Students, workers and consumers across the nation were expected not to attend school or work and opt out of shopping in protest on May 1.
According to the organizers, their efforts on this “May Day” were meant to show that workers should be valued more than billionaires. They are demanding that the rich be taxed, that there be no ICE, no war and no “private army serving authoritarian power.” They also want democracy to be expanded and honored.
East Valley Unite, an East Valley activist group, said in a news release that the day is designed to encourage people to participate in collective economic action and help people new to the movement be comfortable “removing their labor and money from the oppressive system.”
Nathan Taylortaft, a high school student and co-director of the group, said in a statement that his generation was done watching the Trump administration and the billionaires backing it strip them of their futures.
“We The People are using our economic power in a day without school, work, or shopping, to stop the money machine feeding the Epstein Class,” Taylortaft said. “Students play a critical role in shutting down the schools, because if we don’t show up, nothing happens, and that’s the point. Then, we’re flooding the streets to make our message clear: People Over Profit. Peace Over War. People Over Billionaires.”
Twenty-three May Day events were planned for Arizona, including 10 across metro Phoenix. Here’s where:
Carefree
- 8 a.m. to 9 a.m., Cave Creek Road and Carefree Highway
Chandler
- 4 p.m. to 6 p.m., Arizona Avenue and Chandler Boulevard
Peoria
- Virtual, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Phoenix
- 7:30 a.m to 8:30 a.m., Seventh Street and Coral Gables Drive
- 8 a.m. to 9 a.m., Norterra Parkway and Happy Valley Road Center
- 2:30 p.m. to 5 p.m., Paseo Highlands Park near 35th Avenue and Pinnacle Peak Road
- 5 p.m. to 8 p.m., 67 W. Culver Street
Scottsdale
- 8 a.m. to 9 a.m., 90th Street and Shea Boulevard
Tempe
- 7 a.m. to 9 a.m., Cole Park near Country Club Way and Carson Drive
- 1 p.m. to 2 p.m., Hayden Lawn at ASU’s Tempe campus
For more information about these events, visit maydaystrong.org.
Reporting by Elena Santa Cruz, Arizona Republic
