MayDay Season 2022
MayDay Season 2022 will look different than MayDays past! There will not be a parade. There will be an amazing cultural and political festival in the form of a block party.
The festival will take place May 1, 2022 from 1 to 4 pm in the Four Directions Family Center Parking lot, 1527 E. Lake St., Minneapolis, MN.
Heart of the Beast (HOBT) and our MayDay Council are collaborating with three incredible local organizations to plan this year's MayDay celebrations.
MayDay Season 2022 is led by Roosevelt High School, MIGIZI, and Kalpulli KetzalCoatlicue.
Our community partners have been engaging even more local organizations in their planning process. For instance, they are working with organizers from MIRAC (MN Immigrant Rights Coalition) and are bringing in youth from El Colegio to create art for MayDay celebrations.
Thanks to our generous donors HOBT is funding these MayDay celebrations.
Poster Graphics by: MIRAC member, Mari Mansfield
We cannot wait to welcome you all!
May 1 Events
The May 1 Festival at Four Directions Family Center Parking lot is part of HOBT’s MayDay Season 2022
All other MayDay events in the surrounding community are hosted by other individuals or groups
Image Description: A red poster appears with a title that reads "MayDay 2022 Immigrants and Workers Unite!" side text says "We Demand End Violence Against Immigrants! Legalization for All! Stop Militarization at the Border!" Text at bottom says the date, time, and event location, describing the event. A graphic of a raised fist outlined in white with white beams appears shooting up from darkness and lightening bolt-like roots grow down from the arm.
What to Expect on May 1
Kalpulli KetzalCoatlicue is hosting the May 1 political and cultural festival with support from Minnesota Immigrant Rights Action Coalition (MIRAC). The festival is in celebration of International Workers Day with an emphasis on immigrant rights.
The Medicine Woman Mojiganga, a traditional Mexican puppet, will welcome festival goers. A stage will feature speeches by community activists. The festival will include performances by Ketzalcoatlicue Aztec dancers and local poets. There will be participatory art projects for children and teens and games for youth 1-10 years old. All are encouraged to grab a bite at one of the many restaurants along Lake Street. The Kabomelette food and soft serve trucks will be there too!
The block party will be a space for protest, celebration, and healing. Heart of the Beast, MayDay Council, and our community partners cannot wait to welcome you to the political and cultural festival on May 1!
Access Info: the stage and festival will be live streamed with captions. There will be ASL interpreters present to interpret for speakers on the stage. There will be accessible Porta potties available. There will be free earplugs available and free masks. There will be an accessible stage. There will also be a first aid station run by Muhammad Abdulahi.
General Schedule and Tables on May 1
Click below to see a list of performers and speakers as well as tables that will appear at the May 1 festival!
Image Description: A photograph taken in El Colegio's art room, shows Susana De Leon rolling tissue paper balls or 'bolas' from blue tissue paper with a young person from Kalpulli KetzalCoatlicue. Susana wears glasses, dark brown hair tied in a bun, and a red traditional headband with feathered earrings. The young person has long hair and wears a red shirt.
Image Description: A photo taken in El Colegio's art room pictures Gustavo Boada wearing an orange, striped, shirt and gray-haired ponytail, constructing the body of a puppet's wood frame. Another person, with brown eyes and hair, and a white shirt, helps, standing inside the wood-frame.
Photos by Spencer Joles
Behind The Scenes Planning
Kalpulli KetzalCoatlicue has been busy connecting with an expanding web of local organizations, artists and youth in MayDay planning. For example, they engaged El Colegio high school students in art making workshops where youth made Alebrijes (a sculptural art form originating from Oaxaca, Mexico).
Kalpulli KetzalCoatlicue also organized puppet building workshops for families in Spanish led by teaching artist Gustavo Boada, a puppet builder who crafted beautiful pieces for May Days past. Look out for these creations at the May 1 festival!
Youth-led MayDay planning at MIGIZI and Roosevelt High School is ongoing. MIGIZI has been hosting weekly after-school puppet builds with their youth and hope to present a large turtle puppet at the May 1 festival. A cohort of students in an art and policy class at Roosevelt High are developing their community event planning skills by organizing their own MayDay celebration on a different date as well.
Image Description: A photograph in El Colegio's art room shows Gustavo Boada, wearing a striped bright orange shirt sculpting the Mojiganga puppet face with two youth from Kalpulli Ketzal Coatlicue. One little kid kneels on the table to touch the hair, a teen stands behind the piece, sculpting, wearing a bright blue headband and dress with a sunflower on the sleeve.
Image Description: A photograph shows a youth's hands holding up their Alebrije sculpture they have been crafting which resembles a whale.
Photos by Spencer Joles
Volunteer
Contact [email protected] if you want to volunteer at the May 1st Festival.
Opportunities to pitch in include:
10 a.m. to 1 p.m. help set up
4 p.m. to 7 p.m. help clean up
Or sign up to be a Green team volunteer!
Our Partners
The KALPULLI KETZALCOATLICUE is an intergenerational learning community of Indigenous people joined by the desire to learn, share and live the tradition of Aztec dance. To learn more click HERE
ROOSEVELT HIGH SCHOOL provides a supportive environment for youth to engage in rich academic classes, challenging technical courses, and unique arts opportunities. To learn more click HERE
MIGIZI's mission is to provide a strong circle of support that nurtures the educational, social, economic, and cultural development of American Indian youth. To learn more click HERE
Learn More
To learn more about our MayDay Council click HERE
Have questions about MayDay Season 2022? Email: [email protected]
The Family Partnership is our venue sponsor for this May 1 festival