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Singing, dancing, smiles and laughter filled the plaza outside Mountain View’s City Hall on Saturday afternoon, as the Day Worker Center celebrated 30 years of serving the local community.
Workers, volunteers, community members and elected officials turned out for the Oct. 24 event, which included live music from Los Jornaleros del Norte, or the Day Laborer Band, performances from Mexican folk dancers, a variety of speeches and food from local businesses.
The Day Worker Center serves as a bridge between laborers and employers, Board Member Marco Antonio told the Voice during the celebration. Every job Antonio has worked since moving to the United States from Mexico in 2003 has been thanks to the Day Worker Center, he said.
“It’s like my alma mater,” Antonio said, referring to the center. “For me, it’s everything.”
The nonprofit directly connects laborers with employers, with the aim of setting up a fair and transparent exchange of services. The workers collectively determine the hourly rate of their services and reach an agreement with employers who hire and pay them directly. The center also provides English classes, health services, training sessions for specific job skills and more.
Mountain View Mayor Emily Ann Ramos came on stage Saturday to laud the organization for its role in shaping the city’s history. She called attention to the fact that over the last three decades, the city has evolved and become known as one of the world’s epicenters for innovation, adding that through all of these changes, the Day Worker Center has remained an important fixture of the local community.
“The story of Mountain View isn’t just about the companies that call our city home, it is about the people who have worked hard, supported their families, helped their neighbors and built the community we know today,” Ramos said.
Representatives from the offices of Assemblymember Marc Berman and State Senator Josh Becker presented the Day Worker Center with a resolution at the event that recognized the 30 years of services it has provided to the local community.
Gannon Ogden, who recently moved to the area, told the Voice that he first stumbled upon the center while looking for places that serve food. At the center, he found a meal as well as the opportunity to sign up for work.
“It’s been a really good experience,” Ogden said. “Not just the food and the work, the environment. It’s a very healing, spiritual place for me. It’s been helpful for me.”
Executive Director María Marroquín has been with the organization in some capacity for 27 of its 30 years, and everyday, she said she has moments of overwhelming joy when she is reminded of the impact that the center has on many community members’ lives.
Pablo Alvarado, the co-executive director of the National Day Laborer Organizing Network, took to the microphone during Saturday’s celebration to emphasize the importance of the work being done by Marroquín and the Day Worker Center.
“There is an increasing tension in our country, and the only way to fight back is through what we’re doing today. In the face of authoritarianism and fascism – because we have to call it what it is – building community is the key,” Alvarado said. “By engaging in acts of love and solidarity and kindness, that’s how you build a healthy society, and that’s what María does every single day.”
Mayor Ramos, along with other speakers, acknowledged the struggles that many immigrant workers are currently experiencing. At a time of heightened immigration enforcement activities, organizations like the Day Worker Center showcase the importance of protecting one another and ensuring that every community member is treated with respect, Ramos said.
To help combat any challenges that arise, Marroquín told the Voice that the easiest thing the center can do is provide a sense of community, understanding and love.
“We have a lot of hope that this is going to change,” Marroquín said. “We are very lucky to have a community that has supported us for 30 years now, and we create this kind of safety net for all of us.”
