In a rainy Central Park on May Day, protestors formed a circle and chanted in protest in favor of worker rights. “It has gone on for far too long,” sang the crowd.
Organized by the Grinnell Organizing Collective, May Day, a day meant for celebrating the working class, took place on May 1. The protest joins hundreds of others around the world.
“We have power together, and we do have the power to make things change for the better. Anybody who’s ever worked an eight-hour work day knows this,” said Liz Rodrigues, humanities and digital scholarship librarian at Grinnell College and founding member of the Grinnell Organizing Collective.
Most protestors were town residents rather than Grinnell College students, and they represented a wide range of ages.
“I’m a former Republican who is no more, and just very concerned about the current situation, concerned for my children and my grandchildren, and not happy to see how things are going. Just wanted to make my voice heard,” said Barbara Briggs, 70, who stopped being a Republican after the Capitol Invasion on Jan. 6, 2021.
“I just want to support all of the things that the Grinnell Organizing Collective is doing, to let others know that they’re not alone in the community,” said Monique Shore `90, 57.
At first, the crowd sang, followed by a peaceful protest walk downtown and speeches by Missy Poush, 45, and Jordan Scheibel `10, 36, who spoke on organizing, solidarity and local activism.
Liz Rodrigues, organizer, speaks before a crowd of protestors on May 1, 2025, in Central Park, Grinnell. “We have power together, and we do have the power to make things change for the better. Anybody who’s ever worked an eight-hour work day knows this,” said Rodrigues. (Thai Theodoro)Two protestors in Grinnell, Kim (left) and Cherry (right) hold a sign written “Trump lies pain for all” on May 1, 2025. “We have to do something. We have to keep protesting. We have to keep our voices,” said Kim. (Thai Theodoro)A protestor holds a sign reading “Democracy = Balance Of Power” on Thursday, May 1, in Central Park, Grinnell.“May Day is a demand for dignity, not charity,” said Missy Poush, 45, as she spoke at a May Day protest in Grinnell on May 1, 2025. “Putting profits over people has been a decades-long policy that has led us to reap what we have sown in someone like Trump. This isn’t personal failure, it’s systemic theft.” (Thai Theodoro)Protestors march down the streets amidst the rain in Grinnell on Thursday, May 1. (Thai Theodoro)Nancy Gilbert, 79, holds a sign, “Courage can be contagious,” a quote attributed to Kamala Harris, on May 1, 2025. (Thai Theodoro)“We have to remember that things like the eight-hour workday used to be radical and that this is not simply a struggle against one presidential administration, but a generational struggle,” said Jordan Scheibel `10, 36, before a crowd of protestors. “Let’s remember we are not outnumbered. We are out organized. Let’s work every day to change that.” (Thai Theodoro)Jordan Scheibel `10, speaks before a crowd of protestors on Thursday, May 1. (Thai Theodoro)
