Immigrant Rights Protest in Romoland, May 1 2007

I took this video from the far end of the protest, past a ramp that kind of divided our group in half. I intended to capture the whole crowd this way, but my camera card was too full by the time I finished filming the far end, and I had to wait several hours for a new camera card. Thus I regretably never got footage of the most crowded point in the day.


My mother and I, along with our family, spent the week preceeding May 1 organizing for a rally in the small town of Romoland, nestled in the Inland Valley near Perris. We handed out over 1000 flyers at schools, grocery stores, churches, and all through our neighborhoods. Our long hours of work paid off on May 1, when around 100 people, Latinos from Romoland mostly, rallied at the corner of 2nd Street and Highway 74. Many said they want to come back another time--they don't want this to be the end of the movement.

There were never more than about 50-60 at a time, but people came and went, bringing friends and relatives from all over Romoland and calling them on cellphones. Most came on foot, but a few drove up in pickups or SUV's. The atmosphere was spirited, enthusiastic, and fun. Children, teens, and adults of all ages attended- from babies to grandparents and everything in between. People rummaged through the pile of about 80 signs with slogans in Spanish and English, which my family made throughout the preceeding week, and soon the street corner was lined with signs. By 5:30 a crowd that started out with just 5 or 6 people grew to as many as 50 at one time, spread out hundreds of feet down the sidewalk, until it was hard to see either end from the middle. Everyone was all thrilled to be there and excited because they had never participated in activism before-- being an activist for years, it can sometimes be easy to forget how exciting that first time is!

Using a karaoke machine with a microphone hooked up, my 14-yr-old brother and I took turns leading the crowds in chants of "Si se puede," "El pueblo, unido, jamas sera vencido," "Alto a Las Deportaciones" and "Se ve, se siente, el pueblo esta presente" and other Spanish slogans. When my voice wore out halfway through, a shy but enthusiastic Latino young man in his 20's took over the microphone for a while.

Children and teens burst out in loud cheers and jumped up and down to acknowledge the overwhelmingly positive response of the cars on Highway 74, while the adults waved their signs and gave a thumbsup. Little children carried around their signs with pride, pleased at being able to participate. The spirit of the rally was one of great unity and happiness, with passion for the cause. Even as the sun set, people kept coming, replacing our numbers as others went home. A number of early-comers stayed late, almost until the end.

And best of all, everyone is eager to come back, soon and in the future. They felt they had been united for a cause common to all of them, and now that they have their voice they don't want the momentum to stop. On May 1 the Great Giant awoke in Romoland, and it will not be lulled back to sleep.

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• protest
• rally
• Romoland
• may
• 1
• pro-immigration
• immigrants
• Latinos
• California
• gigante
• despierta
• Mexican
• el
• pueblo
• unido

[z400jt]

People like these are the reason we need snipers on the border, if you cross the border illegally its trespassing and trespassers should be killed immediately.

[DespuesDelSilencio]

People like you are the reason our country has laws against murder.

[catcherinred]

Learn English. It's that simple.

[catcherinred]

@firewind10100 how is that racist? Learn what racism is before you comment on stuff dumbass. I said nothing about race there are Mexicans who know English.

[firewind10100]

@catcherinred Racist and im mexican >:O

[z400jt]

Well since people like them obviously have a blatant disregard for the law then as far as I'm concerned its not murdering them, its defending my country. Just like if some guy was on my land illegally and refused to leave I'd take my gun out and shoot him right between the eyes. There's a simple way to aviod this situation, STAY IN MEXICO!

[Cendrellcendrell]

why, say viva mexico this isnt mexico, and it never will be

[NickOConnor357]

Damn. Maybe You Should Speak Spanish, Because You Suck At Speaking English.

[Sgvl1993]

do u know what person vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv

this is a free country

isnt?we talke in watever

fucken language we fell

like it.alrite homie

that for u vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv­vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv­vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv­vv

[gangwatcher34]

VIVA MEXICO SI SE PUEDE