March, 2025
By Roxana Cobos, Translation Editor, and Mariana Contreras & Leslie Sanchez, Staff Reporters
On February 17, 2025, in Austin, Texas, large groups of people gathered at the Capital to protest against the new policies implemented by President Trump, calling this the “Not my President’s Day Protest.”
People from all over Texas gathered to protest against the actions of the Trump administration during his first month back in office and to show solidarity to the communities being targeted. In the opinion piece below, senior Roxana Cobos and junior Leslie Sanchez share their perspective on the protest and the various forms the people of Texas used their voices to call for change.
The protest started at 12 pm. We had initially thought we would be walking onto an empty scene but as we were walking up the sidewalk towards the Capitol, we saw other teens and adults holding signs. There was a stand for people to make their own signs and flags being sold to protestors. Walking up to the crowd, there was a sense of hope seeing as to how many were expressing their mutual need for change. A big white sign with big orange and black letters was held out by 4 people standing at the back of the crowd, with several people taking pictures while others passed out flyers and cards about the organization who organized the protest. It was an encouraging place to be in. The atmosphere was filled with positivity towards democracy allowing us to understand each other’s perspectives towards how the policies have affected our everyday lives physically and mentally.
During the protest, people showed support during this movement by using their voices to speak about the injustice and concerns over president trump’s administration along with the disapproval towards Elon Musk’s involvement in government policies. Emotions took a significant role throughout the huge crowd as chants echoed around the capital: “THIS IS WHAT DEMOCRACY LOOKS LIKE!” was one the most common chants. This caused people to hold their posters up higher, waving them in the air.
Something we didn’t expect was for a group of protestors to arrive banging different types of drums. They brought a lot of ambience and caused the crowd to burst into cheers. We continued to listen to the speeches of multiple people. The one that we found most touching was one of the final speakers, who shared her experience with a medical condition. Although she didn’t disclose any personal details for privacy reasons, she spoke with deep empathy. She acknowledged that she is not alone in her struggle, as many others are currently being denied access to life-saving equipment and medication—despite the news stating that a significant portion of taxpayers’ money in the U.S. goes toward medical expenses. The crowd expressed agreement with this statement and praised her for her words of kindness and understanding.
As mentioned, there were hundreds of posters and signs created by people, ranging from ridicules to insults. Roxana’s posters, however, were a hit, drawing both laughter and compliments for their smart yet bold critique of Trump’s policies, which she refers to as ‘insanities.’ Roxana and Leslie parted ways with 3 women they met and even gifted them the posters. Afterwards, they went around capturing the crowd and getting a closer look at all the signs.
After taking some pictures, we sat down and talked for a while, reflecting on the experience. We both felt a deep sense of satisfaction for having taken the initiative to call for change. Having gone through Trump’s presidency when we were younger, it felt empowering to now speak up for those who couldn’t back then, and to be a part of a movement against someone we once feared.
This protest was organized and promoted by Refuse Fascism and 50501 communities. Refuse Fascism is an organization that focuses on raising awareness on Fascism and how to stand up against such threats. 50501 is an online community that has been organizing protests across the country with one powerful message: 50 Protests,50 States,1 day. This initiative motivates and encourages people to unite on specific days to protest and boycott the injustices brought by the Trump administration. Both of the communities have made a significant impact in the past month, gaining recognition across social media and news outlets. Thanks to their efforts, we were able to participate in our first protest in a safe and organized manner.
With this, we encourage our peers at KAC to take initiative as well. Every small step you take towards change contributes to a larger movement, whether it’s standing up for what’s right, speaking out against injustice, or simply supporting those who are fighting for a better future. Your voice and your actions can make a difference in this world.
The Cardinal Post 