This year marked the third annual May Day Rally at NIU. Four students organized the rally not only to celebrate May Day, but also to give a political message as well.

The event, held at King Memorial Commons, was focused on stopping the deportation of illegal immigrants. The event also featured several speakers from the community.

Organizers Jorge Rios, Erika Sanchez, Sandra Diaz and Ulysses Diaz spoke at the event, which included a march across campus “as a symbol of solidarity,” according to Sanchez.

“We’re all united as workers,” Sanchez said. “That term – illegal immigrant – is wrong. No human is illegal.”

Ulysses Diaz led the crowd of 75 to 100 people in a chant of, “El pueblo unido hamas cera vercido,” which means “The town united will never be defeated.”

Dr. Michael Gonzales, NIU history professor and director of the Center for Latino and Latin American Studies, addressed the crowd, saying Hispanics contribute $1.3 trillion to the economy annually, and 75 percent of Hispanics in the United States are citizens.

“They’re coming here to work,” Gonzales said, referring to illegal immigrants. “They’re not coming here for welfare.”

May Day is celebrated as International Workers’ Day, a holiday to celebrate achievements of labor movements worldwide.

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