Don’t forget about solidarity

By Zoe Salvato-Cutter

In a divided world, a word like "solidarity" seems like a distant dream. It's a word I often hear in young, academic circles, but what does it mean for our daily lives?

"Solidarity" comes from the Latin root "solidum"—solid. I like to think of it like what we learned in science class—the three states of matter: solid, liquid, and gas. Solids are molecules bound together. Understanding the meaning of "solidarity," therefore, means understanding the self as being bound to the other.

I'm fascinated by the concept of solidarity because it gives me hope for the future and gratitude for the present.

This article is the first in a monthly series exploring moments of solidarity in our community. Today's edition will feature lessons in solidarity learned from a rally held in Somerville on March 8, 2025. Hosted by Somerville for Palestine, a local group committed to advocating for a lasting ceasefire between Israel and Palestine, the theme of the rally was "Immigrant Solidarity."

This Somerville-based group invited organizations such as Movimiento COSECHA, the Community Action Agency of Somerville (CAAS), the Brazilian Women's Group, Padres Latinos de Somerville, the Asian American Resource Workshop, and Mutual Aid of Medford and Somerville. Each of these groups is dedicated to the Greater Boston community, whether through advocating for immigrant rights, housing justice, or high-quality public education. Passionate members from all of these organizations delivered moving speeches in solidarity with the immigrants of the Greater Boston Area.

Several speakers, such as Oscar from the Party for Socialism and Liberation, shared their struggles living in the United States as immigrants. “I remember the ICE raids during the Bush years. I remember the fear we all felt, as individuals and as a community,” he said.

Jamal, an ESL teacher at Somerville High and an organizer for Somerville for Palestine, shared quotes from his students during his speech. The prompt he had given them in class was: "What do you wish North Americans knew about what it's like to be an immigrant?" The answers revealed hard truths about the world we live in; one student said, "Everything is difficult for us here, from communicating to getting work to meeting new people."

Another student responded: "Being an immigrant is leaving behind literally everything: your country, your family, your friends, your culture, your life. They come for the American Dream, hoping that they will be able to support their families financially. Every day, immigrants dream of going back to their country, but they know their dream is not complete yet. They live with the knowledge that, when they do return, things will not be the same, and the people they left behind may no longer be in this world."

The struggle for immigrant justice has always existed, but with the added pressure and fear of today's political climate, that struggle can feel insurmountable. The speakers and attendees at Saturday's rally, however, showed up to remind themselves, their immigrant neighbors, and all people in search of justice that there is hope.

So then, where can we find the strength to keep fighting? According to Nelson, a rally attendee and longtime Somerville resident, “What’s happening right now is that without unity, there is no strength. Unity is strength.”

Vanesa, a volunteer at CAAS, agreed, encouraging her fellow immigrants to take courage in solidarity. When I asked her what brought her to the rally that day, she responded, “I’m here to represent my people—the Hispanic community.” She told me that many members of her community are hesitant to show up to events like this one, saying that “the government wants them to feel afraid. But we must not be afraid. We have to have faith, beyond just ourselves. Unity is strength.”

There seems to be a consensus, but how do we establish this "unity?"

Amid chants of "El pueblo unido jamás será vencido," Nicole, co-director of the Asian American Resource Workshop, delivered a potent message to the rally's attendees: that their stories are connected, and that justice for immigrants means an end to the extractive militarism of the United States. In her own words, "Just like the wars in Southeast Asia, with 2025 marking the 50th anniversary, U.S. militarism has fueled violence and political instability in El Salvador, Haiti, Brazil, Honduras, and countless other nations—and most recently, 466 days of genocide in Gaza."

Understanding how our histories are intertwined is an important part of creating solidarity. These histories are not only connected through violence, however, but also through resistance and community. Sophia, another member of AARW, said, "In the face of these moments of frustration, it's so important to also remember the histories of resistance and fights for justice that turn the tides of ignorance and hate—the fights that start in neighborhoods and look just like this."

I asked Vanesa, from CAAS, what solidarity meant to her. She responded that it was "moral support. Moral support helps above all when it comes to fighting the battles that need to be fought—and there are many—on the side of social justice.”

She reminded me that every person there, whether they were part of an organization or just there to support their immigrant neighbors, wanted the same thing: "A better world, and a better Somerville."

A few of the attendees I interviewed shared words of solidarity with anyone who may be reading this article. Nicole's parting words to you are: "Here in Somerville, we have your back. Immigrants are welcome here. You belong here. We will not sit back as Trump, his fascism, and ICE agents are in our city. We will unite and fight back."

Oscar, meanwhile, wants you to know that "Whether you arrived in the United States yesterday or 30 years ago, the struggle has always been present. And together, we can make a future possible where we don’t live in fear."