Latina workers march for equality

Local Mexicana/Chicana women gave a strong working-class and combat-ready tone to the International Women’s Day March in San Antonio. The march challenged the city’s new rule making marches illegal. However, with nearly 500 people participating this March 7, they were able to hold the march without incident.

IWD in San Antonio. Photo: Esperanza Center

The Southwest Workers Union had a strong presence. The march took off with protesters holding a picture of Emma Tenayuca, a labor leader in the 1930s class struggle who was originally a high-school student in San Antonio. Tenayuca had joined the Finck cigar strike of 1933 at the age of 16, was jailed for her union activity, and played a strong role in the pecan shellers’ strike in 1939.

The Esperanza Peace & Justice Center, Fuerza Unida, the Martinez Young Women’s Center, and the San Antonio Stonewall Democrats organized the march. At a march-ending rally, speakers explained the importance of the day and the struggle for gender equality and freedom of sexuality.