficiently dastardly nemesis to oppose, and it was clear from the boos and jeers that greeted the name of Tom Tancredo that he’s filling the role of the moustache-twirling villain nicely. One man who identified himself as a Chicano declared, “Chicanos, Mexicans, and our white friends will overcome the craziness that’s going on in the world today.” He spoke about the organization Defend Colorado, which is supporting a ballot initiative that would deny government services to undocumented immigrants. But the “worst of all,” he said, is “Táncredo,” pronouncing the representative’s name with a little Spanish flair, eliciting a chorus of boos and whistles. This prompted one man to parade in front of the stage pumping a sign that read, “No somos uno/ No somos cien/ Tancredo cuenta nos bien!!” (“We are not one, we are not a hundred, count us well, Tancredo!”—the Spanish version works better, however, as it includes a catchy rhyme.)

People who mounted the stage to share their stories included a woman named Leticía who said, “I immigrated fifteen years ago to find a better life and opportunities for my kids, aged twelve and nineteen.” A Catholic priest, Father Peter of Lafayette, expressed his support for immigrant rights, and a 20-year-old woman named Yesenia encouraged people to call their representatives and urge them to support the Dream Act, which would allow undocumented high school graduates to obtain their permanent residency. One woman speaking in Spanish spoke of the “casas limpias” (clean houses) that many “Norteamericanos” enjoy because of the labor of their immigrant cleaning staff. Lorena Garcia said, “I am a Chicana, daughter of a Chicano, and graduate of CU Boulder,” as she pointed up the hill toward the University. She spoke of her recent trip to Mexico on which she traveled with a group of migrants from Oaxaca.

One Boulder City Council member (a white-bearded man who did not identify himself by name) spoke of his family, who were Irish and German immigrants that arrived in the U.S. in the 1800s. “The Know-Nothing Party wanted to ban Irish and Germans, my ancestors, from being in this country. But my ancestors persevered, and that’s why I’m here today. Even though you feel invisible,” he told the immigrants in the crowd, “you are appreciated for what you do.” He announced that Boulder Mayor Will Toor and the rest of the City Council are unanimous in their opposition to anti-immigrant legislation.

The woman who served as the Spanish translator throughout the event announced, “We have just received word that 100,000 people are marching in Denver.” After the crowd’s cheers died down, she added, “You cannot oppress a people who are not afraid anymore. No tenemos miedo.”

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