Holiday fiesta held at Franklin Miles Park put the focus on rights of workers
A local workers’ rights group, the Family Justice Campaign, tried to return Labor Day to its roots Monday with a fiesta of free hot dogs, music and informational booths at the Franklin Miles Park.
“Labor Day was originally a day of recognizing the labor movement and workers’ rights,” said Holly Beaumont, one of the campaign’s organizers and a member of the Santa Fe Living Wage Network and the New Mexico Conference of Churches. “We’re calling this a workers’ party in the park.”
Beaumont said the event was also a kickoff for the Work Force Housing Initiative by the Living Wage Network. “There will be a special election in March about the real estate transfer tax,” she said. “There’s been some misinformation — it’s not a property tax. It’s 1 percent of any home purchase over $750,000, and it’s a one-time fee. There are 37 states that have it.”
Some 200 people came to the event, which ran 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., with music by the six-member female Mariachi Buenaventure and the band Rubixzu, calling itself “local homegrown Southwest, Hispanic, hip-hop.” Attendees ranged from workers to those trying to make the workers’ lives a little better.
A group of Guatemalan men, who wouldn’t give their names, said they had been at DeVargas Park early Monday morning to find work. A 20-year-old said it has been harder to find work at the park lately, where day laborers gather each morning in hopes of landing employment. “When we didn’t find work, the Amigos de Parque told us about this picnic, so we came,” said the man.
Others came to support the workers. Hal Mermelstein, who works as a therapist at Esperanza, said, “If I was in a foreign country and not feeling good about my status, it would make me feel supported knowing I was in a place where people were on my side.”
And Gabriel DePablo, who works as a translator, said, “It’s about being a worker among workers. I’m among friends.”
A line of tables was set up along the sidewalk, where helpful information could be dispensed either to workers or to potential volunteers.
“Working families are more likely to be arrested (on drug charges), especially people of color, and they don’t have the funds to fight the arrests,” said Julie Roberts with Drug Policy Alliance New Mexico. “In 2007, state taxpayers paid $30 million to incarcerate and supervise simple, nonviolent drug-possession offenders.”
The DPA focuses on treatment instead of incarceration and on youth prevention “that’s open and honest,” said Roberts.
As part of the Family Justice Campaign, the DPA is also supporting a statewide ban on racial profiling. “New Mexico is one of the few states that doesn’t have a ban on racial profiling,” Roberts said.
Deborah Tang, executive director of St. Elizabeth’s Shelter, was trying to spread the word about a volunteer training for the Interfaith Community Shelter Group, committed to providing shelter for women and children who are homeless this winter. The training will be held at 6 p.m. Sept. 16 at Holy Faith Episcopal church, 311 E. Palace Ave. Seventeen churches are a part of the group, and last year it provided shelter for 588 “bed nights,” said volunteer Erik Mason. Tang said the group hopes to get one large place this winter to rent. “We’ve asked the city for $60,000” in emergency funding, she said. “We want to open Nov. 1 and go to March 31.”
Somos un Pueblo Unidos, an immigrant rights group, was also at the fiesta, as was the New Mexico Office of Peace with a petition to create an Office of Peace in New Mexico. Other groups included the AFL-CIO, New Mexico Coalition to Repeal the Death Penalty, and New Mexico Voter Services Coalition. The city of Santa Fe was a cosponsor of the event.
Beaumont said the Family Justice Campaign used to have a Labor Day event at the Roundhouse that was a voters’ rally. “But we moved it here to have family and music, rather than an endless stream of speeches,” she said.
Jenna and Wilson Scanlan and their children, Jack, 2, and Lida, 4 months, were enjoying a picnic on the grass. “I used to teach in the public schools,” said Jenna, “and Somos (un Pueblo Unidos) was involved there as a resource. They do so many good things – that’s why we wanted to come.”
