Over 300 people gathered at the State Capitol Thursday evening as part of the nationwide day of action, “Good Trouble Lives On”, responding to attacks on civil and human rights from the Trump Administration. The event was founded on the legacy of the late ‘Big Six’ civil rights leader and Congressman John Lewis.
The rally hosted various local organizations, including the Party for Socialism and Liberation Salt Lake (PSL Salt Lake), Utah State Progressive Caucus, League of Women Voters Utah and Salt Lake Indivisible. There were musical performances, chants and speakers such as Jeanetta Williams, president of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) Salt Lake and novelist-activist Darlene McDonald.
The speeches covered specific pieces of legislation like federal HR 1, known as the Big Beautiful Bill, and local 287(G) policy that was passed in Utah County a day before. But more common were connections between mass deportation efforts, escalation in the Middle East, the erasure and targeting of transgender individuals and calls to use growing frustration to unite citizens around the country.
“We have a responsibility to John Lewis and others who stayed in the fight, who didn’t give up, and who worked together for the good of all,” Williams said.
Protestor Experiences
The Chronicle spoke to protesters and members of organizations about their reasons and thoughts behind participating in the protest.
Bailee Watson, 28, described the importance of sending a message that people in Utah care about what is happening around the world.
“It’s especially important to show up for Utah because everyone has got that stereotype that no one in Utah gives a shit, so I really like getting to see all the people that do give a shit,” Watson said.
Louise Edington, 65, vice chair of Utah State’s Progressive Caucus, emphasized the importance of nonviolent resistance.
“I’m a fan of peaceful protests, like John Lewis was himself, so I prefer this kind of gathering. But consistent protesting just shows the powers that be that we don’t agree with what they’re doing,” Edington said.
Denise Weaver, 31, lead organizer for PSL Salt Lake, spoke about the value of protesting in creating political power and building unity within communities.
“I think that the way that protesting shows political power is not so much in the coming out and the protesting, but it’s showing that we are all united by these issues,” Weaver said. “Ultimately, people are coming out because they care about these ideas, but what they’re looking for is real material change in their lives.”
What’s Next
Organizations utilized the event to connect with protesters through various tools such as a voter registration booth, a summer course from PSL, safe sex education pamphlets from Planned Parenthood and petitions against 287 G. Kate Ryman, a member of Salt Lake Indivisible, explained what the event means for the future of their organization.
“In Utah, where we’re so gerrymandered, our vote is diminished in so many different ways that I think that people are eager to start pivoting,” Ryman said. “We will start to do things around the midterms and start looking for ways to tell people about phone banking, about postcarding, about knocking on doors, things like that.”
The protestors referenced John Lewis’s good trouble slogan throughout the evening. After two hours, the protest ended with cheers, invitations to future demonstrations and a Lewis quote delivered by Williams, “We’re stronger together again. I deem the fierce urgency of now, the fierce agents’ urgency of now. The time is now. Let’s be bold and make good trouble.”
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