Muslim Civic Coalition Joins Powerful May Day Mobilization in Chicago
Chicago, IL — May 1, 2026 — Thousands of workers, immigrants, faith leaders, labor organizers, and community members filled the streets of Chicago today in a powerful May Day demonstration, reaffirming the historic and ongoing fight for labor rights, migrant justice, and human dignity.
The Muslim Civic Coalition proudly participated in the May Day actions, standing in solidarity with the MIJA Coalition and allied organizations. Executive Director Amina Barhumi delivered a moving interfaith prayer at the gathering, offering spiritual grounding and a call for justice.
“Ya Allah, we stand before You on this May Day with humble, hopeful, and burdened hearts.
Thank You for gathering us, people of many faiths, colors, languages, and journeys, united in our commitment to dignity, justice, and the sacred honor You have given every human soul.
Ya Allah, You have commanded us to stand out firmly for justice...Today we lift our hands in prayer for the workers who toil with their hands. Elevate and bless the hands of the workers over those of billionaires. Grant them living wages, safe conditions, strong unions, and the freedom to organize without fear.
Ya Allah, protect the immigrants and migrants among us. Abolish ICE and every system of cruel policing and family separation...Strengthen our resolve so that our prayers are matched by bold action. Let our voices be heard in these streets and counted at the ballot box. Ameen.”
The Enduring Importance of May Day
May Day traces its roots to the 1886 Haymarket Affair in Chicago, where workers demanding the eight-hour workday were met with police violence, followed by the criminalization and execution of labor organizers. This legacy of resistance has made May Day a global symbol of workers’ struggle for dignity and justice.
In Chicago, the birthplace of International Workers’ Day, the day has always carried special meaning. Year after year, those who dare to speak up for migrant rights, immigrant protections, and the release of the unjustly incarcerated face criminalization, police violence, and repression in the very streets where this movement was born. That violence and intimidation continue to this day.
In 2026, amid escalating attacks on immigrants, mass deportations, workplace exploitation, and the silencing of dissent, today’s powerful turnout served as a clear message: the fight for labor rights, migrant justice, and the liberation of those behind bars remains as urgent as ever.
The Muslim Civic Coalition stands firmly in this struggle, shoulder-to-shoulder with workers, immigrants, and all communities demanding dignity, safety, freedom, and liberation.