The crowds filled around the Lincoln Memorial stage, lawn areas on both sides of the reflecting pool and all the way back to the Washington Memorial area for the One Nation Working Together rally on Saturday, October 2.
Some Queens residents joined nearly 200,000 people from all 50 states in Washington, D.C. to fight for jobs, justice, and education for all American communities. The One Nation Working Together movement, a coalition of union members, community activists, students, entertainers, civil and human rights leaders and progressive politicians, brought together families, friends, and neighbors during the rally.
“We hope that our voices will be heard through this rally,” said Sergio Aguirre, coordinator of the Willets Point Defense Committee, which is made up of small businesses and workers from the Willets Point area. “It was a pleasure to contribute to the success of the march, meeting other unions that represented the American people was a nice experience.’’
During the event, “The Peace Table” discussed ways to bring peace and antiwar activists to the mobilization and make sure some of the most pressing issues of the peace movement where visible throughout the day.
Approximately 25,000 stickers were distributed that said “Jobs Not War” and almost 15,000 leaflets calling for the end of the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq and the urgent need to revitalize the economy and create new green jobs.
“It was a great experience,” said Yoselin Genao, deputy chief of staff for the Office of City Councilmember Julissa Ferreras, who had two buses heading to the march. “We had a chance to meet people from other states and understand that our local concerns in Queens are the same nationwide.”
