On Saturday, April 30, the Multi-ethnic Immigrant Worker Organizing Network (MIWON) took to the streets for a march and rally for immigrants rights on the occasion of International Workers Day (May 1). <##IMAGE##> The rally began at Olympic Boulevard and Main Street in downtown Los Angeles near the garment district the workplace of so many workers and particularly Latino and Asian immigrants. Thousands of workers, families, friends, and allies turned out for the event, with dozens of organizations and groups represented. People marched from Olympic and Main to La Placita Olvera at Cesar Chavez and Main. The mood was jubilant and the speeches powerful at this multiracial rally where people called for an end to immigrant-bashing and scapegoating and for solidarity among all workers.

La Lucha Obrera No Tiene Fronteras!

MIWON is composed of The Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights (CHIRLA), Garment Workers Center (GWC), Instituto de Educacion Popular Del Sur de California (IDEPSCA), Korean Immigrant Workers Advocates (KIWA) and Pilipino Workers?Center (PWC). MIWON has been spearheading a broad campaign for pro-immigrant reform that focuses on the need for a path to citizenship for immigrants, the reunification of families, and the protection of workplace rights. Cindy Cho, MIWON organizer
and Community Organizer at KIWA, said It was a very good eventabout 4,000 people, which is an incredible turnout considering that the date had to be changed. People were very energetic and the march itself was able to reach a lot of people out on the streets.?

In coming months, one focus of the campaign will be the struggle to repeal a Memorandum of Understanding that allows the LA County Sheriffs Department to question people about immigration status in any type of interview whatsoever. With such a policy in place, Cho points out that fear of deportation of individuals themselves, family members, or friends can make people unwilling to report domestic violence, child abuse, or other serious problems. The struggle includes the fight for the continuation of Special Order 40, which currently prevents the Los Angeles Police Department from adopting similar practices. MIWON is also in contact with Senators McCain and Kennedy to urge them to include the issues of citizenship, reunification of families, and workplace rights in an upcoming bipartisan immigration reform bill.

In addition to the organizations of MIWON, groups attending the march and rally included ANSWER-LA, the Bus Riders Union, Frente Latino Americano en Los Angeles, Hermandad Mexicana Nacional, Interfaith Communities United for Peace and Justice, International Action Center, Korean Resource Center, LA Chinatown Service Center, Pasadena Community Job Center, and many others.



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