UNITING WITH STUDENTS & STAFF

Cañada students, faculty and staff join together at May Day rally

By Doniella Maher, AFT 1493 Cañada Executive Committee Co-Rep.

On May 1st students, faculty and staff joined to hold a Speak Out and Rally in the center quad at Cañada.  The event was facilitated by a Cañada student, Marvin Nieto-Cruz, and students and a number of Cañada faculty (mostly in red T-shirts!) shared stories, history and the importance of having their voices heard. Students shared a series of moving personal family immigration stories, and faculty spoke about the history of May Day and the historical Day Without An Immigrant Protest in 2006. An ESL student brought pizzas for everyone who participated, and there was an incredible sense of unity, especially as folks marched around the quad chanting in English and Spanish.

The action was a collaboration between the Cañada Dream Center and AFT. This is the first time that we have done this kind of action on May 1st, but it seems like it could be a great tradition.

Cañada College students at the May Day rally

Cañada College faculty wearing the AFT T-shirts at the May Day rally are (from left to right) Gerardo Pacheco, Jenny Castello, Ronda Chaney, Peggy Perruccio, and Doniella Maher

Cañada faculty members Salumeh Eslamieh and Elizabeth Terzakis