Demostrators in Los Angeles Tell Us Why They're Marching

May 1, 2013— -- intro:Thousands took to the streets in cities across the United States demanding immigration reform at rallies held on International Workers' Day.

Protests coincided with demonstrations around the world that celebrate workers and workers' rights.

In Los Angeles, home to one of the largest concentrations of immigrants in the country, multiple rallies took over the streets today. We asked several demonstrators to tell us, in his or her own words, "Why I March."

Here are some of their voices.quicklist:1title:J. Martin Martineztext:"For equal rights!" said J. Martin Martinez, 43, at a noon rally in downtown Los Angeles. The Mexico City native marched in solidarity with the many undocumented immigrants at the rally.media:19086168quicklist:2title:Jesse Quintanillatext:"Queer rights are immigrant rights," said Jesse Quintanilla, 23, who represented the numerous LGBTQ contingent near the front of the march.media:19086178quicklist:3title:Vanessa Caballero and Olivia Quijanotext:"All people deserve human rights. Immigration reform is a part of acheiving those rights," said Vanessa Caballero (left), 29 and Olivia Quijano, 29, who represented the United Nurses Association of California.media:19086189quicklist:4title:Horacio Arroyotext:Horacio Arroyo, 29, with Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights of Los Angeles, drew a picture of the U.S.-Mexico border dividing a family.media:19086220quicklist:5title:Stephanie Mojicatext:Beatriz Leon (left), 38, brought her family to the May Day march. Her daughter Stephanie Mojica, 17, wrote: "Si se puede! No one is illegal :) Everyone deserves legal rights." Daniela Meza, 17, and Randolph Mojica (right), 16, marched for immigration reform.media:19086260quicklist:6title:Janet Martinez and Karen Fernandeztext:Janet Martinez, 25, and Karen Ferndez, 22, represented the Binational Front of Indigenous Organizations (FIOB). "FIOB wants to keep indigenous families together."media:19086271quicklist:7title:Armando Zesati, Nancy Torres and Felipe Marqueztext:"We want comprehensive immigration reform that will include day laborers, domestic workers and their families. We are IDEPSCA," they wrote in Spanish. Armando Zesati,52, Nancy Torres, 35, and Felipe Marquez, 45 marched for Instituto de Educacion Popular del Sur de California.media:19086311quicklist:8title:Wild Bill Fishertext:Iron worker Wild Bill Fisher, 60, came ready to pump up the crowd at the downtown Los Angeles Rally. He said: "Salt of the earth. Hardest working and loving people."media:19086321quicklist:9title:Juan Jose Manganditext:Juan Jose Mangandi, 50, of the National Day Laborer Organizing Network said: "We're here for the right to life of human beings. For their dignity and for a better and just world."media:19086370quicklist:10title:Milton Sandovaltext:"We're here for immigration reform. Stop deportations," said Milton Sandoval, 56, who was with Laborers International Union local 300.media:19086425quicklist:11title:Catherine Castillotext:Catherine Castillo, 53, representing Health and Care Family was excited to be attending the march. "Keep families together!" she wrote.media:19086442quicklist:12title:Jose Vasqueztext:Jose Vasquez, 23, of the San Fernando Valley Dream Team joined other dreamers in advocating for immigration reform. "Keep Families together," he wrote.media:19086453quicklist:13title:Kryssia Campostext:Kryssia Campos, 23, of Ideas at UCLA, one of the first dreamer groups in the country said: "Immigration is a human right."media:19086463