Farmworkers rally in Apopka
May Day observance puts focus on immigrants’ rights, value
Central Florida farmworkers, many concerned about a growing intolerance toward themselves and workers who are noncitizens, rallied Monday for immigrant rights in Apopka, a smaller version of May Day demonstrations across the nation.
The crowd at Kit Land Nelson Park grew to about 300 people as the demonstrators listened to speeches in English and Spanish and then walked to Apopka City Hall for a photo on the front steps.
Not even the first rain in a month dampened the crowd’s enthusiasm, sparked by President Donald Trump’s fiery rhetoric against Mexico and immigrants.
“We are not criminals,” said Tirso Moreno of the Farmworker Association of Florida. “We work hard, and we are an important part of the nation’s economy.”
The crowd paraded 16 blocks —
about a mile — along Park Avenue and U.S. Highway 441, getting some thumbs up and encouraging honks from motorists driving by, as well as a middle finger from the driver of a septic truck.
Many just wanted to be heard as they chanted, “Si Se Puede,” roughly translated, “Yes, we can,” the rallying cry coined by farm labor leader and civil-rights crusader Cesar Chavez.
“It’s an act of solidarity among us who are feeling pretty beleaguered a bit,” said Sister Ann Kendrick of Hope CommUnity Center, which offers self-improvement programs and support to farmworkers in Central Florida. “These are really dangerous and serious times. People are being wantonly picked up and deported, families separated, people who have no criminal record, people who have been in this country 10, 15 years … good people.”
Larger rallies drew thousands in other cities, including Chicago, Los Angeles and Seattle on May Day, which traditionally has celebrated workers’ rights but took on more momentum this year because of President Donald Trump’s victory.
Galilea Rojas wore a T-shirt in Apopka that read “Don’t Deport My Family.” She and her mother, Yesica Ramirez, 33, came to the rally to add their voices to a fight for people such as the 10-year-old’s grandparents, undocumented immigrants who have worked in the U.S. for decades.
The crowd could have been larger but for fear among some that they could draw unneeded attention to themselves by speaking out, said Adela Gaytan, whose daughter, Alejandra Juarez, 16, translated her mother’s Spanish into English.
Asked why she wasn’t afraid, Gaytan said, “I’m not doing anything bad.”
Some marchers said they took the day off from work. Others said they were given time off by their employers to demonstrate for immigrant rights. They included construction workers, landscapers and hospitality workers. Marchers carried signs for health care and a living wage.
Roger Martinez, 58, carried a sign that read, “We are fathers, husbands, hard workers, not bad hombres.” Four friends handed out cold water and Gatorade.
Some signs referred to the president’s pledge to build a border wall.
“Build schools not walls,” read one.
Another read “Fire the Liar,” over a cartoon face of Trump.
A marching man carried a sign that said, “Aqui se respina lucha,” translated as “Here one breathes fight.”
A farmworkers trailer was decorated with children’s artwork
While campaigning, Trump complained that Mexico sends people “that have lots of problems, and they’re bringing those problems [to] us. They’re bringing drugs. They’re bringing crime. They’re rapists. And some, I assume, are good people.”
It is not just the new president’s words but also his policies that are fueling the rallies, including an executive order banning travelers from six predominantly Muslim countries and a renewed crackdown on people he calls “illegals,” according to organizers. A federal judge blocked the order, which the Department of Justice is appealing.
“It should not only be an immigrant concern, but a concern for all citizens,” said Soraya Marquez, Florida state coordinator for Mi Familia Vota, which tackles issues affecting Latinos.
Arturo Mata of Apopka brought his wife, Lourdes Lopez, and their four children to witness the rally. Each held a sign that read, “We are here to stay.” Their children are U.S. citizens. “We are here because we want to support immigrants and the community, and we want there to be a change,” said Mata, speaking in Spanish. “I would like Mr. Trump to change his way of thinking.”