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Diverse groups came together to stand against hate at the Rise Up & Resist Hate march. The march brought together members of the Latino, Muslim, and LGBTQ communities, Black Lives Matter activists and “Fight for the $15” minimum wage activists Tuesday evening, starting at University Park and ending at the state capitol.
The march was organized by LUCHA- Living United for Change in Arizona, a grassroots nonprofit focused on civic engagement and social justice in the Valley. The march brought people together to march against the postelection hate spike, and in support of the “Fight for $15” movement.
The evening began with all of the participants linking arms in a prayer led by Rabbi Dr. Shmuly Yanklowitz.
“United we are stronger than divided…may we continue to hold each other close and emerge for voices of faith, conscience and justice, and love,” said Yanklowitz, uniting them all with a common cause of spreading love and trumping hate.
He left the crowd cheering as the participants began moving into their marching formation.
Marchers chanting “no justice, no peace” first marched to the McDonald’s at Seventh Avenue and Van Buren to join in the “Fight for $15,” following several labor protests erupting throughout the country.
“There was a need to hold this space for different communities to come together as a reaction to the recent elections…we wanted to take the momentum of the national ‘Fight for $15’ day of action to impulse the message,” said Anabel Maldonado, a member of LUCHA and a co-organizer of the Rise Up & Resist Hate march.
“We have workers all over this nation going on strike; we are here in solidarity with them,” said Nicole Rae, a member of LUCHA and co-organizer of the march.
LUCHA played a key role in advocating for Proposition 206, the passage of which will increase the minimum wage to $10 in the start of the new year and $12 by year 2020, through its voter engagement team.
“It’s a good step, but our goal is to get to $15 for the workers because there is still a lot of income inequality,” said Gina Mendez, a member of LUCHA and a co-organizer of the Rise Up & Resist Hate march.
At the McDonald’s, marchers listened to stories from people directly impacted by minimum wage policy. Several women spoke who had been working in the fast food industry for years, many of them still hoping for a higher minimum wage. One woman had been working at Wendy’s for 13 years and said she still had trouble making ends meet.
Although LUCHA successfully helped advocate Proposition 206, LUCHA organizers are following the national “Fight for $15” movement and are hoping to change the course of how different communities are interacting.
The march ended at the state capitol, where LUCHA and the marchers hoped to show their resilience and eagerness for political change.
“All of the negative rhetoric that came out of this election continues to come out, but one of the most beautiful things it did is push all of these marginalized groups together and is pushing them to work together,” Maldonado said.
Contact the reporter at Lerman.Montoya@asu.edu.
