It was a rainy afternoon on May 1, and historic May Day celebrations were underway all across the U.S., including on the Portland State campus. A small crowd began gathering at 2 p.m. in the South Park Blocks in front of Smith Memorial Student Union as PSU math and economics senior Grant Booth addressed the crowd. More people trickled over as the student speakers got underway, and the crowd reached 40–50 people at its peak.
It was a rainy afternoon on May 1, and historic May Day celebrations were underway all across the U.S., including on the Portland State campus. A small crowd began gathering at 2 p.m. in the South Park Blocks in front of Smith Memorial Student Union as PSU math and economics senior Grant Booth addressed the crowd. More people trickled over as the student speakers got underway, and the crowd reached 40–50 people at its peak.
May Day, a celebration that harkens back to ancient pagan festivals marking the coming of spring, is celebrated in more than 80 countries across the globe.
In Great Britain, May Day was traditionally observed as a day of rest for farm laborers, which eventually gave rise to one of May Day’s more well known associations: International Workers’ Day. In observance since the late 19th century, May Day has become a day of action for groups advocating not only for workers’ rights, but also for the rights of immigrants and the general working class.
The most significant of Booth’s announcements was his calling for a May 11 walkout of the entire PSU student body to gain attention on tuition increases. “We’re suffering from real economic misery,” Booth declared. Campus Public Safety officers briefly interrupted the demonstration with news that amplified sound is illegal in the South Park Blocks, and the demonstration quickly switched to unamplified public speaking. “Mic check!” Booth yelled, and the crowd echoed his speech back to him with renewed vigor. Soon he was back to addressing the crowd at full-force.
During the demonstration the Vanguard spoke with social science sophomore Christina Cain, one of the protest’s organizers. Cain explained the demonstration was organized by a group of concerned students rather than a unifying authority or student group.
“A big thing that we’re here for is the cost of higher education,” Cain said. “Student debt just hit $1 trillion. I pay $20,000 a year for tuition, and I think that’s way outrageous. We graduate and immediately we’re buckled down with all this debt.”
Cain said she already owes more than $15,000 in student loans in just her second year of college, due to paying out-of-state tuition. She is concerned about public spending. “It’s about what we prioritize—and money goes to prisons, and billions and billions go to war.”
Cain also took part in a march with students from Portland public schools at 7:30 a.m. There were between 100 and 250 local Portland Public Schools students and supporters protesting their own ongoing budget crises. “The high schoolers really turned out,” she said.
Some of these public school students were in attendance at PSU as well, including around 20 students who participated in a walkout at Tualatin High School. A high school junior who didn’t wish to be identified said he was at PSU to stand up for immigrant rights as well as school budget cuts. “Me and some other students organized a semi-walkout,” he said. “We wanted to experience a protest and exercise our right to free speech.”
The Vanguard spoke to some of the crowd that gathered at the peak of the assembly, and the reception from the crowd was very warm. “I think it’s awesome what they’re doing, especially in the rain. This absolutely pertains to the students,” said communication undergraduate Jeremy Roberts, who happened to see the demonstration.
At 2:30 p.m., in the midst of continuing rain showers, the PSU protesters moved down to Southwest Park Avenue and Main Street to join the main group of May Day demonstrators. There were already approximately 500 people gathered, featuring groups from all across Portland and members of the general public.
A spirited Native American dance occurred in the center square, the drumbeats from the performance hanging in the air during the festivities.
At the main protest the Vanguard had a chance to speak more in-depth with Booth. He explained that the May 11 walkout isn’t organized by any one group but that the International Socialist student group will be involved. “We need some kind of sustained action against tuition hikes,” he said.
Booth became involved with political activism when he became a member of the PSU International Socialism group more than a year ago, and he currently co-teaches a class on revolutionary Marxism. He explained that the May 11 student walkout is a good first step in causing real change with regard to tuition reform. He likened it to the Nov. 16 walkout initiated by Occupy PSU organizers in conjunction with Occupy Portland.
“The reality is that if we want tuition to come down, we’re going to have to fight for it,” Booth said.
