Many Arizonans plan to show up at the State Capitol on Thursday, May Day, to protest potential cuts to safety net programs and advocate for public workers' jobs, public education and equal rights.
Marisol Garcia, president of the Arizona Education Association, is among those planning to attend, representing the labor union of more than 22,000 public school workers. Garcia said this year's demonstration is not just a reflection of the past and the progress unions have made but a look at how the future could be affected if proposed cuts and changes are enacted.
"Labor unions and solidarity with workers is actually the antidote to a lot of these directives coming from Washington, D.C.," Garcia explained. "The irony is we hear a lot of very conservative folks talk about how 'we want local people to make decisions of what's best for their kids,' yet we keep seeing all these (executive orders) come from the federal government."
The protest starts at 9 a.m. and is expected to end by noon. Garica noted it is one of many events around the Grand Canyon State marking the Trump administration's first 100 days in office. Trump is seeing low approval ratings for his handling of the economy and immigration.
Garcia stressed the stakes are high but wants attendees at Thursday's event to walk away realizing the power of solidarity and community.
"We need to be courageous and push back and ask, 'Is this best for my family, for my community, for my school?'" Garcia emphasized. "I'm hoping that more and more protests -- pushing back on nationalism and pushing back on decisions coming out of Washington, D.C., and politicians -- realize that we sometimes have to push back and do what is best for us."
Eleven Arizona labor organizations representing tens of thousands of workers are set to participate. Earlier this month, hundreds of thousands of people around the country took part in "Hands Off!" protests, also in direct response to Trump's policy reforms.