'I'm here for my grandchildren': Asheville People’s March small, but mighty
The People’s March took place on Jan. 18 at Pack Square in Asheville. Hannah McLeod photo
Despite the hell Asheville and greater Western North Carolina have gone through since flooding caused by Hurricane Helene last fall, as well as the recent terror attacks on large crowds during New Year festivities around the country, passionate protestors showed out for the People’s March in Pack Square on Saturday, Jan. 18.
The People’s March grew out of the inaugural Women’s March in 2017, which took place just days after Donald Trump’s first swearing in. And while the crowd size was smaller this year than in previous years — fewer than 100 people, compared to thousands — participants sought to draw attention to a whole host of issues they think the incoming administration has gotten wrong or altogether neglected. Actions taken by President Donald Trump within the first 24 hours of his presidency took aim at many of those same issues protestors had rallied for.
“I’m here today because I think that climate change is one of the biggest threats we face, and my concern is that we’ve got a new administration coming in that doesn’t seem to understand that,” said Mary Ann Roser of Kenilworth in Asheville. “Having lived through the hurricane, having seen the wildfires in California, honestly I can’t imagine not being really, really concerned about climate change.”
Among a flurry of executive orders Donald Trump signed within hours of taking office on Jan. 20 were several orders dealing with environmental protections and climate change, including orders to withdraw the United States from the Paris Climate Accord, a pact agreed upon by nations around the world to fight climate change; declare a national energy emergency, intended to enhance executive power, suspend environmental rules and expedite permitting of certain mining projects; an attempt to reverse a ban on offshore drilling for 625 million acres of federal waters; open the Alaska wilderness to more oil and gas drilling; and eliminate environmental justice programs across the government that were aimed at protecting poor communities from pollution.
“I’m here today representing the Western Carolina University master’s in social work student cohort,” said Juliana Gross. “I’m a social work student, and part of what we do is analyze policy, influence policy, and one of my greatest concerns is what’s happening right now in our political system with climate change. I wanted to come out to support.”
Several participants at Saturday’s march were there with Third Act, a statewide group of senior citizens seeking to address what it sees as the dual crises of climate change and attacks on democracy.
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“Third Act is a group for those of us in the third act of our lives, retirees, we’re over 60 anyway, and I’m here for my grandchildren. Everybody else’s grandchildren,” said Donna Nelson, retiree and UNCA student. “I remember as a kid gathering fireflies, hundreds and hundreds of fireflies, and now I see on average, three or four in my backyard, little things like that. I want a world they can live in that’s not continually assaulted by weather events and all the political things that will happen as a result of climate change.”
Dallas Trinity, another participant at the march, was concerned about the vast amounts of wealth she sees collecting around the center of power as President Trump’s inner circle fills with male billionaires.
“It’s very important to show up and show resistance to a regime that’s about to take over our country that is not doing so to help the people,” said Trinity. “It’s a regime, not a government. It’s about money and how much they can make, and about taking rights away from everyone that isn’t them. So, any others, whether you be gay, lesbian, black, Hispanic, immigrant, they’re coming after all of us.”
Also in the slew of executive orders was one that aims to end birthright citizenship, a right that is outlined in the constitution of the United States of America. It is not clear whether this will have any legal standing beyond the stroke of Trump’s pen and whether it will have unintended consequences for 3.5 million babies born in the United States every year. Trump also moved to bar asylum for people newly arriving at the southern border and declared migrant crossings along the U.S.-Mexico border a national emergency, which will allow more federal funding for border wall construction, without the need for approval from congress.
Haley Bower attended the march with her family, who have a history of partaking in peaceful protest together.
Like most participants, Haley Bower and her family made signs for the event. Hannah McLeod photo
“I go to school at Western Carolina University, I’m a social work major, and this was really important to me today, because my dad took me to my first Women’s March in 2017 and it changed my life and showed me that there are people out there from every walk of life who love,” said Bower. “And love is probably my top value. So, to be here today and to see love all around is special, and that’s why I’m here.”
Another executive order among those President Trump signed on his first day in office was an order to officially recognize two genders and remove protections for transgender people in federal prisons. It is not yet clear how people who are born intersex will be affected by the order and its requirement to be categorized as either male or female.
Despite their fears regarding the incoming administration’s priority of working against so many of the causes they care about, many protestors have hope as they look toward the future.
“I’m hopeful because there are people who will stand up and fight, and I’ll stand next to them, and I’ll stand with them, and I’ll stand in front of them, if it comes to that, to stop aggression,” said Trinity.
“I’m here for my grandsons,” said Barb, a local retired educator. “I’m hopeful that when my grandson’s generation comes into places where they can affect change in political positions or policy, that it’s going to be a total shift in the other direction. That’s my hope.”
For Bower, what inspires hope is even simpler.
“Love and community.”
