Weekly Beat Special Edition: The People's March
- Judy Stahl
- Feb 3
- 3 min read
Special Edition: The People's March
On Saturday, January 18, I joined tens of thousands of Americans who marched in Washington DC to protest the incoming Trump administration’s authoritarianism. The People's March was so named as a nod to the original Women's March in January of 2017, when over 500,000 people marched in Washington DC to protest the election and inauguration of Donald Trump. The key difference between 2017 and now was the variety of issues that brought people together at the People's March. These issues included women's rights, LGBTQ rights, the Free Palestine movement, Climate Change Activism, and matters related specifically to injustices experienced by residents of Washington DC.
Despite cold temperatures, passions were strong and hearts were warm at the fully peaceful event. Spirits were high and there was great harmony, respect, and collaboration among all those present. The day before the People's March, the incoming Trump administration announced that the Inauguration would be held indoors. The reason given was cold weather. However, hotel room reservations were way down, nowhere near the numbers that had attended Trump's first inauguration in 2017. The People's March crowd dwarfed the incoming administration's followers.
The People's March showed how imperative it is that we recognize our collective strength as a unified community. Elections have consequences. It is certainly going to be a long four years. While the second Trump administration has thus far used executive orders to overwhelm and demoralize those opposed to his heartless, self-serving policy actions, we are not without power.
We need to remember that we are actually IN THE MAJORITY of Americans in this country. The People's March brought together tens of thousands of Americans, each of whom represented many others who marched in locations across the country. Only together, can we oppose the worst of the Trump Administration, and we will.
Onward & Upward,
Judy Stahl
Take Action: Stay Informed, & Practice Self-Care
In just 2 weeks, the Trump Adminstration has sown chaos through a flurry of executive orders designed to dismantle critical governement institutions. Trump is purposely attempting to overwhelm the public and incite outrage to prevent us from aligning on our common goals. Our best defense is to find a balance between staying informed and engaging in self-care.
We recommend that you consume news and media at a level that is tolerable for you. Here a three newsletters providing accurate and up-to-date information:
Heather Cox Richardson, who writes Letters from an American.
Jim Acosta, who left CNN after 18 years and now has a substack.
Mark Jacob, longtime Chicago Tribune editor and founder of the weekly newsletter, Stop The Presses.
For self-care, we recommend connecting with others and enjoying soul-nourishing diversions. Be with people in your communities, your family, your friends, and others who share your values. Volunteer. Spend time in nature, enjoy your pets, or go to the symphony.
There are already signs of pushback, even from Republicans, for the blatantly destructive actions of the Trump administration 2.0. For example, Senators Grassley and Durbin raised the alarm last week about Trump's mass firing of Inspectors General, demanding that Trump explain his reasoning. Moreover, the administration has already had to bow to the collective power of the American people, resulting in it cancelling the freeze of federal grant programs.
At Voice for Values we are doing our part to help. First, we are producing this newsletter so that you may have another reliable source of information to draw action from for the next four years. Second, we are engaging in deep organizing work in left-behind communities through our newly launched, Rural Revival Plan.
It does none of us any good to live in a constant state of outrage or despair. But, by staying engaged and energized, we can fight back and stop authoritarianism in its tracks. Our advice: Pick your battles, stay close to those who lift you up, and if you can, please support our work with a donation.
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