A coalition of regional advocacy groups is planning a May Day march and rally in Geneva, tying local concerns to a broader national day of action centered on workers’ rights and immigration issues.
Organizers say the event will take place Friday, May 1 at noon in Bicentennial Park, bringing together more than a dozen grassroots organizations from across the Finger Lakes and Rochester areas.
The rally is part of a nationwide push tied to International Workers’ Day, with participants calling for a general strike and coordinated demonstrations across the country. Local organizers say the Geneva event is intended to show solidarity with workers while highlighting the detention of a Wayne County farmworker.
Participants are specifically calling for the release of Dolores Bustamante, described by organizers as a longtime farmworker advocate who was detained during a routine immigration check-in on April 22.
The event is being co-sponsored by a range of groups, including Finger Lakes Rapid Response Network, FLX Pride, Indivisible-Geneva, and Rochester People’s Action, among others.
Speakers are expected to include the Rev. Claudia De la Cruz, executive director of the Inter-religious Foundation for Community Organizations and a 2024 presidential candidate for the Party for Socialism and Liberation.
Organizers say the rally will also serve as a collection point for hygiene product donations to support Mothers & Others, a regional group that assists families and caregivers.
In statements released ahead of the event, organizers framed the demonstration as a response to ongoing concerns about immigration enforcement and worker conditions, while urging community participation in what they describe as a broader movement for economic and social justice.
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