LA COLUMNA DE MARTÍN LAZO CUEVAS

Binational and Bilingual Editorial Column

By Martín Lazo Cuevas – Editor-in-Chief, Centro Aztlán Raíces y Renacimiento, Consejo Mayor de Comunidad Mexicana

May First, International Workers’ Day, is more than just a date on the calendar—it is a day of remembrance, struggle, and dignity for millions of workers around the world. In Mexico, it is an official and deeply symbolic holiday. In the United States, while it is not recognized nationally on this date, its spirit lives on in the collective memory of the working class—especially within migrant communities.

History reminds us that the origins of this date are closely tied to Chicago, USA, where in 1886 thousands of workers went on strike demanding the eight-hour workday. The repression was brutal, and the execution of labor leaders known as the Haymarket Martyrs marked a turning point in the global labor movement. In honor of their sacrifice, May First was adopted by many nations as a symbol of workers’ rights and resistance.

In Mexico, since the early 20th century, May Day is observed with marches, union events, political reflections, and demands for social justice. It is a time to highlight labor conditions, demand fair wages, equity, safety, and respect for union rights.

In the United States, Labor Day is celebrated in September, but for millions of migrant workers—especially Mexicans—the spirit of May First remains essential. In many cities, the date is used for demonstrations supporting labor rights, immigration reform, and recognition of undocumented workers who sustain entire sectors of the economy without full legal protections.

Today, in 2025, labor challenges persist in both countries: automation, job insecurity, outsourcing, discrimination, and the fight for a dignified life. Yet, these are also times of hope: the rise of cooperatives, the organization of farmworkers, the emergence of digital gig worker movements, and new union voices show that the struggle is still alive.

This May First, let us honor work as the creative force of society. Let us uplift the worker, the nurse, the farmworker, the teacher, the migrant. And let us remember: no right was ever handed down—every right was won through unity, resistance, and hope.