ARTESIA, CA: On Thursday, May 1, South Asian Network and the community marched and rallied on Pioneer Blvd. to demand an end to the exploitation and abuse of workers in the community. This was the first demonstration on Pioneer Blvd., on May Day.

The marchers on the streets chanted loudly, "the workers united, will never be defeated!" and "inqalaab zindabad!" When asked about his participation at this historic rally, Lamu Stadler, a community member said, "We should send this message to the owners who run their businesses around here [on Pioneer] so that they know about the power of [our] unity".

The community then joined thousands of other voices at the larger May Day march in Downtown, Los Angeles. Uma Thapa from Nepal, former worker and organizer against Ziba Beauty Center, addressed a crowd over 20,000 strong, stating "unfortunately, for all of us working now, our rights continue to be violated…To fight that, we need to come together…As immigrants from all over the world, we demand an end to the violations of our dignity and humanity".

Sentayehu Silassie, an immigrant from Ethiopia and coordinator with the Los Angeles Taxi Workers Alliance, said that "it was great to see people of diverse backgrounds…It made me feel very good and energized". Silassie ended his address to the crowd with an old Amharic expression of unity meaning "single threads coming together can also tie a lion".

Following these two huge public events, SAN joined CopWatch L.A. in McCarther Park to speak out about the L.A. Police Department's brutality last year on May Day against the community in the park.