Hundreds of people gathered on Boston Common Sept. 16 to protest President Donald J. Trump’s recent actions to roll back DACA, which protected undocumented individuals who were brought to the United States as children. The Boston May Day Coalition organized the event through Facebook in partnership with the United American Indians of New England, Black Lives Matter – Boston, Veterans for Peace, Cosecha and many other local groups. Cata Santiago, a representative from Cosecha, an immigrant rights movement, spoke during the rally. “My DACA expires on November of next year. I am one of the people who falls under the gap — I can’t renew my DACA anymore. We need permanent protection,” she said.Ashley Shimbukuro of Arlington said her grandparents sacrificed their whole lives to ensure that their children, and then their grandchildren, were born citizens of the United States. “My grandparents are from Mexico. They moved here back in the 50s. They helped raise me,” she said. “They are my role models. When I can’t go on, I think about all they did for me.”Rena Leib, 74, is originally from Cleveland but now lives in Boston. “My grandparents were immigrants,” she said. “My country was made better by immigrants. I will support them forever.”Jane Binkerd, right, and David Keil, left, came to the event as members of the Boston May Day Coalition. Keil, who has been a member of the Coalition for five years, said, “Mobilize people in the streets. We need to be back whether there’s a deal or not,” referring to Trump’s proposed compromise with congressional Democrats.Alisa Aronson, a professor at the Massachusetts College of Art and Design, carried this double-sided sign
Kate Alicante and Alicia Martin brought their dogs with them, carrying signs that said “Dogs for Dreamers.”Led by a speaker from the Boston May Day Coalition, the crowd chanted in Spanish, “No somos uno, no somos cien, somos millones cuenta nos bien.” The rhyme translates to, “We are not one, we are not a hundred. We are millions. Count us well.” After more speeches and chants, the group marched to the John F. Kennedy Federal Building two miles away.A speaker from the United American Indians of New England, Mahtowin Munro, not pictured, spoke at the rally about solidarity between the indigenous peoples’ movement and the immigrant rights movement. “This land does not belong to Donald Trump, it does not belong to Charlie Baker,” she said, referring to the native Massachusett tribe who once lived there. “It does not belong to any of these people, these settlers, who came here and slaughtered indigenous peoples throughout the Americas, and now dare to say who is allowed to be here.” As she prepared to end her speech, she said, “We have been saying for a long time that we did not cross the border, the border crossed us.”Sofia Hopkins and Alexis D’agostino are both seniors in high school. Hopkins, right, came from Northborough, and D’agostino, left, lives in Groton. “I’m here because I have many family members who are affected by DACA, and my family are very contributory members to the United States,” D’agostino said. Hopkins’ sign, originally in Spanish, translates to, “Nobody deserves to live in fear. The United States is a country of immigrants. Stop separating families!”“We are an anonymous organization called WitchBoston that formed after the election,” said one of these black-robed protesters. “It takes the iteration of the feminist guerrilla movement of the 60s. It’s intersectional feminism, anti-capitalism, sex workers’ rights. We try to use the identity of a witch as a taboo, an oppressed population standing up for other oppressed populations. Our core coven is 13, and there’s seven of us here today.”Tanya Song, bottom, traveled over 100 miles from Connecticut College for the rally Saturday. “I’m here because I have friends and family affected,” she said. “This is for everybody else, for people who don’t have the privilege to protest.” She estimated about 100 other Connecticut College students protested at the event.Angie Sassi of Somerville is a Northeastern alumna and clarinetist in the Second Line Social Aid Pleasure Society Brass Band. She joined the group two years ago.Matt Taylor of Somerville said, “We’re the Second Line Social Aid Pleasure Society Brass Band. We attend rallies, protests. The band has been around for 14 years.” The group plays at local rallies for progressive causes, which in the past has included the Women’s March and Huskies Organizing With Labor events.Vanessa Valencia, left, brought her three-year-old son Rodrigo to the rally. Her sister, Ada Barrera, right, works for Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital and attends Bunker Hill Community College. When asked why she was at the rally, Barrera answered, “Because I am a DACA recipient.”
