The Jornaleros del Norte put music to the migrant movement

The Laborers of the North have more than 20 years putting music and flavor to the migrant and workers’ struggle in the United States.

“ It is a unique group, very humble, but with a wealth that any other musical group hardly possesses, because we have accompanied the migrant movement and the struggles of workers in all their protests, marches and actions ”, says Omar León who has been carrying more than 15 years with Los Jornaleros del Norte, playing the accordion and singing.

“The group was born as a project of the National Network of Day Laborers (NDLON) and has liked it because it puts another dynamic to the protests”, considers

The group Los Jornaleros del Norte is made up of 10 members. In addition to Omar León, there is Manuel Ramírez from Mexico who plays the drums. Arnoldo “El Gato” Juárez is second voice and is on keyboards. The Guatemalan Ervin Mancilla is in charge of the congas.

The Mexican Loyda Alvarado plays the güiro and is the leading voice of the group. The leader of NDLON, Pablo Alvarado, originally from El Salvador is the guitarist. José Humberto Contreras from Mexico plays bass.

Benito Colop from Guatemala is the saxophonist; and the trumpeter is Dennis Andino from Honduras and Francesco Cañas, Salvadoran-Cuban is the violinist. The age range of Los Jornaleros del Norte goes from 26 to the 67 years.

León he recalls meeting the group when he was a day laborer in the Hollywood area and eventually had the opportunity to work at the center for day laborers, helping serve employers who came looking for labor.

“The group plays from rancheras, cumbias, salsas, various rhythms and all Latin American music, but the essence of Los Jornaleros del Norte is to liven up the protests and any type of demonstration ”.

And it recalls that for many years they accompanied the struggle of the 15 when fast food workers wanted to increase their minimum wage to $ 20 per hour, but they have also supported the drivers of the port of Long Beach, the teachers and not to mention the fight for immigration reform. “And the same thing when a day laborer is not paid, we go outside the million-dollar employers’ houses to protest.”

By Usually, Los Jornaleros del Norte rent a truck that they use as a stage from where they play in the different actions.

León remembers that the group was born from an experience of Omar Sierra, a colleague who is no longer with the group, who experienced a raid in the city of Industry.

“He witnessed what happened that day in a mobile health clinic where he arrived immigration. He wrote the first song that he titled El corrido de Industry and he presented it to Pablo Alvarado, but who is going to sing it, he asked. ”

That was when they decided to make a group to sing the stories of the people that speak of the experiences of the working community.

“ We have composed some 46 songs. We just uploaded songs to Spotify and itunes ”.

The trajectory of Los Jornaleros del Norte is impressive. “We have played at workplace anniversaries, unions, and gala dinners for organizations. The focus is not to entertain parties but to make protest music to accompany the movement. ”

¿ How do you see the future?

“ We will continue to play on street corners, protests and community celebrations , but we also want to do concerts because we believe that it is necessary for people to listen to our lyrics, to inform themselves, become aware and realize what is happening ”.

And León begins to hum one of his songs: “I went to work at the Home Depot. I got on the truck of a very rich boss. Later I realized that I was a vile thief, now that guy doesn’t pay me my salary. In that song we talk about salary theft; And like that, we have a lot of songs about the raids. I’ve written most of it. ”

In September, he reveals that they will accompany the TPSiana community on a three-week tour.

León says that Los Jornaleros del Norte have been 4 recorded discs. The first is called Crossing Borders. Follows People Join. Later Don’t stop the fight and the last one is Tearing down walls .

“The latter was born when we began to bring music outside the immigration detention centers and from the cells, the detainees were beckoning us. We also connected with many families who on the street posted messages of support and love for their detainees. From there many songs were born like Serenade of an Undocumented “.

AND While the focus has always been on protest singing, León says that because people always ask them for classic love and heartbreak songs, this will release for the first time the single Taste of me , a cover of a romantic song.

On a personal level, León says that the mission of Los Jornaleros del Norte inspires him a lot .

“The group has earned the respect of the community and we have evolved. Now we rehearse, we have more direction and we have begun to promote ourselves in the social media”.

But he emphasizes that the most encourages them it is the unique task of the group. “ That gives us a different energy. Community appreciation strengthens and inspires us. Playing and singing always makes me happy, but the joy of being part of a movement and a social group with the mission of educating makes a difference ”.

Loyda , the female singer of Los Jornaleros del Norte, joined the group when León put her to sing.

“I play the güiro, but I think he noticed my voice because sometimes he sang in the car when we were going to some action” .

And everything happened when in a protest at the Los Angeles Metropolitan Detention Center, León composed Serenade for an Undocumented inspired by a lady who carried banners with messages of love to her husband. “This – he said – a woman has to sing. You are going to sing it! I replied, I do not sing. Yes you sing! He insisted and since then I sing with them. ”

And after the death of her mother seven months ago, Loyda says that Los Jornaleros del Norte gave a new meaning to her life.

“My mother passed away after a very long fight against breast cancer that spread to all parts. I took care of her her last days. That became my life purpose and when he died 7 months ago, it was very difficult to come out of grief and depression. ”

But When at a gig for the TPSians, a stranger approached him to find out who they were and to thank them because they had conquered her with their music, he found a new purpose in his life.

“I realized that through my voice and music we could reach other people who do not know what happens with the workers and the immigrant community. I discovered that I had a new purpose in life to help and make understand the needs and inequalities. ”

For Loyda, this is one of the legacies largest of Los Jornaleros del Norte.

Currently working for NDLON in charge of the campaign Dale whose purpose is to organize, educate and make political changes that benefit undocumented workers who have went to work during the pandemic. “We need you to give them papers as thanks and recognition for their work.”

And remember that she came to the United States from Michoacán, Mexico to the 14 years.

“I never thought I was going to be on stage, but I think that fate and the universe put the pieces together. I thank my mom for emigrating. She came undocumented, without speaking the language, worked very hard to bring us the three children she had left in Mexico and gave us an education. I just received my master’s degree in public health. ”

And although she clarifies that she has never been a day laborer or stopped on street corners to ask for work, in some way she identifies with day laborers because she helped her mother clean houses and did many heavy jobs to pay for her school .