People wave flags at a May Day march in downtown L.A. on Thursday, May 1, 2025. (Photo by Alma Lucia for Boyle Heights Beat)
Workers, labor unions and community organizations hit the streets today for May Day demonstrations in honor of International Workers’ Day.
In downtown L.A., organizers marched under the banner “One Struggle, One Fight – Workers Unite!” with a call to action against what they describe as “attacks on democracy, healthcare, social security, workers, families, and immigrants by the Trump Administration.”
The march was coordinated by the Los Angeles May Day Coalition and supported by dozens of labor and immigrant rights organizations, including the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights (CHIRLA), the Central American Resource Center (CARECEN), the Latino Equality Alliance, and Proyecto Pastoral.
Other rallies and marches took place across Los Angeles County, including MacArthur Park and Long Beach.
In Boyle Heights, the social justice group Centro CSO led a separate May Day march under the slogan “Families Unite to Say No to Deportations!” Shortly after 4 p.m., a crowd gathered at Mariachi Plaza before marching toward the Metropolitan Detention Center.
In a press release, Centro CSO said Boyle Heights families and organizations will gather to denounce deportations and “President Trump’s attacks on working people, unions, women, LGBTQ+ [individuals] and immigrant communities.”
Below are some images we captured from the rallies.
Organizers lead a May Day march in downtown L.A. on Thursday, May 1, 2025. (Photo by Alma Lucia for Boyle Heights Beat)A couple walks along the march route holding a sign that says, “We belong here” on Thursday, May 1, 2025. (Photo by Alma Lucia for Boyle Heights Beat)Members from The TransLatin@ Coalition hold a sign in downtown L.A. on Thursday, May 1, 2025. (Photo by Alma Lucia for Boyle Heights Beat) A group from United Teachers Los Angeles marches in solidarity on Thursday, May 1, 2025. (Photo by Alma Lucia for Boyle Heights Beat)Members of Centro CSO lead a march after a rally at Mariachi Plaza in Boyle Heights. (Photo by Alma Lucia for Boyle Heights Beat)A demonstrator holds a sign that reads, “We speak for those who can’t.” (Photo by Alma Lucia for Boyle Heights Beat)People waving flags make their way down 1st Street. (Photo by Alma Lucia for Boyle Heights Beat)Led by a pickup truck, people march near 1st Street and Mission Road in Boyle Heights. (Photo by Alma Lucia for Boyle Heights Beat)
My background: I was born in Mexico and raised in Boyle Heights, where I got my start in journalism by launching a community blog. Most recently, I worked at the Los Angeles Times and have spent most of my career covering local news in LA, with a focus on community-centered stories, Latino communities and mentoring emerging writers.
What I do: I lead coverage of Boyle Heights and East LA across all platforms to inform, connect and uplift our community. I spend my days listening, planning, editing and coordinating to make sure our stories reflect the community fairly, while supporting and mentoring my team of reporters and freelancers so they can grow along the way.
Why LA?: It’s home. It’s the sounds of Spanglish and other languages, the smell of tacos and kimchi, the way street art tells stories and how, even though I hate traffic, I love how the freeways can take me to the beach or the mountains on a whim.
The best way to contact me: My email is jessica.perez@boyleheightsbeat.org.
