New Bedford shows strong support at rally
“The giant has come alive!” shouted Adrian Ventura in Spanish to a crowd of 500 to 600 on the steps of the Hastings Keith Federal Building in downtown New Bedford yesterday.
“This struggle is going to continue. If they throw us out, we’ll come back!”
Mr. Ventura of New Bedford and Guatemala was one of millions taking part yesterday in the nationwide Day Without Immigrants. To illustrate their impact, immigrants in the United States were asked not to go to work or school, and boycott shopping for the day.
While there were major work and traffic disruptions in many major cities yesterday, including Providence, Day Without Immigrants caused relatively minor business disruptions on the New Bedford waterfront. Several fish processing plants closed for the day, while several others operated at less than capacity.
Mr. Ventura is part of a growing group of immigrants working and living in the city. Once relegated to the shadows, afraid to speak out for fear of being deported by immigration officials, these immigrants have begun asserting themselves as part of a national movement demanding immigration reform for the country’s estimated 11 million undocumented workers.
Mayor Scott W. Lang, who was scheduled to appear but missed the rally, has estimated that 8,000 to 12,000 undocumented workers live and work in New Bedford.
“The people, united, will never be defeated!” the crowd chanted in Spanish and English. “Si se puede! Yes we can!”
Speakers addressing the crowd included union organizers, Catholic clergy, members of the Mayan cultural group Maya K’iche, and activists from the Coalition Against Poverty and the Coalition for Social Justice. There was socially conscious rapping from the youth arts group Third Eye, and Mashpee Wampanoag Indians pounded a drum to a traditional song of welcome.
“We are asking for dignity, justice, residency and citizenship,” said Jose Soler of the Greater Southeastern Massachusetts Labor Council, one of the rally’s local sponsors. “We are making history today with a nationwide strike. This is a key moment in our struggle.”
The crowd, made up mostly of Central Americans, also included local activists and several political candidates, but no city officials or state legislators. Seen among the numerous American flags in the crowd were flags from Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Puerto Rico, Mexico, Brazil, the Dominican Republic and the Maya nation. Many of those attending the rally wore white T-shirts proclaiming “We Are America,” with white armbands and headbands symbolizing peace.
Jose Reyes, a Guatemalan immigrant living in New Bedford, told the crowd in Spanish, “We’re going to win the battle. Keep your heads up, and keep fighting.”
Ademir Souza of New Bedford, who grew up in Brazil, said that Americans don’t want to do the hard work that immigrants are willing to do.
“People say we are stealing the work,” he said. “Americans don’t want to wash dishes or go out on the farm. We are doing Americans a favor.”
Locally, officials of some waterfront businesses that were affected generally took the disruption in stride.
“We’re not doing anything today,” said Frank Ferreira, general manager of AML International, a fish processing plant on the South Terminal waterfront. “We’re missing a day, that’s about it.”
Pier Fish Co., another fish processing plant, was open all weekend to accommodate the expected lack of workers yesterday.
“If we hadn’t been prepared, it would have been a real problem,” said Michael Barry, one of Pier Fish’s owners. “If it had been a surprise, it would have hurt us badly.”
Richard Canastra, co-owner of the Whaling City Seafood Display Auction, said many businesses along the waterfront were not affected. “We didn’t have any problems here at the auction, and I haven’t heard of too many problems in other places,” he said.
Organizers of yesterday’s rally said that some Latino businesses in the city had closed in solidarity with the Day Without Immigrants, but could not name a specific example.
Although national organizers of the a Day Without Immigrants encouraged immigrants to hold their children out of school for the day, New Bedford school officials reported no noticeable rise in absenteeism.
“I don’t have figures in front of me, but we didn’t get any calls from our principals alerting us to any problems,” said Deputy Superintendent Dr. Ronald F. Souza.
