On Monday, roughly 17,000 community members lined the southwest-bound side of El Camino Real to demonstrate their resistance to the Trump administration.
Together We Will, a local organizing group founded in 2016 to “protect democracy and combat authoritarianism,” organized the event as a follow-up to the June 14 No Kings protest, according to the organization’s website.
People from across the midpeninsula and beyond showed up to the protest. For Mountain View resident Candace Nunes, the event was an opportunity for her to express her views on how to actively participate in American democracy.
“In a democracy, the power lies with the people,” Nunes said. “The actions and decisions they make determine whether we remain a free society. We all have a responsibility to do our part because it’s now or never.”
Mountain View resident Sam Parker agrees with Nunes’s approach to participating in democracy. Parker said he attended the rally to protest against Trump’s actions.
“I have a responsibility to do something about it [changes under the Trump Administration], because I am a citizen of this country, and I have some amount of leverage and political power,” Parker said.
Dawn Reed, a San Jose resident and member of the activist group Indivisible San Jose, said she hoped to represent the voices of marginalized groups at the event. Reed said she believes America is in a crisis, and will continue to stand up for those who are unable to do so in the current political atmosphere.
Through protesting at the rally, Parker said her goal is to spread awareness about current issues and restore faith among people.
“I hope to see renewed vigor in people, so they feel that others care about this issue,” Parker said.
Lead organizer and co-founder of Together We Will IdaRose Sylvester said one of the goals of the rally was also to foster support within the community.
“One of the things we hear most as people walk away is, ‘You gave me hope. You made me feel better,’” Sylvester said. “That matters a lot to us, and this is our best way to build that sense of hope.”
Sylvester said she recognizes the lack of youth participation in local advocacy efforts and urges young people to show up for the next protest to amplify their voices in democracy.
“Please come out for our next protest,” Sylvester said. “Please get involved politically. We are a welcoming space for all ages, and we definitely want to see more youth represented at our events and in our actions, and also new voices to help us understand what is needed by you.”
