Lynn Tramonte of the Ohio Immigrant Alliance was proud to offer the final speech at the Cleveland Women’s March on January 18, 2020. The event was recorded by WKYC, and organized by Kathy Wray Coleman, Cleveland Urban News, Imperial Women Coalition, and partners.
Speakers talked about issues affecting women and families that have not been adequately addressed by Cleveland leadership, including domestic violence, murder, and sexual assault; poor health outcomes; state violence against our children, including the death of Tamir Rice; inhumane treatment of inmates in the county jail; and strong-armed immigration enforcement.
Tramonte delivered words from an immigrant mother who hid from ICE agents during the Corso’s immigration raid:
I never expected anything like this to happen. When I saw them coming I ran. And I ran and ran and ran until I hid under a bed of flowers, and I buried myself under the dirt and cried in silence. All I could think about was my kids, I have three. A lot of us have some children who need us. My skin itched of the mud stuck to my body, drying.
Photos of the event are available here.