Last Saturday, April 5, I was among the thousands who attended 50501’s ‘Hands Off’ rally in Richmond, VA. Protests took place nationwide, with total participation reaching 5.2 million, according to 50501 Movement on Instagram.
The Hands Off protests’ goals were, “To protect Medicaid, Medicare, Social Security, DEI, our jobs, our wallets, our bodies, fair elections, personal data, public lands, veteran services, cancer research, NATO, consumer protections, clean air, clean energy, schools, libraries, free speech, LGBTQ+ rights, immigrants, courts, and more,” as stated by the 50501 Movement’s event flyer. Many protestors I encountered also voiced their grievances with Congress’s lack of response to the Trump administration’s actions and Elon Musk’s participation in our government (no one voted for Elon!).
Before leaving for Richmond, I packed my camera (I used a Canon Rebel T6 with an 18-55mm lens for those interested), snacks, water, and business cards. I also had my mother write her phone number on my arm in permanent marker in case of emergency (since I was attending alone). The full protest vlog is posted to The Changemaker’s Diary Instagram (@the_changemakers_diary), you can also click here to watch.
Upon arriving at the Bell Tower on Capitol Square, I was overwhelmed by the turnout! Thousands of protestors– senior citizens, young adults, children, pets, and people of many races– were gathered with signs, flags, and megaphones, ready to take to the streets! The rally began with a few short speeches from community leaders, including a representative from the Sunrise Movement Richmond and Senator Ghazala Hashmi. Then, at 12:30, we began marching from the Bell Tower to Monroe Park.
While we marched, many bystanders and folks passing by in their cars cheered in support; the energy radiated with sheer unity. We used various call-and-response chants, including “Tell me what democracy looks like,” followed by, “This is what democracy looks like.” Many protesters held signs, some reading, “Stop the coup,” “Dump Trump,” “Hands off our bodies,” and “Deport Elon.”
The march ended in Monroe Park, where protesters conversed, various speakers addressed the crowd, and a few people played live music on the outskirts of the crowd. I left shortly after the march to grab lunch with a friend I met at the protest. We went to Tarrant’s Cafe in Richmond (thank you to the kind waitress who provided many iced water refills; it was extremely hot that day!). I love meeting like-minded people while protesting and am grateful for my new friend!
The protest left me with a sentiment growing all too familiar: a combination of hope and anguish. Seeing the diversity among the crowd and the multitude of participants gives me hope for our cause, but it also leaves me anguished. Millions nationwide–elderly, families with young kids, teenagers, young adults, professionals who took off work– gathered to fight for things that should be the standard in a democratic nation. Saturdays should not have to be spent protecting democracy, yet here we are. I am grateful for those who joined the fight, but sorry that we have to do so.
The 50501 Movement’s next day of action is April 19. If you are able, I urge you to show up. There is strength in numbers, and democracy is at stake! More details will be provided as we get closer to the event date; follow @50501movement on Instagram, and check out their website to stay tuned.
Don’t wait for change, be the changemaker,
-Lyn Jones
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