Local labor, immigrant‑rights and community groups will converge across Tucson on May 1 for International Workers’ Day — and the 20th anniversary of A Day Without an Immigrant — joining a national May Day Strong / Workers Over Billionaires call for a one‑day shutdown.
Organizers say the national campaign — backed by roughly 400 organizations — is asking people to hit pause on work, school and shopping to dramatize demands for economic justice, immigrant protections and expanded democracy. Locally, the day is being coordinated by Defend Tucson / Tucson Se Defiende (DTTSD), a cross‑sector coalition of labor, faith groups, mutual aid networks, students, immigrant advocates, small business owners, environmentalists, veterans, human‑rights and pro‑democracy organizations.
I spoke with local organizer Bennett Burke of Defend Tucson, who says, “We need people power, and we need the economic power to oppose the Trump regime and all of its illegal acts. All of the things that are going wrong – the only thing we know that has ever stopped this type of tyrant is non-violent people power, and it takes numbers, and it takes passion – so we hope as many people that hear us will come out on May Day.”…