Introduction
Welcome, dedicated attendees. My name is Anna, and I am one of the lead organizers of the LV Grassroots Coalition. Before I begin my speech, I want to thank each and every one of you for coming out today and showing your support!
Each of you made the brave choice to march in defiance of the Fascist government; this turnout is a testament to the fact that we, the people, will not take this oppression any longer! You all coming out here shows that WE DO HAVE THE POWER, and we CAN end government corruption.
Today, I don’t just see a group of people rallying; I see the start of a revolution! Today, we are out here taking a stand, exercising our rights, and showing the oppressors that we will NOT be silenced! Today, we are showing the Trump administration that we will not stand for fascism and tyranny and that we will not stand for Donald Trump’s unconstitutional actions! Today, we remind the ruling elite what the United States was really founded on—rebellion, resistance, and revolution.
Why I Fight
I am here today to tell you why I am fighting. Because as a Pagan Non-Binary human with a female reproductive system married to a Filipino immigrant, Donald Trump’s unconstitutional executive orders have made this fight personal!
- When you attack women’s reproductive rights, you attack me!
- When you attack trans rights, you attack me!
- When you attack immigrants, you attack me!
- When you attack religious freedoms, you attack me!
- And when you attack downright human rights, YOU ATTACK ME!
I will not stand idly by and watch my rights, the rights of my friends and family, and the rights of my community be stripped away. For as long as I breathe, I will not allow the evil powers that be take away our power.
REMOVE: The First Step
The first part of our mantra today is REMOVE. Let’s be clear about what this means. We must remove corrupt officials who have abandoned their oath to serve the people. We must remove policies designed to silence voices. We must remove the barriers that prevent accurate representation in our democracy.
Removal is not just about individuals—it’s about dismantling systems of oppression. It’s about saying “enough” to those who believe they can destroy our Constitution, our rights, and our dignity.
The ballot box is our first tool for removal, but not our only one. We remove through protest, through legal challenges, through speaking truth to power, and through refusing to comply with unjust directives.
REVERSE: Undoing the Damage
The second part of our call is REVERSE. We must reverse the harm that’s been done to our democratic institutions. We must reverse the divisive rhetoric that pits Americans against one another. We must reverse the policies that have stripped protections from our most vulnerable communities.
Reversing means restoring what was taken:
- Reproductive freedoms stripped away
- Environmental protections dismantled
- LGBTQ+ rights threatened
- Immigrant families torn apart
- Voting rights suppressed
This reversal won’t happen overnight, but it starts here—with our voices, our solidarity, and our unwavering commitment to justice.
RECLAIM: Building the Future We Deserve
Finally, we must RECLAIM. Reclaim our democracy. Reclaim our power. Reclaim our future.
Reclaiming means more than going back to how things were. It means building something better—a democracy that truly represents all people, not just the wealthy and well-connected. It means creating systems that protect human rights, not just as an afterthought, but as their central purpose.
We reclaim by:
- Demanding transparency in government
- Building coalitions across communities
- Supporting grassroots candidates who answer to people, not corporations
- Educating ourselves and others about our rights and how to exercise them
- Showing up—not just today, but tomorrow, and the day after, and the day after that
The Power of Unity
Look around you. Seven hundred strong today! Each with a story. Each with a reason to be here. Our power lies in our unity, in recognizing that though our struggles may look different on the surface, their roots are intertwined.
When religious minorities are threatened, we all lose freedom. When immigrants are demonized, we all lose humanity. When bodily autonomy is compromised, we all lose dignity. When democracy falters, we all lose power.
But together—standing shoulder to shoulder—we are unstoppable. History has shown us this truth time and again. Every great movement for justice began with people like us, gathering in places like this, saying simply: “No more.“
Call to Action
As I close today, I ask you to commit to three actions—one for each part of our mantra:
- To REMOVE: Identify one corrupt practice or policy in your local community and work with others to challenge it. Start small if needed, but start somewhere.
- To REVERSE: Find one organization actively working to restore rights that have been taken away and support them—with your time, your voice, or your dollars.
- To RECLAIM: Persuade the people in your community to vote, particularly those who did not come out to the polls on November 5th. Democracy works only when we all have a voice.
Conclusion
I stand before you not just as an organizer but as a fellow human being with everything at stake. My rights, my spouse’s rights, our collective future—all hang in the balance. But I am not afraid, because I am not alone. I have you, and you have each other.
Remember what brought us here today. Hold onto that fire. Nurture it. Share it. And most importantly, act on it.
Remove. Reverse. Reclaim.
This is our moment. These are our lives. This is our democracy.
And we will not be silenced!
Thank you.