By Julia Matias

Ten University students made up a small part of the sea of tens of thousands of protesters in Union Square on Monday, in solidarity with immigrants marching for dignifying policies on Capitol Hill.

For a group of University students, the first of May not only represented National Workers’ Day, but also a nationwide demonstration for the rights of immigrant workers.

Beginning with a spontaneous protest in the Student Center, 10 students concluded their protest alongside thousands of minorities in front of the United States Court House in lower Manhattan.

Millions of people from states such as Florida, California and New York organized rallies, marches and boycotts to demonstrate what a day without immigrants would be like. These protests included walkouts, absences from school and work and a refusal to purchase from stores.

The proposed bills that have instigated the demonstration call for a 700-mile wall and a felony charge on illegal immigrants and all those who aid them.

“We are promoting people who are looking for better lives and an easier process to come here,” Marisol Duran, a sophomore history and Latin American and Caribbean Studies major, said. “It’s not a field trip. People who risk their lives to come here do it for a reason.”

“The goal of the day was to demonstrate how great a force immigrants are throughout the nation,” Jonathan Mendez, a senior print journalism major, added.

When a Lackmann representative approached Jimmy Aquino, president of Hofstra’s Organization of Latin Americans, last week for support of Lackmann workers possibly beginning a walkout, plans of joining the Hempstead and city demonstrations took off, sophomore Kenny Perez said. Members from Students Against Injustice and Womyn of Action were also informed and quickly agreed yo come on board.

As students prepared on the day of the rally, Aquino spontaneously decided to organize a smaller protest in front of Sbarro’s in the Student Center. Wearing white T-shirts and holding up posters, 15 students repeated chants such as, “Si se puede,” which translates to “It can be done”.

Josh Lanier, Student Government Association senator, said about seven Lackmann employees came out to cheer for the students.

Although Ed Bracht, director of public safety, attempted to stop the protest and asked the employees to continue working, the students felt a sense of accomplishment.

“The climax of that protest was when the workers came out,” Duran said. “People went in the Student Center Cafe and chanted. It was amazing.”

At about 2 p.m., approximately 12 students drove to the corner of Fulton Avenue and Washington to join the Hempstead demonstration. People from all ages were present.

The University students stayed for 20 minutes, but were amazed by the amount of people who rallied in Hempstead.

“I thought it was great to see so many people united for a just cause,” Elyse Dressler, a senior sociology major, said. “It’s very empowering.”

Ten students left for the city to join the 4 p.m. rally in Union Square Park. They carried posters with phrases such as “Who’s the illegal alien, pilgrim?” and “Nuestra fuerza no tiene barrera.” The protestors received attention from the public as people stopped to take pictures and a reporter from Nassau News spoke with the students just before they entered the N6 bus.

When the University students arrived, thousands had already gathered, as different speakers enthused the crowd into roars and applauses.

Carrying flags from different Latino countries, the crowd exclaimed, “La gente unida jamas sera vencida,” which translates to “the people united will not be defeated.”

Groups from Filipino, Jamaican, Haitian and Pakistan organizations also joined in the rally.

“It [was] really great to be out there supporting members of my community and standing up for the rights of all these people living in this country,” Madeleine Banulski, a senior English major, said. “Usually I feel like American pride has a fake quality to it, a let’s go get everybody else kind of pride. People have to fight just for being accepted.”

“It’s an awesome experience,” Edith Richiez, a senior political science major, said during the rally. “It will make history.”

An hour after the rally, the march down Broadway began. With the rhythm of claps and drums, thousands walked together for several miles. People laughed, sang, chanted and danced.

“It was a joy to march with the belief that we can do it,” Mendez, an intern for City Limits Magazine, which reports for civil rights advocacy, said.

“I’m here at the rally because of the feeling,” Jessie Coviello, a freshman photography major, said. “It’s knowing that in front of you and behind you there are a million people doing the same exact thing and are feeling the same way. It’s the stream of emotion and passion and anger and happiness all at the same time that really takes you.”

When the crowd took a break from shouting, Coviello began her own chants just to stir the people once again.

“Que queremos? Justicia. Cuando? Ahora,” the crowd repeated.

“People have to realize that immigrants are an important part of the fabric that makes our nation,” Mendez said.