Local essential workers join May 1 march for immigration protections

Press release from BeLoved Asheville:

BeLoved Asheville, Asheville en Espanol, and Colectivo NC bring together people from across WNC, both immigrants and allies as a part of the national March to Victory: Relay Across America. The Relay Across America consists of community-led efforts, made up of in-person and virtual events in nearly 30 states through Saturday, May 1, and are in partnership with the national We Are Home campaign, a multi-racial, multi-ethnic, multi-generational coalition calling on the Biden administration and Congress to take immediate action to protect millions of immigrants who call this country home and create a path to citizenship for the 11 million immigrants who live and work everyday to make our country strong. The relay aims to unite communities throughout the nation through celebrating essential workers and calling for the permanent protections they deserve.

“Last year, we saw how critically important people who are immigrants have always been in this country. We are calling for this nation to provide a path to citizenship for those who show their love and loyalty as members of the community every day. It is time for this country to recognize the people that belong here from farmers to construction workers, to healthcare and childcare workers, to workers making food and caring for elders, to the good neighbors and parents supporting schools. These people have more than proved themselves over the past year risking their lives to make sure that we all survived in this time. It is now time for this country to make a way for them to full citizenship who have made a way for all of us,” Ponkho Bermejo, Co-Director of BeLoved Asheville said of the March to Victory: Relay Across America Event.

The local relay will take place Saturday, May 1, at 11 a.m. as a car caravan beginning with a rally and press conference at Bilo on Hwy 9 in Black Mountain and traveling down 70 through Asheville and will end with a celebration in front of the Kmart in West Asheville. We will celebrate essential workers on this International Workers Day and essential workers who are immigrants will be there to share their stories and call on people to take action. Simultaneously the national March to Victory relay will bring the national torch and call to action to Washington D.C.

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